Slipping Away (Rolling Stones song)

Last updated
"Slipping Away"
Song by the Rolling Stones
from the album Steel Wheels
Released29 August 1989
RecordedMarch – June 1989
Genre Rock
Length4:30
Label Rolling Stones/Virgin
Songwriter(s) Jagger/Richards
Producer(s) Chris Kimsey
and The Glimmer Twins
Steel Wheels track listing
12 tracks
Side one
  1. "Sad Sad Sad"
  2. "Mixed Emotions"
  3. "Terrifying"
  4. "Hold On to Your Hat"
  5. "Hearts for Sale"
  6. "Blinded by Love"
Side two
  1. "Rock and a Hard Place"
  2. "Can't Be Seen"
  3. "Almost Hear You Sigh"
  4. "Continental Drift"
  5. "Break the Spell"
  6. "Slipping Away"

"Slipping Away" is a song recorded by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it is a ballad sung by Richards. It was included as the last track of the band's 1989 studio album Steel Wheels . The Stones have since performed "Slipping Away" during the 1995 leg of the Voodoo Lounge Tour, the 2002-2003 Licks Tour throughout the 2005-2007 A Bigger Bang Tour, [1] on the 14 On Fire tour with former guitarist Mick Taylor guesting, and on the No Filter Tour. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Music and lyrics

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards co-wrote "Slipping Away". The song was recorded by Christopher Marc Potter and Rupert Coulson at both AIR Studios, Montserrat and at Olympic Studios, London. It was mixed by Michael H. Brauer. [5]

Musically, "Slipping Away" is a slow "dreamy" [6] ballad song that features Richards as its lead vocalist, with Jagger singing backing vocals alongside Sarah Dash, Lisa Fischer, and Bernard Fowler. Richards and Ron Wood perform the song's rhythm guitar parts. Bill Wyman provides the prominent bass while Charlie Watts performs drums. The organ and piano are performed by Chuck Leavell and electric piano by Matt Clifford. The song's brass is provided by the Kick Horns. [5]

Richards recorded a re-worked acoustic version for the 1995 live album Stripped . Of the song he said at the time, "(When we recorded it for Stripped) we realized, 'Wow, that song kind of slipped away.' It just kind of tailed off at the end of Steel Wheels. We realized what potential it still had, and the band and especially the horn guys said, 'You've got to do that!' So in a way, I agreed to do it at gun point. But when I got into it, I really liked singing that song. It's got some depth." [2]

Critical reception

In a retrospective article looking over Richards' 20 greatest songs, Rolling Stone's Jon Dolan et al. ranked it number 5, writing that "Slipping Away" was a "moving" song and "somber closing track" for Steel Wheels. [7] In 2019, Jon Dolan wrote in Rolling Stone that "Slipping Away" was the "best song" of the album. [8] Vulture ranked "Slipping Away" in 2017 as the band's 320th best song of all time. [9] Billboard's Joe Lynch wrote that the quality of the song was "enough to prove that even without the Stones, [Richards] could have enjoyed a solo career of renown and relevance". [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Rolling Stones</span> English rock band

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active across seven decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pioneered the gritty, rhythmically driven sound that came to define hard rock. Their first stable line-up consisted of vocalist Mick Jagger, guitarist Keith Richards, multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones, bassist Bill Wyman, and drummer Charlie Watts. During their early years, Jones was the primary leader of the band. After Andrew Loog Oldham became the group's manager in 1963, he encouraged them to write their own songs. The Jagger–Richards partnership became the band's primary songwriting and creative force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mick Jagger</span> English rock singer; frontman of the Rolling Stones (born 1943)

Sir Michael Philip Jagger is an English singer. He is the front man and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. Jagger has written most of the band's songs alongside lead guitarist Keith Richards; their songwriting partnership is one of the most successful in history, and they continue to collaborate musically. His career has spanned over six decades, and he has been widely described as one of the most popular and influential front men in the history of rock music. His distinctive voice and energetic live performances, along with Richards' guitar style, have been the Rolling Stones' trademark throughout the band's career. Jagger gained notoriety for his romantic involvements and illicit drug use, and has often been portrayed as a countercultural figure.

<i>Steel Wheels</i> 1989 studio album by the Rolling Stones

Steel Wheels is the nineteenth studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 29 August 1989 in the US and on 11 September in the UK. It was the final album of new material that the band recorded for Columbia Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown Sugar (Rolling Stones song)</span> 1971 single by The Rolling Stones

"Brown Sugar" is a song recorded by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. Written primarily by Mick Jagger, it is the opening track and lead single from their album Sticky Fingers (1971). It became a number one hit in both the United States and Canada. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, it charted at number two. In the United States, Billboard ranked it as the number 16 song for 1971.

<i>Dirty Work</i> (Rolling Stones album) 1986 studio album by the Rolling Stones

Dirty Work is the eighteenth studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. It was released on 24 March 1986 on the Rolling Stones label by CBS Records, their first under their new contract with Columbia Records. Produced by Steve Lillywhite, the album was recorded during a period when relations between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards had soured considerably, according to Richards' autobiography Life.

<i>Talk Is Cheap</i> 1988 studio album by Keith Richards

Talk Is Cheap is the debut solo album by English musician Keith Richards, the guitarist of the Rolling Stones, released in 1988. Recorded and released during a long-standing falling out with Mick Jagger, Talk Is Cheap received positive reviews upon its release.

<i>Voodoo Lounge</i> 1994 studio album by The Rolling Stones

Voodoo Lounge is the 20th studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 11 July 1994. The album was their band's first release under their new alliance with Virgin Records and their first studio album in five years, since the release of Steel Wheels in 1989. Voodoo Lounge is also the band's first album without original bassist Bill Wyman, who left the band in early 1991, though the Stones did not announce his departure until two years later, in 1993. In 2009, the album was remastered and reissued by Universal Music. This album was released as a double vinyl and as a single CD and cassette.

<i>Metamorphosis</i> (Rolling Stones album) 1975 compilation album by the Rolling Stones

Metamorphosis is the third compilation album of the Rolling Stones music released by former manager Allen Klein's ABKCO Records after the band's departure from Decca and Klein. Released in 1975, Metamorphosis centres on outtakes and alternate versions of well-known songs recorded from 1964 to 1970.

<i>The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus</i> (album) 1996 album

The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus is the fifth release of the Rolling Stones music by former manager Allen Klein's ABKCO Records after the band's departure from Decca and Klein. Released in 1996, The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus is a live album that captures the taping of their ill-fated 1968 TV special, which was not broadcast until almost three decades later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">As Tears Go By (song)</span> 1964 pop song

"As Tears Go By" is a song written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham. Marianne Faithfull recorded and released it as a single in the United Kingdom in 1964. Her song peaked at number nine on both the UK and Irish singles charts. Later, the Rolling Stones recorded their own version, which was included on the American album December's Children . London Records released it as a single, which reached number six in the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

"Dead Flowers" is a song recorded by the Rolling Stones. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it appears on their 1971 album Sticky Fingers as the fourth track of side two.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mixed Emotions (Rolling Stones song)</span> 1989 single by the Rolling Stones

"Mixed Emotions" is a song by English rock band the Rolling Stones from their 1989 album, Steel Wheels. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards while on vacation on Montserrat, "Mixed Emotions" was a collaborative effort between Jagger and Richards after a period of tension and estrangement. Richards brought his own music to the sessions along with most of the song's lyrics, the rest being filled in by Jagger in the studio. Released on 21 August 1989 in the United Kingdom, the song reached No. 1 in Canada and No. 5 in the United States while becoming a top-10 hit in Finland, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour</span> 1989–90 concert tour by the Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels Tour was a concert tour which was launched in North America in August 1989 to promote the band's album Steel Wheels; it continued to Japan in February 1990, with ten shows at the Tokyo Dome. The European leg of the tour, which featured a different stage and logo, was called the Urban Jungle Tour; it ran from May to August 1990. These would be the last live concerts for the band with original member Bill Wyman on bass guitar. This tour would also be the longest the band had ever done up to that point, playing over twice as many shows as their standard tour length from the 1960s and 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Far Away Eyes</span> 1978 single by the Rolling Stones

"Far Away Eyes" is the sixth track from the English rock band the Rolling Stones' 1978 album, Some Girls. It was released, as the B-side of the single "Miss You", on Rolling Stones Records, on 9 June 1978. Rolling Stone magazine made it the 73rd song on their list of 100 Greatest Rolling Stone's Songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Play with Fire (Rolling Stones song)</span> 1965 single by the Rolling Stones

"Play with Fire" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, originally released as B-side to the song "The Last Time". It was later included on the American release of their 1965 album Out of Our Heads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Almost Hear You Sigh</span> 1990 song by The Rolling Stones

"Almost Hear You Sigh" is a song by English rock band the Rolling Stones from their 1989 album, Steel Wheels, written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Steve Jordan. The song was originally a contender for inclusion on Richards' first solo album, Talk Is Cheap, but he decided to play it for Jagger and Chris Kimsey the next year during recording sessions in Montserrat for the Steel Wheels album. With the exception of some lyrical alteration by Jagger, the composition was left in its original form. The single, which was released in January 1990 and was the third single released from Steel Wheels, reached No. 50 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 31 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock and a Hard Place</span> 1989 single by the Rolling Stones

"Rock and a Hard Place" is a song by English rock band the Rolling Stones from their 1989 album, Steel Wheels. It was released as the second single from the album and remains the band's most recent top-40 hit in the United States as of 2024, peaking at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Fowler</span> American musician

Bernard Fowler is an American musician. He is known for a long association with The Rolling Stones, providing backing vocals since 1989 and on their studio recordings and live tours. Fowler has been a featured guest vocalist on the majority of solo albums released by the members of that band. He has released two solo albums, and he has also been a regular featured singer on other musicians' recordings and tours. Fowler has toured and recorded with the bands Tackhead and Bad Dog and occasionally with Nicklebag and Little Axe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">14 On Fire</span> 2014 concert tour by the Rolling Stones

14 On Fire was a concert tour by the Rolling Stones, which started on 21 February 2014 in Abu Dhabi. It was a follow-up to the 50 & Counting tour which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the band. The tour was very much similar to 50 & Counting just as the "Urban Jungle" portion of the Stones' Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour in 1990 was similar to the "Steel Wheels" portion in 1989. 14 On Fire had the same stage design, setlist structure, and clothing/merchandise as 50 & Counting. Also, Mick Taylor was a guest throughout this tour as in 50 & Counting.

<i>Steel Wheels Live</i> 2020 live album by the Rolling Stones

Steel Wheels Live is a live album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. It was broadcast live and recorded on 19 December 1989 on the Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour, promoting Steel Wheels album, and was released in 2020. Flashpoint was another live album from the same tour.

References

  1. ↑ Kreps, Daniel (2021-05-07). "Rolling Stones Ready 'A Bigger Bang: Live on Copacabana Beach' Reissue". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  2. 1 2 "Slipping Away". Time Is On Our Side. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
  3. ↑ Wallis, Adam (30 June 2019). "Canada Rocks with the Rolling Stones: Here's what happened at the show | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  4. ↑ Flood, Alex (2018-05-23). "Rolling Stones London Stadium review: 'it's like they've never been away'". NME. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  5. 1 2 Margotin, Philippe; Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2016). The Rolling Stones All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. Running Press. p. 590. ISBN   978-0-316-31773-3.
  6. ↑ Bliss, Karen (1 July 2019). "The Rolling Stones Wish Fans 'Happy Canada Day' at Lone Canadian Concert on No Filter Tour". Billboard . Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  7. ↑ Dolan, Jon; Doyle, Patrick; Grow, Kory; Hermes, Will; Sheffield, Rob (2015-09-10). "Keith Richards' 20 Greatest Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  8. ↑ Dolan, Jon (2019-03-27). "Keith Richards' Great Solo Debut, 'Talk Is Cheap,' Turns 30". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  9. ↑ Marchese, David (2017-05-05). "Ranking All 374 Rolling Stones Songs". Vulture. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  10. ↑ Lynch, Joe (2 August 2019). "The Rolling Stones Roar Into New Jersey On No Filter Tour". Billboard. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.