Tattoo You

Infobox Album |
Name = Tattoo You
Type = Album
Artist = The Rolling Stones


Released = 24 August 1981
Recorded = November 1972 –
June 1981
Genre = Rock
Length = 44:23
Label = Rolling Stones/Virgin
Producer = The Glimmer Twins
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:39frxqt5ldfe link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/therollingstones/albums/album/293970/review/6067528/tattoo_you link]
*Robert Christgau (A-) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=rolling+stone link]
Last album = "Sucking in the Seventies"
(1981)
This album = "Tattoo You"
(1981)
Next album = ""Still Life" (American Concert 1981)"
(1982)

"Tattoo You" is an album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1981. The follow-up to "Emotional Rescue", it proved to be a big critical and commercial success upon its release and is still celebrated as one of The Rolling Stones' finest full-length releases, despite its prolonged recording history.

History

"Tattoo You" is primarily composed of outtakes, some dating back a decade, with new vocals and overdubs. Along with two new songs, the Rolling Stones put together this collection in order to have a new album to promote for their worldwide American Tour 1981/European Tour 1982 beginning that September:
*"Tops" and "Waiting on a Friend" were cut in late 1972 during the "Goats Head Soup" sessions (and featuring Mick Taylor, not Ronnie Wood, on guitar; Taylor later demanded and received a share of the album's royalties).
*"Slave" and "Worried About You" were recorded in 1975 during the "Black and Blue" sessions in Rotterdam. They feature Billy Preston on keyboards and Ollie Brown on percussion. Wayne Perkins plays the lead guitar on "Worried About You".
*"Hang Fire, "Start Me Up", and "Black Limousine" were originally recorded during the 1977 Pathe Marconi recording sessions for "Some Girls". "Start Me Up" was originally recorded as a reggae number in 1975 (during the "Black and Blue" sessions) and called "Never Stop", but was left unreleased at the time; the balance of it was recorded during these 1977 sessions. "Black Limousine" was brought out and worked on again during the "Emotional Rescue" sessions in 1979.
*"Little T&A" and "No Use in Crying" came from the "Emotional Rescue" sessions.
*"Neighbors" and "Heaven" were the only new recordings (from April to June 1981), although the band began a version of "Neighbours" during work on "Emotional Rescue".
*"Heaven" has an unusual lineup, consisting of only Charlie Watts on drums, Bill Wyman on synthesizer and bass, Mick Jagger on guitar, and producer Chris Kimsey on piano.

Some of the older tracks were overdubbed and mixed during the 1979 "Emotional Rescue" sessions or in 1981 as "Tattoo You" was being compiled.

Despite the eclectic nature of the album, the Rolling Stones were able to divide "Tattoo You" into two distinct halves: a rock and roll side backed with one focusing on ballads.

"Start Me Up" was released in August 1981, just a week before "Tattoo You", to a very strong response, reaching the top 10 in both the U.S. and the U.K. Widely considered one of their most infectious songs, it was enough to carry "Tattoo You" to #1 for nine weeks in the US, while reaching #2 in the UK with solid sales. It has been certified four times platinum in the US alone. The critical reaction was positive, many feeling that "Tattoo You" was an improvement over "Emotional Rescue" and a high quality release. "Waiting On A Friend" and "Hang Fire" became popular Top 20 US hits as well.

Although they would continue to remain popular well into the 2000s, as an indication of the band's longevity in the music industry (being on the eve of their 20th anniversary), "Start Me Up" would prove to be The Rolling Stones' last single to reach as high as #2 in the US, while "Tattoo You" remains to date their last American #1 album.

The album title was originally planned to be simply "Tattoo". Jagger claims to this day that even he has no clue how the "You" became attached to the title. The title caused friction between Jagger and Richards, who suspected Jagger had changed the title without seeking his input.

There were several videos directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg for this album including:

*"Start Me Up", "Hang Fire" and "Worried About You" Consisting of a standard band performance setting, playbacking to a backing tape.
*"Neighbours" An homage to Hitchcock's "Rear Window". the band playing in one apartment of an apartment house with various happenings in the windows: A working class couple relaxing and making love, a tai chi practitioner exercising, and most notoriously, a man putting bloody body parts in a suitcase. This video was heavily censored when presented on television.
*"Waiting on a Friend" Filmed on location in New York City's East Village, it consists of Keith walking down the street, meeting Jagger, who is sitting on the front steps of a house (the same house used on the cover of Led Zeppelin's "Physical Graffiti") with several other men, one of which is the late Reggae musician Peter Tosh, who also shakes Keith's hand. They then proceed down the street and enter a bar where the rest of the band is waiting. The video also features Wood, rather than Mick Taylor on guitar (similar to the videos for Hot Stuff and Worried About You in which Harvey Mandel and Wayne Perkins respectively actually played).

In 1989, it was ranked #34 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the 100 greatest albums of the 1980s. RS500|211

In 1994, "Tattoo You" was remastered and reissued by Virgin Records.

The cover of the album was designed by artist Peter Corriston, who won a Grammy Award in the category of best album package for the design.

Track listing

All songs by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, except where noted.

#"Start Me Up" – 3:32
#"Hang Fire" – 2:21
#"Slave" – 6:33
#* Features Pete Townshend on backing vocals and Sonny Rollins on saxophone
#* The original vinyl version was edited to 4:51
#"Little T&A" – 3:23
#* Features Keith Richards on lead vocals
#"Black Limousine" (Mick Jagger/Keith Richards/Ronnie Wood) – 3:31
#* Features Mick Jagger on harmonica
#"Neighbours" – 3:31
#* Features Sonny Rollins on saxophone
#"Worried About You" – 5:17
#* Features Wayne Perkins on lead guitar
#"Tops" – 3:45
#* Features Mick Taylor on guitar
#"Heaven" – 4:22
#* Features Mick Jagger on guitar, Bill Wyman on synthesizer and Chris Kimsey on piano
#"No Use in Crying" (Mick Jagger/Keith Richards/Ronnie Wood) – 3:25
#"Waiting on a Friend" – 4:34
#* Features Mick Taylor on guitar and Sonny Rollins on saxophone

Personnel

* Mick Jagger – vocals, backing vocals, electric guitar, harmonica
* Keith Richards – electric guitar, backing vocals, vocals, bass
* Charlie Watts – drums
* Ronnie Wood – electric guitar, backing vocals
* Bill Wyman – bass, electric guitar, synthesizer

* Mick Taylor – electric guitar
* Nicky Hopkins – piano, organ
* Wayne Perkins – electric guitar
* Billy Preston – piano, organ
* Sonny Rollins – saxophone
* Ian Stewart – piano
* Pete Townshend – backing vocals
* Ollie Brown - percussion
* Chris Kimsey - piano

Charts

Album

ingles

succession box
before = "Escape" by Journey
title = "Billboard" 200 number-one album
years = September 19 1981 – November 20 1981
after = "For Those About to Rock We Salute You" by AC/DCsuccession box
before = "Bella Donna" by Stevie Nicks
title = Australian Kent Music Report number-one album
years = September 28 1981 – December 13 1981
after = "Ghost in the Machine" by The Police