“That’s jail to me”: How being out on bail led to one of The Rolling Stones’ most overlooked classics

Keith Richards and Mick Jagger wrote a Rolling Stones song while out on bail after the band’s 1967 drug arrests, fearing they would soon be sent to prison. The track became a thank-you to fans who had stood by them, and its mix of vulnerability and energy is why it is regarded as an overlooked classic.

Richards recalled the period as a low point, describing the song as a last chance to make music before “the jail doors started slamming”. The early version was slow and dirge-like, so the band adjusted its timing to make it more upbeat without losing its melancholy feel. Pianist Nicky Hopkins contributed the piano part.