Mess It Up

Album: Hackney Diamonds (2023)
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Songfacts®:

  • "Mess It Up" is a firecracker of a dance track, all wrapped in Stonesy swagger. Mick Jagger unleashes a rock and roll tirade against a vengeful ex who plundered his phone, plastered his private pics online, charmed his landlord into a betrayal, and violated the sanctity of his own four walls.
  • "Mess It Up" was one of two songs recorded for Hackney Diamonds in 2019 sessions before Charlie Watts' passing in August 2021. Keith Richards dedicated the album to Watts, stating that Watts' backbeat remains a constant inspiration in his creative process.
  • Keith Richards and Mick Jagger wrote the song with production by Andrew Watt (Ozzy Osbourne, Post Malone, Justin Bieber).
  • Mick Jagger's longtime musical collaborator, Matt Clifford, plays the Wurlitzer Organ and piano.
  • The cinematic music video stars Nicholas Hoult as a regretful ex-boyfriend navigating a surreal dreamscape. British actor Nicholas Hoult's resumé includes the 2011 film X-Men: First Class and the 2015 movie Mad Max: Fury Road.

    Kendrick Lamar and Anderson .Paak collaborator Calmatic directed the visual.

Comments: 1

  • Chris Conlin from CanadaThis song has an amazing bass line and nothing mentioned about who played bass on the track. I don’t care about the lame ass production on the album. They squished out almost every possible dynamic moment on the whole album. Love this album and is in my opinion their best record since Tattoo You!
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