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Rolling Stones songs: All the Rage
I like to be in a classic look/ I wanna be cool and smart/ I want a face who’ll launch a thousand ships/ And break a million hearts…
Written by: Jagger/Richards Recorded: Dynamic Sounds Studios, Kingston, Jamaica, Nov-Dec. 1972; Overduns at Mick Jagger’s home studio, Pocé-sur-Cisse, France, Apr. 2020 Guest musicians: Nicky Hopkins (piano), unidentified musicians (cowbell, percussion) *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
This track originates from the Goats Head Soup sessions in Jamaica. Mick Jagger described it as a quintessential Rolling Stones rock song, although it was incomplete at the time. He explained, “That’s like a very Rolling Stones rock track. That wasn’t finished, it didn’t have a finished vocal or many lyrics, so I had to finish that one. But the guitar parts, I think, were all done. Might have added percussion, but that’s what you would have done anyway—added a bit more maracas and stuff afterwards”. Composed by the iconic duo known as the Glimmer Twins, the song circulated on various bootlegs under the eye-catching title, You Should Have Seen Her Ass. This alternate version added a bit of rock ‘n’ roll mischief to the track’s history, keeping in line with the Stones’ rebellious spirit.
The reason this track wasn’t fully completed during the Goats Head Soup sessions is likely because it bore too much resemblance to Silver Train, which made it onto the album. It also shared musical elements with other Stones classics like Brown SugarandHonky Tonk Women giving it a sense of déjà vu. Lyrically, Mick Jagger portrays a rock star grappling with the inevitable march of time (as hinted in the line “I know the clock is ticking”) and yearning to break free from the metaphorical cage built by fame, fans, and public expectations. This desire for escape, combined with the fear of descending into madness, fuels the song’s raw energy. The intensity and frustration embedded in the lyrics capture the Stones’ signature rebellious spirit, making this an embodiment of the band’s gritty rock ‘n’ roll ethos.
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