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Rolling Stones songs: Heaven
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Nothing will stand in your way/ Nothing, nothing/ Nothing will stop you…

Written by: Jagger/Richards
Recorded: EMI Pathé Marconi Studios, Paris, France, Oct. 11 -Nov. 12 1980; Electric Ladyland, NYC, USA, Apr-June 1981
*Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012

From Songfacts:
The very concept of heaven, an afterlife for humans presumed virtuous and pleasurable, seems built into the human psyche. It is a component of just about every major religion ever to take root in human history. However, this song seems to be talking about sexual ecstasy.

The word “heaven” doesn’t show up in the lyrics. Stones frontman Mick Jagger isn’t sure how it ended up with that title.

Keith Richards didn’t play on this track; their bass player Bill Wyman played guitar and also synthesizer and bass. Mick Jagger also played guitar on the track, and the only other performer was Charlie Watts on drums.

The vocals here peg this song as one of the most psychedelic the Stones ever did. The group had been gradually edging from pure blues to hard rock to psychedelic styles throughout the previous decade. Mick Jagger got quite creative with overdubbing and mixing on parts of the Tattoo You album.

For Tattoo You, the Rolling Stones pulled out bits and bobs they worked on previously that didn’t make it to vinyl. “Heaven” is a song they started working on in 1979, planned for the 1980 Emotional Rescue album.

From the The Rolling Stones – All the Songs book:
This is the second song (the first being “Neighbours”) recorded by the Stones in order to add the finishing touches to Tattoo You. The recording took place in October 1980 at the Pathé Marconi Studios during a bitterly cold spell in Paris. In spite of Chris Kimsey getting hold of some radiators, this cold penetrated the studio, hence the particular musical atmosphere of
the track, which recalls the psychedelic, spaced-out vibe of Their Satanic Majesties Request. Hence also the message Mick Jagger seems to want to convey: paradise and sexual ecstasy are one and the same.

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