Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
The classic 1981 Rolling Stones song Keith Richards took 10 years to finish
Far Out Magazine revisits the story behind one of The Rolling Stones' biggest hits, "Start Me Up", explaining that the track featured on their 1981 album Tattoo You only came together after roughly a decade of false starts. Keith Richards first sketched out the riff during sessions years earlier, but the band repeatedly shelved and revisited the song before settling on the version fans know, illustrating how even the group's most enduring anthems could emerge from a long, uncertain writing process.
The song was originally attempted in the mid-1970s, with the band experimenting with a reggae-inflected arrangement that never quite worked, before it was set aside for years. It was eventually rediscovered and reworked during later recording sessions, with Richards' guitar riff ultimately anchoring the rock version released as the lead single from Tattoo You, which went on to become a top-five hit and a staple of the Stones' live shows.
In short
- "Start Me Up" took roughly ten years to complete.
- Keith Richards' riff dated back to mid-1970s sessions.
- The song became a signature Rolling Stones hit on Tattoo You (1981).
Explained simply
The Rolling Stones are a British rock band whose long career has included many hit records. Guitarist Keith Richards is one of the band’s main songwriters, often working with singer Mick Jagger.
Songs can change considerably as a band tries out different arrangements in the studio. “Start Me Up” began as an idea during recording sessions in the 1970s, when the group experimented with a reggae-influenced sound.
The band later returned to the song and built it around Richards’ guitar riff. Released on the 1981 album Tattoo You, it became a major hit and a regular part of the Stones’ live performances.