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Rolling Stones songs: Bitch
I’m feeling drunk, juiced up and sloppy/ Ain’t touched a drink all night…
Written by: Jagger/Richard Recorded: Rolling Stones Mobile, Stargroves, Newbury Olympic Sound Studios, London, England, March-May 9 1970 Guest musicians: Bobby Keys (sax), Jim Price (trumpet), Jimmy Miller (percussion) *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
With its feverish energy and provocative lyrics, Bitch captures love and desire as something urgent and insatiable. Mick Jagger’s raw delivery leaves no room for subtlety: “When you call my name, I salivate like a Pavlov dog / Yeah, when you lay me out, my heart is beating louder than a big bass drum.” Passion here is not gentle or romantic—it’s compulsive, a reflex beyond control.
The song doesn’t just equate love with physical desire; it portrays it as an addiction. Just like drugs or alcohol, the character craves sex as a fix, something essential to his survival. The title itself reinforces this idea, reducing woman to a symbol of fantasy and pleasure. Feminists had already criticized the Stones’ misogynistic streak in the sixties, and Bitchdid little to change that reputation.
Love, Lust, and the Addiction of Desire
Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll have long been intertwined in the world of the Rolling Stones, and Bitch is no exception. The song pulses with an urgency that equates love to a powerful addiction—something primal, all-consuming, and impossible to resist. The title itself implied a derogatory view of women, reducing them to symbols of sexual pleasure and desire. Unsurprisingly, the track was banned from most airwaves despite being released as the B-side to Brown Sugar.
Jagger, however, defended the lyrics, insisting that Bitch wasn’t about women at all. Instead, he claimed, the song expressed the frustration and struggle of love itself—”It must be love, it’s a bitch“. Whether fans saw it as a rebellious anthem or another example of the Stones’ provocation, Bitch remains a blistering, unapologetic take on lust, addiction, and the chaos of desire.
The Sound of Bitch: A Raw, Horn-Driven Anthem
The early ‘70s saw The Rolling Stones embracing a grittier, horn-infused sound, and Bitchwas no exception. The track’s explosive energy was amplified by the powerhouse duo of Bobby Keys on saxophone and Jim Price on trumpet. Their bold brass work became a defining element of the Stones’ music during this era, both in the studio and on tour.
Recorded at the sprawling Stargroves estate in Hampshire, England, Bitch was one of many tracks laid down using the band’s cutting-edge mobile recording unit. Engineer Andy Johns helped capture the raw, unfiltered intensity that made the song a standout on the Sticky Fingers album. The result? A relentless, hard-hitting groove that blended rock and soul with the band’s signature swagger.
With its driving horns and fierce guitar riffs, Bitch wasn’t just another Stones song—it was a declaration of their evolving sound.
Keith Richards and the Spark That Ignited Bitch
For a while, Bitch wasn’t quite coming together. The Stones had been working on the track at Stargroves, their English countryside estate, but something was missing. According to engineer Andy Johns, the song felt sluggish, lacking the punch it needed to stand out.
Johns: “He put on his clear Perspex guitar and kicked up the tempo. The song went from a laconic mess to being all about the groove. Just instantly. As soon as Keith started playing, he transformed the song into what it was meant to be“
Then Keith Richards arrived. Strapping on his guitar, he injected the track with his signature raw energy, instantly transforming its feel. His sharp, driving riffs gave Bitch the edge and urgency it needed, turning it into one of the most electrifying songs on Sticky Fingers.
Richards’ ability to elevate a song with his instinctive, no-nonsense approach was on full display here. What started as a slow burn exploded into a hard-hitting anthem, proving once again that when Keith plugged in, the Stones found their groove.
Keith: “It comes off pretty smooth, but it’s quite tricky. There’s an interesting bridge you have to watch out for. Otherwise, it’s straightforward rock and soul that we love. It’s Charlie Watts’ meat and potatoes”
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