3 Controversial Songs by The Rolling Stones That Some Fans Have Left in the Past—and Others Have Not

The 20th century was a different time. People had very different beliefs, and while many long for the nostalgia of a simpler time, some of those beliefs and ways of thinking weren’t the best. Poor attitudes toward women and racial differences often bled over into music. Some would say that The Rolling Stones wrote a song or two in poor taste on those subjects. The band itself, though, argued through the years that their intention was never to alienate anyone.

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Let’s look at a few controversial Rolling Stones songs that some fans think should be left in the past in favor of their other work, and the band’s defenses for the songs in question.

“Star Star”

Honestly, this song isn’t particularly hateful, cruel, or “bad” in the sense that it targets violence against somebody. Rather, it’s such a filthy tune that it’s almost cringey to listen to it nowadays. Mick Jagger drops the F-bomb dozens of times in this song, and that’s not even the grossest part of “Star Star”. 

This song is all about a girl who loves to fool around with rock stars. While I’m sure Jagger saw it as an ode to the groupies he loved so dearly, “Star Star” has a bit of a chauvinistic element to it. And this one is a bit too naughty for most people’s taste nowadays.

“Some Girls”

“Some Girls” has earned The Stones quite a bit of controversy through the years. Released in 1978, this song has lyrics that I can’t even mention in this post. They’re classically vulgar for The Stones, but a few particular lines about Black and Chinese women really stirred the pot. Even Reverend Jesse Jackson called the song a “racial insult.”

Mick Jagger, however, claims that the song was supposed to be satire, shining a light on the misogynistic and sometimes racist interactions that women deal with on the daily. Some have sided with him on the subject.

“Brown Sugar”

Well, it was only natural that “Brown Sugar” would make it to our list of controversial Rolling Stones songs. This 1970 song is about Jagger’s pretty detailed and vulgar sexual run-in with a Black woman. In the song, Jagger inserts a line about slavery that did not sit well with many people. Neither did a line in which Jagger refers to the woman in question as a “young girl.” 

Later, Jagger would say he regretted writing and recording “Brown Sugar” and “never would write that song now.”

Photo by David Redfern/Redferns