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Rolling Stonessongs:Driving Too Fast
DRIVING TOO FAST: A WILD STONES TRIP Driving Too Fast feels like a rock ’n’ roll car chase straight through a storm—headlights fading, rain hammering, and danger around every bend. Mick Jagger’s vocals don’t just shout about a crash; they’re a raw warning about pushing life past its limits. It’s messy, urgent, and a little terrifying, but that’s the thrill. The Stones make recklessness sound electric, like they’re daring you to hit the gas when you probably shouldn’t.
You’re going out of your brain, out of your mind/ Going insane, you’re going blind…
Written by: Jagger/Richards Recorded: Studio France, West Indies, Nov- 2004; Henson Recording Studios, Los Angeles, USA, March 7-9 and June 6-28 2005 Guest musicians: Darryl Jones (bass), Chuck Leavell (piano) *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
There’s a car tearing through a violent storm, headlights cutting weakly into the darkness, wipers thrashing against endless sheets of rain. Inside, a couple is holding on for dear life, every turn of the wheel threatening disaster. That’s the imagery Driving Too Fast throws at you. Mick Jagger’s vocals don’t just describe the risk of a crash—they carry a bigger warning about recklessness, roads that lead to nowhere, and the futility of pushing beyond control. When he spits out the lines, it’s not just a driver he’s talking to; it’s anyone who’s ever pushed their limits until everything feels like it’s about to give.
The Stones wrap this chaos in an erratic rhythm that feels like it could collapse on the next chord—a nervous energy that somehow keeps rolling. It’s raw, it’s unstable, and it leaves you both thrilled and uneasy, which makes it one of the most unique cuts on A Bigger Bang.
Another Track That Never Hit the Stage
It’s almost unbelievable that the Stones never played Driving Too Fast live. This is a track built for the stage—loud, relentless, and edgy. The swaggering riff, Charlie’s pounding drums, and Mick’s urgent phrasing (and, by the way, with a very INXSian rhythm and vocals) could have exploded in front of an audience. Yet, it stayed locked inside the album, which feels like a missed opportunity. The song’s energy practically begs for a sweaty, late-set performance where Keith and Ronnie could let their guitars howl into chaos. For a band with such a history of feeding on live energy, leaving this one off the setlists is a real head-scratcher.
When Formula Starts to Weigh Down
Part of the problem lies with A Bigger Bang itself. The album is packed—arguably overstuffed—with tracks, and by the time Driving Too Fast arrives, the formula starts to feel a little too familiar. That’s not to say the tune isn’t great; it absolutely is. Charlie launches into another fierce tempo, Keith and Mick trade the riff before breaking into their separate rhythms, and Darryl Jones’s bass drops in just enough to punctuate the chaos. Then Mick lets loose with vocals that ride the pounding drums like a runaway car. Still, the sheer length of the record dulls some of the surprise. The track is exciting, but you can’t shake the sense that the Stones have already used this trick a few too many times within the same disc.
Ronnie’s Slide: The Unsung Hero
One highlight that often gets overlooked is Ronnie Wood’s slide guitar. First, probably on his black Zemaitis, he tears into a distorted slide part that adds grit and color to the mix. Later, in the coda, he doubles the main riff with that same slide, and it’s electric—leaving you wishing he had kicked things off that way from the start. His solo deserves far more spotlight than the final mix allows. In a track that already feels unstable and storm-ridden, Ronnie’s slide is the lightning strike that cuts through the storm, sharp, dangerous, and unforgettable.
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