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Rolling Stones songs: Stop Breaking Down
I love my baby ninety nine degrees/ But that mama got a pistol, laid it down on me…
Written by: Robert Johnson (Trad. arranged by Jagger/Richard) Recorded: Olympic Sound Studios, London, England, June 16-Oct. 17-31 1970; Rolling Stones Mobile, Nellcote, France, July-Oct-Nov. 1971; Sunset Sound Studios, Los Angeles, USA, Dec. 1971-March 1972; RCA Studios, Los Angeles, USA, March 1972 *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
Mick Jagger: vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica Mick Taylor: slide guitar Bill Wyman: bass Charlie Watts: drums Guest musicians: Ian Stewart (piano)
More about The Rolling Stones’ Take on Stop Breaking Down
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
Echoes From Dallas: A Blues Spark That Refuses to Fade
When Robert Johnson stepped into the Dallas studio for what would become his final recording session in June 1937, he carried with him a story already older than the Delta itself. Stop Breakin’ Down Blues emerged from that room not just as an upbeat boogie but as a sly, mischievous slice of human drama—one in which every street corner hides a woman ready to send a man spiraling. Johnson plays narrator, comedian, and doomed participant, tossing out sharp lines about “Saturday night women” who mock, clown, and tear down his good name, all while one of them waves a pistol in his direction. Beneath the humor was a pulse familiar to every bluesman who had lived a little too loudly and loved a little too hard. And yet, despite its chaotic tale, the song would grow into one of Johnson’s most enduring works, revived and reimagined across decades by artists who felt its mischievous fire.
Origins of A Delta Classic
Before the Rolling Stones ever put their stamp on it, Stop Breakin’ Down Blues had already traveled a long road. Johnson recorded two takes during his Dallas session, accompanying his voice with guitar work that bounced between gritty rhythm and quick flashes of slide—ending each version with a brief slide coda that felt like an inside joke shared only with those listening closely. Of all his songs from the Dallas recordings, this was the most uptempo, driven by an exuberant vocal that pushed the storyline forward. Scholars have pointed to several melodic ancestors, including Memphis Minnie’s Caught Me Wrong Again and Buddy Moss’s Stop Hanging Around, showing that Johnson was reshaping familiar pieces into something unmistakably his own. The second take, released in March 1938 with Honeymoon Blues on the B-side, became the definitive version, though the first take resurfaced decades later on compilations that reintroduced Johnson to new generations.
The Stones Step Into the Story
By the time the Rolling Stones encountered the song during the creation of Exile on Main St., they were already steeped in blues lore—and Johnson was one of their guiding spirits. But their relationship with Stop Breaking Down was unusually playful. Keith Richards, typically central to the band’s blues reworkings, is conspicuously absent here, creating space for a different energy to shape the track. Engineer Andy Johns, who worked alongside his brother Glyn on Stones sessions, later confessed that the song was one of his favorites, recalling how the base track had actually been recorded back in 1970 during Sticky Fingers sessions. He pushed to resurrect it because Mick Taylor’s playing was too gorgeous to leave buried. When the song was revived in Los Angeles at Sunset Sound Studios, Johns persuaded Mick Jagger not only to sing but to add harmonica—and even rhythm guitar—resulting in a version unlike any earlier interpretation.
A New Sound For An Old Blues
The magic of the Stones’ rendition comes from the unlikely blend of players and the spontaneity of its construction. Jagger’s rhythm guitar, a little choppier than Richards’ style, locks in surprisingly well with the already-recorded track, but it’s his harmonica that steals the spotlight. With heavy distortion and a massive delay effect, his playing transforms the song into something raw and electrifying, revealing a mastery of the instrument he rarely showcased so boldly. Taylor’s slide guitar glides through the arrangement with astonishing fluidity, giving the track its swagger and emotional punch. Jagger’s vocal—always at its best when wrapped around the blues—rises to match the groove, turning Johnson’s wry warnings about dangerous women into something both reverent and rebellious. The Stones created a version so distinctive that it became one of Exile’s standout tracks, a small gem embedded within one of their most celebrated albums.
Legacy, Lawsuit and Lasting Influence
Stop Breaking Down didn’t remain in the Stones’ live repertoire, surfacing only once onstage during the Voodoo Lounge era with guest Robert Cray taking the spotlight. Yet its impact extended far beyond performance. After Exile’s release, Allen Klein sued the band, arguing that several songs—including this one—had been created while Jagger and Richards were still under contract with ABKCO. As a result, the company acquired publishing rights and later issued additional compilations to capitalize on them. Meanwhile, Johnson’s original composition continued to spread through the musical world, finding new life in versions by artists ranging from Lucinda Williams to the White Stripes to Eric Clapton. A copyright battle in 2000 affirmed that Johnson’s estate held the legal rights, ensuring the song remained tied to its rightful source. Through all these twists, Stop Breaking Down has lived many lives—each interpretation adding another layer to its long, winding story.
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