The Rolling Stones and the Beautiful ‘I Am Waiting’ (1966)

By Marcelo Sonaglioni on June 23, 2025

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Rolling Stones Songs: I Am Waiting

Waiting for someone to come out of somewhere/ See it come along and/ Don’t know where it’s from/ Oh, yes you will find out…

Written by: Jagger/Richard
Recorded: RCA Studios, Hollywood, USA, March 6-9 1966
Guest musicians: Jack Nitzsche (harpsichord)

*Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012

*Click for MORE ROLLING STONES SONGS 1962-PRESENT

**More about I Am Waiting by The Rolling Stones**

*By Marcelo Sonaglioni

I Am Waiting: A Quiet Storm in the Stones’ Songbook

I Am Waiting is one of those rare Rolling Stones tracks that whispers rather than roars—yet somehow leaves a deep impression. With its hushed atmosphere and sudden, pulsing bursts in the chorus (“slow or fast”), the song navigates unease with beauty. Keith Richards’ opening acoustic guitar riff—a haunting blend of folk and Baroque played on his Gibson Hummingbird—sets the tone for a track that’s often overlooked, but never forgettable.

Brian Jones’s dulcimer, also heard on Lady Jane, adds an eerie shimmer that defines the track’s dreamlike feel. Mick Jagger’s lyrics, meanwhile, drift into Dylan-esque territory, echoing the cryptic storytelling style found on Highway 61 Revisited or Blonde on Blonde. The singer seems to be waiting for something—or someone—that may never come, confronting creeping fears that hint at mortality, disillusionment, or change.

A Rolling Stones’ Underrated Pop Gem, a Sweet Ballad

Though never a chart-topping single, I Am Waiting has earned its place among The Rolling Stones’ most beautiful ballads. The interplay between Jagger’s anxious vocals and Richards’ sweet harmonies creates a contrast that’s unsettling yet tender. The track almost predicts the band’s transition toward psychedelia, offering a preview of the experimental leanings that would emerge more fully in the years to come.

Over time, the song has found new life. Its inclusion in Wes Anderson’s 1998 film Rushmore introduced it to a fresh generation, confirming its timeless resonance. Whether taken as a meditation on death or a poetic expression of longing, I Am Waiting remains a standout on Aftermath—a soft-spoken classic in the Stones’ catalog of louder triumphs.

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