| "Slave" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Rolling Stones | |
| from the album Tattoo You | |
| Released | 24 August 1981 |
| Recorded | January–February 1975, June 1981 |
| Genre | Blues rock |
| Length | 6:33 |
| Label | Rolling Stones/Virgin |
| Songwriter(s) | Jagger/Richards |
| Producer(s) | The Glimmer Twins |
| Tattoo You track listing | |
11 tracks | |
"Slave" is a song by The Rolling Stones on their 1981 album Tattoo You .
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. The first stable line-up consisted of bandleader Brian Jones, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman (bass), Charlie Watts (drums), and Ian Stewart (piano). Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963 but continued to work with the band as a contracted musician until his death in 1985. The band's primary songwriters, Jagger and Richards, assumed leadership after Andrew Loog Oldham became the group's manager. Jones left the band less than a month before his death in 1969, having already been replaced by Mick Taylor, who remained until 1974. After Taylor left the band, Ronnie Wood took his place in 1975 and continues on guitar in tandem with Richards. Since Wyman's departure in 1993, Darryl Jones has served as touring bassist. The Stones have not had an official keyboardist since 1963, but have employed several musicians in that role, including Jack Nitzsche (1965–1971), Nicky Hopkins (1967–1982), Billy Preston (1971–1981), Ian McLagan (1978–1981), and Chuck Leavell (1982–present).
Tattoo You is the 16th British and 18th American studio album by the Rolling Stones, released in 1981. The follow-up to Emotional Rescue (1980), the album is mostly composed of studio outtakes recorded during the 1970s, and contains one of the band's most well-known songs, "Start Me Up", which hit number two on the United States's Billboard singles charts.
Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, "Slave" was originally recorded in Rotterdam, Netherlands (as "Black And Blue Jam" or "Vagina"), using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio in late January or early February 1975. During that time, the Rolling Stones were faced with the unexpected challenge of filling the recently vacated position of second guitarist, after the abrupt departure of Mick Taylor. The track features Billy Preston on electric piano and organ (although the organ could also have been played by Ian Stewart). The Who's Pete Townshend provided backing vocals for the recording and one of saxophonist Sonny Rollins' three performances on tracks for the album appeared as well. Percussion by Ollie E. Brown was recorded in 1975, with Mike Carabello adding conga during the 1981 overdub sessions. [1]
Sir Michael Philip Jagger is an English singer, songwriter, actor and film producer who gained fame as the lead singer and one of the founder members of the Rolling Stones. Jagger's career has spanned over five decades, and he has been described as "one of the most popular and influential frontmen in the history of rock & roll". His distinctive voice and energetic live performances, along with Keith Richards' guitar style have been the trademark of the Rolling Stones throughout the band's career. Jagger gained press notoriety for his admitted drug use and romantic involvements, and was often portrayed as a countercultural figure.
Keith Richards is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-principal songwriter of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine called Richards the creator of "rock's greatest single body of riffs" on guitar and ranked him fourth on its list of 100 best guitarists in 2011, and the magazine lists fourteen songs that Richards wrote with the Rolling Stones' lead vocalist Mick Jagger on its "Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list.
Rotterdam is the second-largest city and a municipality of the Netherlands. It is located in the province of South Holland, at the mouth of the Nieuwe Maas channel leading into the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta at the North Sea. Its history goes back to 1270, when a dam was constructed in the Rotte, after which people settled around it for safety. In 1340, Rotterdam was granted city rights by the Count of Holland.
Called "...a standard Stones blues jam" in the album review by Rolling Stone , "Slave" was the result of the Stones' experiments with funk and dance music during the Black and Blue recording sessions of 1974/75. The lyrics are sparse outside of a brief spoken verse by Jagger and the refrain of "Don't want to be your slave". Keith Richards provide the electric guitar part for the song, with Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman supporting on drums and bass, respectively.
Rolling Stone is an American monthly magazine that focuses on popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California in 1967 by Jann Wenner, who is still the magazine's publisher, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its musical coverage and for political reporting by Hunter S. Thompson. In the 1990s, the magazine shifted focus to a younger readership interested in youth-oriented television shows, film actors, and popular music. In recent years, it has resumed its traditional mix of content.
Charles Robert Watts is an English drummer, best known as a member of the Rolling Stones since 1963. Originally trained as a graphic artist, he started playing drums in London's rhythm and blues clubs, where he met Brian Jones, Mick Jagger, and Keith Richards. In January 1963, he joined their fledgling group, the Rolling Stones, as drummer, while doubling as designer of their record sleeves and tour stages. He has also toured with his own group, the Charlie Watts Quintet, and appeared in London at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club with the Charlie Watts Tentet.
Bill Wyman is an English musician, record producer, songwriter and singer. He was the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1993. Since 1997 he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings. He has worked producing records and films, and has scored music for film in movies and television.
The song was never performed by the Stones on stage - although rehearsed in 2002 - and appears on no compilation album.
The 1994 Virgin Records CD reissue of Tattoo You contains an additional 90 seconds of "Slave".
