More Country Vibes from The Rolling Stones: ‘It’s a Lie’ (2021)

By Marcelo Sonaglioni on June 24, 2025

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Rolling Stones Songs: It’s a Lie

Well, it’s a lie, It’s a lie/ It’s a low down, dirty lie/Don’t make me laugh/ Don’t make me cry…

Written by: Jagger/Richard
Recorded: EMI-Pathé Marconi Studios, Paris, France, Jan. 5-March 2 1978; RAK Studios, London, England, Spring 2021
*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 It’s A Lie by The Rolling Stones**

*By Marcelo Sonaglioni

A Hidden Track Finds the Spotlight

For decades It’s a Lie lived in the shadows of the Stones’ vast vault of unreleased material. Originally recorded in early 1978 at EMI-Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris, the track never made the cut on any official release—until 2021. With the Tattoo You deluxe reissue, fans finally got to hear this gritty, mid-tempo country gem, complete with that unmistakable Rolling Stones swagger.

Though it first took shape in the late ‘70s, the song wasn’t finalized until a revisit in spring 2021 at RAK Studios in London. That’s when the band, still sharp and unrelenting, polished it for the album’s anniversary release. The wait was worth it—It’s a Lie oozes dusty backroad charm, driven by twangy guitars, laid-back grooves, and a bluesy harmonica that ties it all together.

Country Swagger, Stones Style

Penned by the iconic duo of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, It’s a Lie leans into country territory without losing the Stones’ signature bite. It’s the kind of track you imagine playing from a jukebox in a smoky bar—world-weary but cool, cynical but catchy. The harmonica adds a raw edge that harks back to their blues roots, while the lyrics tap into themes of deceit and disillusionment with sly, knowing delivery.

What makes the track special isn’t just its rarity—it’s the way it bridges the Stones’ past and present. Recorded in one era and completed in another, It’s a Lie stands as proof that even the songs they shelve still shine. It’s vintage Stones: rough, real, and never out of style.

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