Like what you see? Help keep it going! This site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh Rolling Stones content coming your way every day. Thank you!

*Click for MORE ROLLING STONES SONGS 1962-PRESENT

The Dark Edge of Gunface

When Bridges to Babylon arrived, Gunface instantly stood out for its sharp mix of grit, jealousy, and dark funk. Mick Jagger’s lines—raw, tense, and edged with threat—paint a vivid portrait of a lover pushed past reason, ready to vanish but not before pointing a gun at his rival. The Stones have always toyed with danger, and here they lean fully into that shadowy territory. Musically, the track hits just as hard: Ronnie Wood’s razor-slice slide guitar, Mick and Keith’s layered textures, and Charlie Watts’ steady pulse build a sound that’s both funky and menacing. Add Jim Keltner’s percussion and the track becomes a tightly wound storm with Jagger’s vocal tearing right through it.

Want the full version with recording details, song background, history, trivia, and more? Gunface’s dark groove hides twists subscribers won’t want to miss.
‘Gunface’: The Rolling Stones Go Heavy (1997)

Behind the Studio Doors

Part of the song’s edge comes from the way it was built. Producers Danny Saber and John X Volaitis brought late-’90s experimentation into the Stones’ world, with Saber playing bass, guitar, and those eerie electronic keys that lend the track its dark sheen. Recording took place across three studios simultaneously—Keith overdubbing in one room while Mick worked out piano ideas in another—giving the song an energy shaped in real time.

Funk, Fire, And A Dark Groove

The groove opens with a rhythm that nods to Superstition before Charlie Watts snaps it into his own pocket. Saber’s bass and subtle synths deepen the vibe, while snarling guitars circle overhead. Ronnie Wood’s delayed-entry slide work and distorted solo push the track into full combustion, all grounded by Jagger’s fierce vocal. The result? A song that fans still debate, dissect, and wish had made it to the stage.

Like what you see? Help keep it going! This site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh Rolling Stones content coming your way every day. Thank you!

COPYRIGHT © ROLLING STONES DATA
ALL INFORMATION ON THIS WEBSITE IS COPYRIGHT OF ROLLING STONES DATA. ALL CONTENT BY MARCELO SONAGLIONI.
ALL SETLISTS AND TICKET STUBS TAKEN FROM THE COMPLETE WORKS OF THE ROLLING STONES. 
WHEN USING INFORMATION FROM ROLLING STONES DATA (ONLINE OR PRINTED) PLEASE REFER TO ITS SOURCE DETAILING THE WEBSITE NAME. THANK YOU.