An underrated album from legendary band The Rolling Stones has been singled out by frontman Mick Jagger.
The rock and roll veteran has released thirty-one studio albums with the Keith Richards and Charlie Watts-featuring band, but says one in particular deserved much more credit. Though the album would go on to peak at number two in the UK charts and topped the US Billboard 2000, Jagger believes the album does not receive the praise it deserves. Sharing his thoughts on the album with Rolling Stone Magazine founder Jann Wenner, the legendary stage performer called the release an “excellent” piece of work. Wenner agreed with Jagger’s thoughts on the album and said the “precise” playing for the 1981 release is a major part of its appeal.
Jagger told Wenner: “I think it’s excellent. But all the things I usually like, it doesn’t have. It doesn’t have any unity of purpose or place or time. What do you think?” The album in question, Tattoo You, was released during a rough period for The Rolling Stones. Friction between the band and touring obligations led to producers sifting through archival recordings, some of which were a decade old.
Despite the bad blood between the band at the time, Tattoo You was a critical and commercial success. The favour it received at the time has not lasted, according to Jagger, who believes the album is not as idolised as other works like Exile on Main St. or Sticky Fingers.
He shared his love for Start Me Up in particular, saying Richards’ “great riff” is the core of the song. Jagger said: “It was Keith’s great riff, and I wrote the rest. The funny thing was that it turned into this reggae song after two takes.
“And that take on Tattoo You was the only take that was a complete rock and roll take. And then it went to reggae completely for about twenty takes. And that’s why everyone said, ‘Oh, that’s crap. We don’t want to use that.’ And no one went back to take two, which was the one we used, the rock track.”
The album would sell four million copies in the United States and a further one hundred thousand in the UK at the time of release. A deluxe edition of the album released in 2026, and featured rarities and a live performance from Wembley Stadium, dated to 1992.
Tattoo You also features The Who’s Pete Townshend, veteran keyboardist Billy Preston, and Santana band member Michael Carabello. Townshend provided backing vocals on the song Slave.
Associate producer Chris Kimsey later said the album came about because Jagger and Richards were not getting along, though the band had to get an album out. Kimsey said: “Tattoo You really came about because Mick and Keith were going through a period of not getting on. There was a need to have an album out, and I told everyone I could make an album from what I knew was still there.
“I spent three months going through (the recording tapes from) like the last four, five albums, finding stuff that had been either forgotten about or at the time rejected. And then I presented it to the band and I said, ‘Hey, look guys, you’ve got all this great stuff sitting in the can and it’s great material, do something with it.'”
Remember when the deluxe edition was released next year? Cool.
Those were the days!
Tattoo You is a Masterpiece!
Emotional rescue is in my opinion their best song ever
At the ripe age of 11 (1981), the rolling stones have always been my favorite group. Tattoo you and previous albums, by far are the best. As the years have gone by and the ages of the band members, I feel that they should go back to their roots of the blues. The stones should play that kinda of music at their concerts or if not play the blues at lounges. Something like rod Stewart did. Either way the stones by far are the BEST rock & roll band ever!!! There wiil never ever be a better band, I still have their mtv music videos on VHS and CDs.