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Rolling Stones songs: All Down the Line
I need a shot of salvation, baby, once in a while…
Written by: Jagger/Richard Recorded: Rolling Stones Mobile, Nellcote, France, June-Nov. 1971; Sunset Sound Studios, Los Angeles, USA, Dec. 1971-March 1972; RCA Studios, Los Angeles, USA, March 1972 Guest musicians: Nicky Hopkins (piano), Bobby Keys (saxophone), Jim Price (trumpet/trombone), Jimmy Miller (maracas), Kathi McDonald (background vocals) *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
More about ‘All Down the Line’ by The Rolling Stones
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni Similar to how Rocks Off kicks off side 1 and Happy energizes side 3, All Down the Line ignites the fourth side of the Exile on Main St. album with the kind of raw, electrifying energy that defines the very essence of great rock’n’roll. Reflecting on the song’s origins, Keith Richards shared, “All Down the Line came directly out of Brown Sugar, which Mick wrote. Most of what I had to do was come up with riffs and ideas that would turn Mick on. To write songs he could handle.”
For All Down the Line Jagger drew inspiration from one of America’s enduring myths: the railroad. It stands as a symbol of movement, speed, and freedom, while also embodying themes of hardship and shattered dreams. “Hear the women sighing all down the line/Hear the children crying all down the line“, goes the first verse. And then the narrator continues: ” I need a sanctified girl with a sanctified mind to help me now“, Clearly, the protagonist of the song displays a tongue-in-cheek sense of devotion, expressing his fervor in a uniquely rock’n’roll manner. He enthusiastically declares, “We’re gonna bust another bottle” suggesting a celebration or release of tension, and ends on a hopeful yet playful note with the heartfelt question, “Won’t you be my baby for a while?” This juxtaposition of wild abandon and tender longing adds depth to the song’s narrative, capturing the raw, unfiltered emotions that define its spirit.
The Rolling Stones initially recorded an acoustic version of this track in 1969. Later, in 1971, they revisited the song with an electric arrangement, making it the first track completed during the Exile on Main St. sessions. Reflecting on the process, engineer Andy Johns shared insights with Goldmine magazine in a 2010 interview: “It was the first one that was finished cause we’d be working for months and months. Mick got very enamored. ‘It’s finished! It’s going to be the single!’ I thought, ‘This isn’t really a single, you know.’ I remember going out and talking to him and he was playing the piano. ‘Mick, this isn’t a single. It doesn’t compare to Jumpin’ Jack Flash or Street Fighting Man. ‘Come on, man.’ He went, ‘Really? Do you think so?’ I thought, ‘My God. He’s actually listening to me.’ (laughs)...
…And then, I was having a struggle with the mix I thought was gonna be it. Ahmet Ertegun then barged in with a bunch of hookers and ruined the one mix. He stood right in front of the left speaker with two birds on each arm (laughs).I told Mick, ‘I can’t hear it here. If I could hear it on the radio that would be nice.’ It was just a fantasy. ‘Oh, we can do that.’ ‘Stu (piano player Ian Stewart), go to the nearest FM radio station with the tape and say we’d like to hear it over the radio. And we’ll get a limo and Andy can listen to it in the car.’ I went, ‘Bloody hell…Well, it’s the Stones…
..OK.’So sure enough, we’re touring down Sunset Strip and Keith is in one seat, and I’m in the back where the speakers are with Mick, and Charlie is in there, too. Just because he was bored (laughs). And Mick’s got the radio on and the DJ comes on the air, ‘We’re so lucky tonight. We’re the first people to play the new Stones’ record.’ And it came on the radio and the speakers in this car were kind of shot. I still couldn’t tell. And it finishes…
…Then Mick turns around. ‘So?’ ‘I’m still not sure, man.’ I’m still not used to these speakers’. ‘Oh, we’ll have him play it again then.’Poor Stew. ‘Have them play it again’ like they were some sort of radio service. It was surreal. Up and down Sunset Strip at 9:00 on a Saturday night. The Strip was jumpin’ and I’m in the car with those guys listening to my mixes. It sounded OK. ‘I think we’re down with that.’ So then we moved on.”
In 1971 the Stones shared this track with a Los Angeles radio station while it was still a work in progress. The goal was to hear how it sounded over the airwaves, but the move inadvertently sparked rumors that the song would be the first single from Exile on Main St. Ultimately, that went to Tumbling Dice. Producer Jimmy Miller contributed percussion to the track, as he often stepped in to play instruments during the recording process. This was necessary because the band members were rarely all present at the sessions, which took place in a French villa rented by Keith Richards. Kathi McDonald provided backup vocals for the song. Known for her work with Leon Russell, McDonald also collaborated with artists like Nicky Hopkins and Quicksilver Messenger Service, showcasing her versatile talents.
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