“Beast of Burden” by the Rolling Stones is a rock song about feeling drained and frustrated in a relationship where one person carries all the weight. It’s about the way love can feel like a heavy burden when it isn’t balanced.
Below is a section-by-section interpretation of the lyrics in “Beast of Burden.”
- Song: Beast of Burden
- Artist: The Rolling Stones
- Songwriter: Jagger–Richards
- Released: 1978
- Album: Some Girls
- Genre: Blues rock, Soft Rock
“Beast of Burden” Meaning: Line by Line
Verse 1: Exhausted and Wanting Connection
I’ll never be your beast of burden
My back is broad, but it’s hurting
All I want, for you to make love to me
A “beast of burden” is an animal made to carry heavy loads, like a mule or ox. Here, it means feeling used.
He’s tired of carrying the weight in the relationship while being overlooked. The pain comes from feeling drained and beaten down inside.
He’s not asking for help. He just wants to feel like there is balance in the relationship.
I’ll never be your beast of burden
I’ve walked for miles, my feet are hurting
All I want is for you to make love to me
He feels worn out, both in body and spirit. The “hurt feet” show how much effort he’s put in without getting much back.
He’s saying it shouldn’t be this hard to be close. He doesn’t want a casual fling, but he also doesn’t think he should have to struggle so much just to make love.
Another way to look at it is that he does want a more casual relationship, but he’s being forced to put in a lot of effort to sleep with her.
Chorus: Needing to Be Enough
Am I hard enough?
Am I rough enough?
There seems to be some insecurity here. The questions feel defensive.
He’s asking if he’s masculine or strong enough, trying to figure out why he’s not being accepted or wanted the way he wants to be.
Am I rich enough?
I’m not too blind to see
He sees that something’s off. It seems like he’s trying to prove his worth, ticking off qualities he thinks might matter, but none of it seems to work.
Verse 2: Escaping the Tension
I’ll never be your beast of burden
So let’s go home and draw the curtains
He’s still saying he won’t carry all the weight, but the fight seems less important now.
He just wants to block out the drama and get back to the part of their relationship that still feels good.
Music on the radio
Come on, baby, make sweet love to me
He turns to what always works between them: the physical side of their relationship.
He’s tired of the arguing and wants to lose himself in the easy, exciting moments they share in bed.
Bridge: Playful Words with a Desperate Edge
Oh, little sister
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty girls
He might be pointing out how things usually work out with women he’s attracted to. He puts in the effort, but it’s never enough.
You’re a pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty girl
Come on, baby, please, please, please
Here he’s practically begging her to give in.
It could be him pleading for her to sleep with him, or maybe it’s frustration at how hard she makes it for him. Either way, the repeated “please” makes him sound needy and a little desperate.
Verse 3: Pain and Power Struggles
I’ll tell you, you can put me out on the street
Put me out with no shoes on my feet
He’s willing to be thrown out and left with nothing. This shows how much control she has over him.
There’s a mix of bitterness and surrender here, like he knows he’s trapped but can’t let go.
But put me out, put me out
Put me out of misery
He’s begging for relief from the pain of this one-sided fight.
Whether it’s being ignored or feeling unwanted, he just wants the hurt to stop, even if that means giving up completely.
All your sickness, I can suck it up
Throw it all at me, I can shrug it off
He’s willing to carry all her burdens because he wants the relationship to work.
He’s been carrying so much for her, even when it wears him down.
There’s one thing, baby, I don’t understand
You keep on telling me I ain’t your kind of man
After everything he’s done and given, he still isn’t who she wants.
That constant rejection wears him down. No matter how hard he tries, it might never be enough.
Chorus 2: Repeating the Questions
Ain’t I rough enough? Ooh, honey
Ain’t I tough enough?
Ain’t I rich enough? In love enough?
He repeats the earlier chorus, but this time it’s more desperate.
The new line “in love enough” shows he’s now even questioning the depth of his feelings, as if nothing he offers will ever be enough.
Outro: Drawing the Line
This section repeats lines from the first verse, then these lines are added:
I don’t need no beast of burden
I need no fussing, I need no nursing
Never, never, never, never, never, never, never be
This could be directed at her, as if he’s telling her not to try to fix him or make up for what’s happened. Or they might be him admitting he doesn’t need anyone’s help getting over her.
The repeated “never” sounds like him starting to accept that the balance he’s wanted will probably never exist.
“Beast of Burden” Song Meaning: Giving Everything and Still Not Being Enough
“Beast of Burden” is about someone fed up with being used. It’s about being with someone who won’t meet you halfway and feeling worn down from trying so hard to prove yourself. He’s tired, frustrated, and horny.
There’s sex in the lyrics, but it’s not just lust. It’s a way of begging to be wanted. He keeps offering his strength, money, and love, but it never seems to be what the other person wants. It’s that helpless feeling of knowing you’re not enough for someone, no matter what you give.
Songs Like “Beast of Burden”
Here are a few songs that deal with exhaustion in relationships, self-worth, or feeling used:
1. “You Don’t Own Me” by Lesley Gore
“You Don’t Own Me” is a bold assertion of independence in a relationship, rejecting the notion that love entails ownership or obedience.
2. “Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin
“Piece of My Heart” is about someone who gives and gives, even as it breaks them down, hoping love will be returned someday.
Related: Best Songs with “Heart” in the Title
3. “You’re No Good” by Linda Ronstadt
“You’re No Good” is about walking away from someone who never treated her right. It’s confident and final, showing what it looks like to stop trying and cut the cord completely.
Conclusion: No One Wants to Be the Mule in a Relationship
“Beast of Burden” is about what it feels like to carry a relationship that’s out of balance. When one side gives everything and still doesn’t feel wanted, bitterness builds. It’s about reaching a point where you either demand love or stop carrying the weight altogether. Some people crash under the pressure. Others, like in this song, just refuse to play that role anymore.
You can listen to “Beast of Burden” on Spotify and Amazon.
Check out more 1970s Song Meanings!
