Who plays the saxophone on The Rolling Stones’ 1971 song ‘Brown Sugar’?
Bobby Keys played the saxophone solo on the Rolling Stones’ 1971 song ‘Brown Sugar’. The article contrasts the track’s lively musical arrangement with lyrics it describes as deeply troubling, arguing that the song’s subject matter has damaged its standing despite its musical strengths.
Keys was a regular collaborator with the band and also played on other Stones records, as well as albums by George Harrison and Marvin Gaye. He became close friends with guitarist Keith Richards; the article recounts that the pair once threw a television from the tenth floor of a West Hollywood hotel.
- Bobby Keys played the saxophone solo on ‘Brown Sugar’.
- He was a regular collaborator with the Rolling Stones.
- The article contrasts the song’s musical appeal with its troubling lyrics.
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The Rolling Stones are a British rock band whose early 1970s recordings helped define their sound. ‘Brown Sugar’ appeared on the 1971 album Sticky Fingers, with Bobby Keys playing the saxophone solo.
Keys was an American saxophonist who worked with the Stones regularly and appeared on other artists’ records, including albums by George Harrison and Marvin Gaye. His friendship with guitarist Keith Richards was also well known. The song remains a point of discussion because its energetic music sits alongside lyrics about slavery and sexual violence.