The Top 10 Rolling Stones Track That Keith Richards Once Called a “Terrible Piece of Tripe”
Keith Richards and Mick Jagger initially thought “As Tears Go By” was a poor song, but their producer Andrew Loog Oldham recognised its potential. The song became an early success for the pair as writers, showing how an artist’s own opinion can differ from the public’s.
Marianne Faithfull released the first successful recording in June 1964, with “Greensleeves” as the B-side. It reached No. 9 in the UK and No. 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100; the Rolling Stones’ version later peaked at No. 6 in the US.
In short
- Richards and Jagger dismissed “As Tears Go By” as “tripe”.
- Marianne Faithfull’s recording reached No. 9 in the UK.
- The Rolling Stones’ version peaked at No. 6 in the US.
Explained simply
The Rolling Stones are a British rock band formed in the early 1960s, with Mick Jagger as singer and Keith Richards as guitarist. The pair became the band’s main songwriting partnership, while producer Andrew Loog Oldham helped shape their early career.
“As Tears Go By” was one of Jagger and Richards’s early songs, written for singer Marianne Faithfull, who was also part of the band’s circle. Faithfull’s recording became a hit in 1964, before the Rolling Stones released their own version. Its success helped establish Jagger and Richards as songwriters as well as performers.