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Rolling Stones songs: Everything Is Turning to Gold
I’m tired, I’m tired of doing what I’m told/ Things are moving way too slow…
Working title: Time To Go Written by: Jagger/Richards/Wood Recorded: EMI Pathé Marconi Studios, Boulogne-Billancourt, France, Oct. 10-Dec. 1977 and Jan. 5-March 2 1978 *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book The Rolling Stones Complete Recording Sessions 1962-2012
Mick Jagger: vocals, guitar (unconfirmed) Keith Richards: rhythm guitar, backing vocals Ron Wood: rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals Bill Wyman: bass Charlie Watts: drums Guest musicians: Mel Collins (sax), Sugar Blue (harmonica), Simon Kirke (congas, unconfirmed)
Hidden gems often tell the real story of The Rolling Stones, and Everything Is Turning to Gold is one of those treasures fans love to discover. Recorded during the explosive Some Girls era, the track never made the final album cut, yet it carries the same sharp energy, swagger, and groove that defined the band in the late 1970s. Sometimes the songs left in the vault reveal just as much as the hits everyone already knows.
What makes this recording even more fascinating is the creative role of Ron Wood. While he became an essential part of the Stones’ sound, official songwriting credits with the band were rare. Here, Wood helped shape a funky, hook-driven number that also gave Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and Bill Wyman plenty of room to shine. Add the later contributions of Mel Collins and Sugar Blue, and the song becomes a snapshot of a band firing from every direction.
Although left off the album, Everything Is Turning to Gold found a second life as the B-side of Shattered and later on the 1981 compilation Sucking In the Seventies. That journey turned it into a favorite among collectors and longtime fans. If you enjoy exploring overlooked Stones classics, this track proves that sometimes the songs in the shadows sparkle the brightest.
More about Everything Is Turning to Gold by The Rolling Stones
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
Ronnie Wood’s Funky Spark: A Hidden Gem in the Stones’ Vault
Among the deeper cuts from the Some Girlsera, Everything Is Turning to Gold stands out as a reminder that The Rolling Stones often left worthy material outside their main albums. Created in the studio and polished with the band’s late-1970s groove, the song became one of the rare moments where Ron Wood received an official co-composer credit. That alone gives it a special place in the catalog. Instead of chasing grand statements, the track thrives on feel, rhythm, and chemistry. Though excluded when the final selections for Some Girls were made, it refused to disappear. The song later surfaced as the B-side of the American single Shattered, then reached a wider audience through the 1981 compilation Sucking In the Seventies. What might have been forgotten instead became an intriguing side chapter, proving that sometimes the songs left behind still carry plenty of shine.
Ronnie Wood’s rare songwriting spotlight
For listeners who follow credits closely this track is especially notable because Ron Wood seldom appeared as a formal songwriter in the Stones’ classic years. While Hey Negrita from Black and Blue listed him only as the “inspiration”, Everything Is Turning to Gold placed his name directly beside the band’s main writers.
Wood later explained the song’s beginnings to Rolling Stone journalist David Fricke in an interview published on September 22, 2005. He said the chorus arrived when his son Jesse was born and that the emotion of that moment inspired him. According to Wood, he essentially built the core of the piece, while Mick Jagger added the verses. Since the composition depends heavily on its repeated hook, Wood’s contribution shaped the song’s identity from the start. That background gives the track a warmer meaning. Beneath its cool groove lies a family-inspired spark transformed into rock and roll energy.
The groove, the players, the sound
Musically the song carries a clear Ronnie Wood fingerprint. Built largely around two chords, it leans into funk rock with confidence rather than complexity. Wood handles the main guitar figure on one of his Zemaitis guitars, using a delay effect that adds motion and texture. His riff is met by the rhythmic response of Keith Richards, creating the push-and-pull that drives the track. Charlie Watts gives the performance its pulse with a danceable beat, mixing rock precision with a subtle disco influence.
Bill Wyman locks in beneath him with a steady bass line reminiscent of Miss You, helping the groove glide forward. At the center, Mick Jagger sounds entirely comfortable, delivering the vocal with swagger and ease. He also joins the backing vocals alongside Keith and Ron, adding extra color to the chorus sections. It is a band performance built more on instinct than flash, and that is exactly why it works.
Saxophone, harmonica and collector lore
The arrangement becomes richer as the track unfolds. A harmonic shift around the midpoint opens the door for Mel Collins, whose saxophone lines bring extra flair, much as he had on Miss You. Later, another modulation introduces Sugar Blue, whose harmonica takes over with a lively solo that carries the song toward its finish. Those additions lift the recording beyond a simple groove piece and give it a fuller personality.
While not always ranked among the band’s major classics, the song remains admired for how naturally it blends rhythm, melody, and ensemble playing. It also serves as a showcase for Wood’s writing instincts, something rarely highlighted in the Stones’ studio catalog.
For devoted collectors, there is an additional curiosity: an extended version running close to ten minutes, known as Time to Go. This take removes the saxophone and harmonica, offering a leaner and more hypnotic view of the track. It’s just another reminder that even the hidden corners of the catalog can glitter.
Ronnie Wood (2005): “I came up with the chorus when my son Jesse was born. It was inspired by him. I basically wrote the whole thing. Mick wrote the verses – there’s few verses actually, and the whole song relies on the choruses.”
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