If you like this, please consider making a donation with PayPal. From as little as $5, your support helps to do what I do and pay for its maintenance costs. Thank you! *Donate here

I think I’m going mad

Rolling Stones songs: I Think I’m Going Mad

*Click for MORE ROLLING STONES SONGS 1962-PRESENT

I know my mind’s afloat/ Sometimes I feel so young and sometimes I feel so old…

Written by: Jagger/Richards
Recorded: Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas, Jan. 18-Feb. 12 1979; EMI Pathé Marconi Studios, Boulogne-Billancourt, France, Nov. 11-Dec. 16 1982; The Hit Factory, NYC, USA, June-July 1983
Guest musicians: Mel Collins (sax)
*Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012

About ‘I Think I’m Going Mad’ by The Rolling Stones
(from the The Rolling Stones – All the Songs book)

The least that can be said here is that the protagonist no longer knows where he is. Life goes by so fast; All the women come and go; Sometimes I feel so young and sometimes I feel so old. His hands tremble, his mind’s afloat. In a nutshell, he thinks he’s going insane. “I Think I’m Going Mad” is a Glimmer Twins composition that dates from the Emotional Rescue sessions at Compass Point Studios, Nassau, at the beginning of 1979. Judged inferior to the other ballads, “Indian Girl” and “All About You,” it was passed over for the final track listing. It was only four years later, after reworking the song at the Pathé Marconi Studios in Boulogne-Billancourt and then remixing it at the Hit Factory in New York City, that the Rolling Stones decided to release it as the B-side of the single “She Was Hot”.

It comes as something of a surprise to discover that this song was not included on any of the albums from Emotional Rescue to Undercover. B-side status does not do it justice. “I Think I’m Going Mad,” in all likelihood written by Mick, is a very good ballad in the spirit of “Fool to Cry” and “Worried About You”. Evidently no proper intro had been written, for it opens with a fade-in of Keith’s strummed guitar (with emphatic phasing), accompanied by Charlie’s bass drum on the offbeat. Bill’s weightysounding bass is also very prominent. Two pianos can be heard: an electric thought to be played by Mick and an acoustic probably played by Stu. Ronnie comes in on pedal steel guitar in the refrains, and plays some excellent, very clear-toned guitar licks at 2:22, most likely on his Stratocaster.

It seems to be Mel Collins playing the heavily reverbed sax with such skill, although the name of David Sanborn is sometimes mentioned. Mick Jagger rediscovers in his voice a warmth and intonations that are more or less absent from certain tracks on Undercover, and that transform “I Think I’m Going Mad” into something rather special. Despite a bad edit at 1:22, the excellent Bob Clearmountain has done a very good job with the mixing.