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Rolling Stonessongs: (Walkin’ Thru The) Sleepy City
SLEEPY CITY: THE STONES GO POP FOR A MINUTE Back in 1964, The Rolling Stones tried stepping out of their gritty R&B boots and into something a little shinier. (Walkin’ Thru The) Sleepy City doesn’t pack the usual Stones swagger—it’s lighter, poppier, and aimed straight at the British Invasion crowd. First handed off to The Mighty Avengers, the tune shows Jagger and Richards experimenting outside their comfort zone. Not a classic, sure, but an interesting detour in their wild early journey.
No one listens to what people say/ I just sit and hear the radio play…
Written by: Jagger/Richard Recorded: Pye Studios and Decca Studios, London, England, Aug. 31-Sept. 4 1964 Guest musicians: Jim Sullivan (gtr)/John McLaughlin (guitar)/ Jimmy Page (guitar, maybe bass)/Joe Moretti (guitar)/John Paul Jones (maybe bass)/ Andy White (drums)/Christine Ohlman (backing vocals)/Doug Schlink (guitar) *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
More about (Walkin’ Thru) the Sleepy City by The Rolling Stones
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
A Curious Experiment in Pop Disguise
In the summer of 1964 The Rolling Stones were still learning how to balance their raw rhythm and blues spirit with the demands of the pop market. One curious result of this tug-of-war was (Walkin’ Thru The) Sleepy City, a track that doesn’t quite sound like the Stones at all. Originally pitched to The Mighty Avengers—who actually got the first crack at releasing it—the song reveals Mick Jagger and Keith Richards in experimental mode, dabbling with something lighter and more polished than their usual fare.
Manager Andrew Loog Oldham’s plan was simple: use the Stones’ name and reputation to feed material to other acts, hoping lightning would strike twice. It didn’t. The Avengers’ version fizzled, and even the Stones’ own recording, marred by heavy-handed production, failed to capture much excitement. Ironically, these sessions would later teach the band one of their most valuable lessons: that simplicity often trumps excess.
Sounding More Like London Than Chicago
Musically, Sleepy City strays far from the earthy R&B grooves that defined the Stones’ early years. Instead, it drifts into British Invasion pop territory, lighter and more whimsical than anything Jagger and Richards would normally cook up. The song opens with a sharp, descending guitar lick—arguably its strongest feature—before layering on stomping drums, chiming piano, and even a hint of ringing bells. The production channels a knock-off Phil Spector vibe, but without the magic of Spector’s “wall of sound,” it ends up feeling slightly overstuffed. Lyrically, it paints a cinematic little scene: Jagger wandering through a nighttime cityscape, spotting a new girl, and inviting her to share the glow of the streetlights. It’s romantic in intention but lands more as a typical early-’60s pop exercise—pleasant enough, but hardly unforgettable in a catalog brimming with grit and swagger.
A Who’s Who of Session Legends
What makes(Walkin’ Thru The) Sleepy City especially intriguing isn’t the song itself but the talent surrounding it. The studio was stacked with remarkable session players. Jim Sullivan, who once backed Eddie Cochran on his ill-fated British tour, lent his guitar to the track, while Joe Moretti, famed for his work with Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, also contributed. A young John McLaughlin, years before reshaping jazz fusion with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, played on these sessions, as did the ever-ubiquitous Jimmy Page. Even drummer Andy White—infamous for stepping in on The Beatles’ Love Me Do instead of Ringo Starr—was part of the lineup. Looking back, the real treasure of the Sleepy City sessions lies less in the polished pop single that emerged and more in the surprising constellation of musicians who briefly intersected in this forgotten corner of Stones history.
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