Mixed Emotions by The Rolling Stones

Album: Steel Wheels (1989)

Charted: 36 5

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

This is believed to be Mick Jagger's response to Keith Richards' solo track "You Don't Move Me," which was a dig on Mick. Jagger claims this is about a girl and has nothing to do with Richards.
Richards referred to this as "Mick's Emotions," believing it was about his feud with Jagger.
Keith Richards: "I think we cut that in Montserrat, an island that no longer exists. That smoldering heap of volcanic eruptions. And we were the last guys to cut there. That was the last record anybody cut there. It's what happens when you work with The Stones. They got a hurricane and then it erupted. It was a pretty island once. With "Mixed Emotions" I think I had the music and I went to Mick and said, bring your bit to it. Because it's a two-way street a lot of the time. I mean there was a time when Mick and I used to write face-to-face all the time. But we were on the road then. Now we can bring ideas to each other and sometimes it's strange - we hadn't seen each other for maybe five or six months and we get together and funny enough, we'd each have written a piece of music that actually fits together even though we haven't been in communication with each other." >>>
Suggestion credit:
Bertrand - Paris, France
The B-side of the single is "Fancyman Blues," a track recorded during sessions for a hurricane relief effort.
The Stones went on tour for the first time in eight years to support the album. The Steel Wheels tour ushered in a new era of concerts for big, established bands. On that tour, The Stones arranged for corporate sponsorship, TV deals, and various other marketing opportunities. They also bypassed local promoters, using a tour manager to serve their purpose. This allowed the band to make a great deal of money on the tour. There was speculation that this tour would be the last for The Stones, but they have done several others since.
The Rolling Stones performed "Mixed Emotions" for the first time when they played a secret show at a 700-capacity club called Toad's Place in New Haven on August 12, 1989 as a warm up for their tour. "This is the first time we've played it in public, please be kind," Mick Jagger told the crowd.

Comments: 10

Brian from Boston, MaIf you listen to the beginning of this song it has the same two chords as I want to hold your hand by the Beatles a C chord sliding into a D chord. This song came out when I was about 19 years old.I had been a stones fan but mostly a fan of their 60's and 70's music. It was nice to hear current music of theirs and this song really rocked. The steel wheels album was a really good record.
Michael from Costa Mesa, CaThis song was played alot on the radio here in the Los Angeles, California area in 1989..I was 14 when it came out
Tim from Long Island, NyThis song is in the key of C.
Ken from Louisville, KyThis song is from the Stones' Steel Wheels album which was the last recording ever at George Martin's AIR Studios in Montserrat before it was destroyed by Hurricane Hugo in 1989 (Martin, himself, had no involvement in the recording).
Eric from Hastings, Mnit's sweet... cool harmonies
Andrew from New York, United States"This is believed to be Mick Jagger's response to Keith Richard's solo track 'You Don't Move Me,' which was a dig on Mick." How do you figure that? By the time this song was written, Mick and Keith had buried the hatchet and were working together, remember? I think you are a little confused. It was a track on one of Mick's solo LPs, written during the same Stones hiatus that launched Keith's superior first solo effort, that was supposedly aimed at Keith. Although you are absolutely right that "You Don't Move Me" was aimed at Mick. Keith was furious at Mick for reneging on a promise to tour after the completion of the "Dirty Work" record, and for putting out a solo record when Keith felt Mick should have been concentrating on the Stones. He was particularly irritated when Mick cited not wanting to tour as a major cause of his doing the solo record, then promptly turned around and toured behind his solo record! The solo tour featured Long Island, NY guitar whiz Joe Satriani, and also Jimmy Ripp, who played Keith's parts on the Stones songs Mick's band played- presumably lead guitar virtuoso Satriani couldn't handle Keith's parts! The fact that Mick was touring behind his solo record but playing Stones songs was another thing that ticked Keith off; why not play those same songs on tour with the Stones?
Johnny from Los Angeles, CaWow. How long have the Stones been together. I bet no band will come close to being as popular for as long a time as the Stones.
Mike from Balitimore, MdThe melody in the verse bears a striking resemblance to Keith Richards' "Take It So Hard", from 1988's Talk Is Cheap.
Dave from Sydney, AustraliaHas also be interpreted by Richard's as "Mick's Demotion"
Mr. Chimp from Brno, Czech RepublicMaybe the only highlight of Steel Wheels album.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Back In The U.S.S.R.The Beatles

"Back In The U.S.S.R." by The Beatles was play on "California Girls" by The Beach Boys, with "Moscow girls" and "Ukraine girls" instead of the all-American girls.

Blowin' In The WindBob Dylan

Bob Dylan was little known when he released "Blowin' In The Wind" so the cover versions - especially by Peter, Paul and Mary and Stan Getz - were much more popular at the time.

Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" was co-written by Sarah Hudson, who was a member of the pop group Ultraviolet Sound. Though Sarah isn't related to Katy (whose real name is Katy Hudson), she is the first cousin of another famous person with the same name, the actress Kate Hudson.

Paul RevereBeastie Boys

In Beastie Boys' "Paul Revere," the title refers to the name of a horse. They took it from a song in the musical Guys And Dolls where a character sings, "I got the horse right here, the name is Paul Revere."

Sweet Baby JamesJames Taylor

James Taylor wrote "Sweet Baby James" during a road trip to Virginia in honor of his brother’s new baby, also named James, whom he was about to meet for the first time.

Hotline BlingDrake

The fadeout on Drake's "Hotline Bling" lasts 55 seconds - one of the longest outros of any hip-hop hit.