Rolling Stones songs: Dance Little Sister
*Click for MORE ROLLING STONES SONGS 1962-PRESENT

On Saturday night we don’t go home/ We bacchanal, there ain’t no dawn…

Written by: Jagger/Richard
Recorded: Musicland Studios, Munich, Germany, Jan. 14-28 1974; Rolling Stones Mobile, Stargroves, Newbury, England, Apr. 1974; Island Recording Studios, London, England, May 20-25 1974
Guest musicians: Ray Cooper (percussion)
*Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012

From the The Rolling Stones – All the Songs book:
The little sister who puts curlers in her hair on a Thursday, but cuts a fine
figure in her high-heel shoes and dress so tight the next day is an inhabitant
of the Caribbean. In this song, Jagger evokes Frederick Street, the main
thoroughfare of Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, which he
had visited with Bianca shortly before. The singer even uses various
Trinidadian terms, such as basodee and mamaguy, meaning, respectively,
“intoxicated’ and “to tease.” In a sense, “Dance Little Sister” is a revision
of sorts of “Honky Tonk Women,” or, if one prefers, a song about those
who like to frequent clubs. It was chosen as the B-side of the single “Ain’t
Too Proud to Beg,” released on October 25, 1974.

When Jimmy Page was asked in 1977 for his opinion on Keith Richards’s
brushes with the law, the Led Zeppelin guitarist replied rightly enough:
“You only have to put on ‘Dance Little Sister’ and you forgive the guy for
anything.” This is a rock number as only Keith could write, featuring
heavy, aggressive guitar and every bar imbued with the spirit of Chuck
Berry. Rather than a riff, it would be more accurate to talk of a rhythm in
which each powerful chord rings out percussively and confidently. Keith
seems to be on his Telecaster, and the musical motif develops out of the
interplay with Bill Wyman’s bass. Charlie Watts provides a perfect beat
over which his two partners can interlink, the three of them constituting a
top-notch rhythm section. Keith is supported by a second guitar, but the
question is, who is playing it? In all likelihood Mick Taylor, as the phrasing
is characteristic of him, although at certain points, Keith’s distinctive style
comes through. However, the guitarist in question possesses a dexterity
beyond Keith’s grasp. He also uses the whammy bar (listen at 2:30) on his
guitar—in all likelihood a Fender Stratocaster—an effect that Keith has
never really gone in for. Ian Stewart has deigned to take his place at the
piano once more, evidently convinced, and rightly so, by this well-crafted
number. Mick Jagger totally immerses himself in this torrent of decibels,
brilliantly living up to his reputation. It is just a shame that his voice is
slightly undermixed. Listeners will notice that between 3:06 and 3:09 the
first voice drops out, leaving only Mick’s own doubling. Is this a technical
error or a shortness of breath?