Album: It's Only Rock 'N' Roll (1974)
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Songfacts®:

  • This is a reggae-influenced song. Most of their previous album, Goats Head Soup, was recorded in Jamaica.
  • Keith Richards got the idea for this from a song that came on the radio while he was driving in Munich.
  • The lyrics tell the tale of a poor laborer working long hours while his boss at the oil refinery gets rich.
  • The CD version contains an extra 30 seconds which was left off the original.
  • Ray Cooper played percussion on this track. A British session musician, he played on most of Elton John's albums in the '70s, and has also recorded with Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, and Roger Waters. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France

Comments: 4

  • Justin from MaineThat guitar tone!
  • Tim from Long Island, NyOpen G tuning, key of C.
  • Mike from Framingham, MaThis riff and the whole truthful story did and still does blow my mind. Shows the uniqueness of the Stones and always lifts my spirits. I love their aggressive, funky, rocking sound and this song ecapsulates it perfectly just like Jumping Jack Flash and Beast of Burden IMO.
  • Johnny from Los Angeles, CaI thought it was about a wife, but right now is the first time I heard it.
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