Fortune Teller

Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones
Singing "Fortune Teller" (1966)

By Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

Preface: For Song #16, I've selected "Fortune Teller" sang by Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones (1966). The song was written by Allen Toussaint under the pseudonym Naomi Neville and first recorded by Benny Spellman. It was issued in 1962 as B-side of the single "Lipstick Traces (on a Cigarette)" on Minit Records. It tells the story of a young man who is pleased to learn from a fortune teller that he will find love "When the next one arrives". Next day he returns, angry that nothing has happened, but falls in love with the fortune teller. They get married and are as "happy as we could be", and he gets his "fortune told for free". This song was included in my poem "Psychic Cleaners" (5-16-2006) and Notes (12-7-2006). I saw Mick Jagger sing "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" at Cornell (10-30-1965). I bought their 1966 LP album "Got Live If You Want It" containing this hit, but it was "Fortune Teller" on the other side which I enjoyed more.

Went to the fortune teller
Had my fortune read
I didn't know what to tell her
I had the dizzy feeling in my head

Then she took a look at my palm
She said sonny your fields out of wong
She looked into her crystal ball
And said you're in love

I said I couldn't that be so
I'm not passion with the girls I know
She said when the next one arrives
You'll be looking into her eyes

I left there in a hurry
Looking forward to my big surprise
The next day I discovered
That the fortune teller told me a lie

I hurried back down to that woman
As mad as I could be
I told her I didn't see nobody
Why'd she make a fool out of me

Then something struck me
As if it came from up above
While looking at the fortune teller
I fell in love

Now I'm a happy fellow
Well I'm married to the fortuen teller
We're happy as we can be
Now I get my fortune told for free

© Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com
May 19, 2023