5 Cool Rolling Stones Songs About… The Rolling Stones

When you’ve been making records for 60 years or so, you’re bound to end up getting a bit self-reflexive at times. The Rolling Stones have occasionally looked in the collective mirror when coming up with song topics.

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These five songs address the band, some obliquely, others in rather direct fashion. In any case, it’s interesting to take a peek and see how these guys really view each other.

“Jigsaw Puzzle” from ‘Beggars Banquet’ (1968)

Like just about everybody else in the world who wrote a song in the second half of the 60s, Mick Jagger felt the influence of Bob Dylan on his work. Perhaps the most famous example of this influence was “Sympathy For The Devil”. “Jigsaw Puzzle” falls more under the radar as an album cut, but it features some of Jagger’s most piercing lyrics. That includes a section where he looks at an unnamed rock band, with all their peccadilloes. We meet a frustrated singer, a reticent bass player, a “frazzled” drummer, and “outcast” guitarists. Sounds like a Rolling Stones caricature, except we have a hard time picturing Charlie Watts as anything but suave.

“Shine A Light” from ‘Exile On Main St.’ (1972)

By the end of the 60s, Brian Jones had worn out his welcome with the band that he helped to form. Not long after being dismissed, Jones died. The Rolling Stones didn’t really pause to acknowledge the tragedy much. But years later, Mick Jagger offered a perfect take on Jones in the song “Shine A Light”. He apparently started writing it before Jones’ passing, finishing it after by adding the gospel-like parts in the chorus. However, while things might have ended between Jones and the band, Jagger projects nothing but true affection and tender sorrow towards him here.

“All About You” from ‘Emotional Rescue’ (1980)

You have to give Mick Jagger some credit for being a good sport. It’s hard to imagine that too many other rockers would have allowed someone else within the same band to write a somewhat accusatory song about them. And then include it on the band’s album! But Jagger sat back and let Keith Richards vent his feelings about him on this soulful ballad. Even the title hints at the idea that Jagger needs to be the center of attention. Richards spends much of the song calling Jagger out for his selfishness. But he ends it by admitting he can’t quite quit himself of his frontman.

“Waiting On A Friend” from ‘Tattoo You’ (1981)

With this one, we might be taking a bit of license. Part of the reason that The Rolling Stones had to dig deep into their archives for the songs for Tattoo You is that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards weren’t getting along well enough to write new ones. So maybe it’s a bit of a stretch to imagine that Jagger’s lyrics for this song referenced some profound friendship between the pair. Still, thanks to the video, you can imagine a world where The Stones, for all their fussing and fighting, could get together and put it all aside over a pint. After all, Jagger insists here that he’s “not waiting on a lady.”

“Mixed Emotions” from ‘Steel Wheels’ (1989)

Were The Rolling Stones all that close to imploding in the late 80s? Hard to say, but it’s fair to infer that the relationship between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards deteriorated to something resembling a nadir at that time. Richards even released a solo song that took direct aim at his old partner. Perhaps the world needed to be convinced that they had truly mended fences. It was wise then that the Stones chose “Mixed Emotions” as the lead single from Steel Wheels, the album that reunited the pair. Richards jokingly referred to the song as “Mick’s Emotions”. He was trying to patch the rift while also acknowledging that work needed to be done by both parties for that to happen.

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