Keith Richards nearly scrapped what would become one of The Rolling Stones' biggest hits, "Start Me Up," after deciding its final recorded version didn't match his original vision. The band first attempted the track in 1975, when Richards, a keen reggae fan, wanted it recorded in that style, but the take didn't work and the song was shelved. It was later reworked repeatedly before emerging in 1981 with the rock sound fans now know, becoming a career-defining single that helped keep the veteran band relevant amid the rise of punk and new rock movements.

Producer Chris Kimsey recalled that after the band cut the eventual version, he was thrilled, but Richards was unimpressed, reportedly telling him it sounded too much like generic radio fare and instructing him to "wipe it." Kimsey suggested Richards' disappointment stemmed from his love of reggae and his wish for the song to have kept that flavour. Despite Richards' reservations, the track survived, was released as a single in 1981 on the album Tattoo You, and went on to become one of the Stones' most enduring and recognisable songs.