Rock and a Hard Place (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Rock and a Hard Place


Artist = Rolling Stones
from Album = Steel Wheels
Released = 4 November 1989
Format = CD, 7"
Recorded = March-June 1989
Genre = Rock
Length = 4:05 (single edit)
Label = Rolling Stones/Virgin
Writer = Jagger/Richards
Producer = Chris Kimsey & The Glimmer Twins
Chart position =

• #23 (U.S.)
• #63 (UK)
  Reviews =
  Last single = "Mixed Emotions"
  (1989)
  This single = "Rock and a Hard Place"
  (1989)
  Next single = "Almost Hear You Sigh"
  (1990) |

  "Rock and a Hard Place" is a song by the Rolling Stones first released as a single from their 1989 album "Steel Wheels". It remains to this day the most recent Billboard Top 40 hit by the band.

  Credited to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, "Rock and a Hard Place" was recorded at Monserrat's Air Studios and London's Olympic Studios in the spring months of 1989. On the song, Richards said in the liner notes to the 1993 compilation album "" (on which it was included), "This was like going back to the way we worked in the early days, before "Exile", when we were living round the corner from each other in London. Mick and I hadn't got together in four years since "Dirty Work", but as soon as we met up in Barbados for a fortnight, with a couple guitars and pianos, everything was fine." At the time of release, Jagger said, "This is one of those songs like "Start Me Up", where the minute you hear the opening notes, you head for the dance floor. It's real '70s, in the best possible way."

  With Jagger on lead vocals, Richards, Ron Wood, and Jagger perform guitars for the recording. Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts perform bass and drums, respectively. Keyboards are played by Matt Clifford and Chuck Leavell. The Kick Horns provided brass for the recording. Lisa Fischer, Sarah Dash and Bernard Fowler all perform back-up vocals.

  "Rock and a Hard Place" was released as the second single from "Steel Wheels" on November 13, 1989 in the UK. The b-side was a slow blues number entitled "Cook Cook Blues". The single reached number 63 in the UK and number 23 in the United States. The song has been performed by the Stones sporadically since its release, appearing on the Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour, Voodoo Lounge Tour, Bridges to Babylon Tour, and Licks Tour.

  A live recording captured during the Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour was included on the 1991 live album "Flashpoint".

  External links

  * [http://www.rollingstones.com/discog/index.php?v=so&a=1&id=265 Complete official lyrics]