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Rolling Stones songs: Just Like I Treat You
But I know/ Know what you will do/ Your gotta treat me baby, just like I treat you…
Mick Jagger: vocals, harmonica Keith Richards: guitar Ron Wood: guitar Charlie Watts: drums Guest musicians: Darryl Jones (bass), Chuck Leavell and Matt Clifford (piano)
More about The Rolling Stones’ version of Just Like I Treat You
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
Rediscovering A Dixon–Wolf Masterpiece
The story of Just Like I Treat You begins long before The Rolling Stones revived it, rooted in the fertile, electric soil of early-1960s Chicago blues. At the center of that world was Willie Dixon, a powerhouse songwriter whose fingerprints are on some of the most enduring blues recordings ever made. Though the track never achieved chart success when Howlin’ Wolf released it in 1962 as the flip side to I Ain’t Superstitious, its value lies elsewhere—hidden in its blend of sly humor, emotional honesty, and irresistible rhythmic bounce.
Its half-tender, half-cynical plea captures a man asking his partner simply to reciprocate his devotion, shaped by Dixon’s unmistakable sense of groove and Wolf’s thunderous delivery. When Mick Jagger revisited the song decades later, it wasn’t because it was a hit, but because it epitomized electric blues at its purest—and because it echoed the Stones’ early connection to Wolf, especially their 1965 appearance with him on Shindig!, a moment the band never forgot.
Willie Dixon’s blues legacy
Willie Dixon stands as one of the essential architects of modern Chicago blues. His songwriting fed a generation of performers signed to the Chess and Cobra labels, giving them the material that would define American blues for decades. Just Like I Treat You, recorded by Howlin’ Wolf in December 1961, captured the collaborative magic that often occurred inside the Chess studios. With Hubert Sumlin on guitar and Dixon himself holding down the double-bass line, the recording carried the raw immediacy and swagger that were the hallmarks of the Chicago sound. Although the single’s B-side release in 1962 meant limited commercial visibility, its artistic impact far outweighed its chart performance. The track embodied Dixon’s knack for mixing emotional tension with rhythmic uplift, offering blues fans a deceptively simple but deeply resonant composition.
A modern twist on romantic blues
What makes the song linger in the memory is its tone—a curious blend of romantic vulnerability, wry observation, and emotional negotiation. The narrator’s request is straightforward: treat me the way I treat you. But beneath that simplicity lies a modern sensibility, the kind of introspection and relationship imbalance that still feels familiar today. Dixon’s lyrics avoid the melodrama sometimes found in earlier blues traditions, instead opting for an almost conversational approach. Howlin’ Wolf’s performance adds another layer: his voice, both commanding and playful, turns the plea into something dynamic and alive. The song’s driving rhythm pushes it beyond typical slow-burn blues, landing instead in a buoyant, energetic space that made it stand out in Wolf’s repertoire. Mick Jagger’s selection of the track years later makes perfect sense—he has always gravitated toward blues pieces that mix humor, grit, and emotional truth, and this tune offers all three.
The Stones’ connection to Howlin’ Wolf
By the time The Rolling Stones revisited Just Like I Treat You, their relationship to blues history was well established. The group had spent their early years absorbing American blues recordings, modeling their sound on their heroes, and paying homage at every opportunity. Their appearance with Howlin’ Wolf on Shindig! in 1965 was a defining moment—not just for the band but for American television audiences, many of whom were introduced to Wolf for the first time. Covering this song later in their career allowed the Stones to reconnect with the spirit of their beginnings. Jagger, in particular, found in the piece a natural fit for his vocal phrasing and harmonica instincts. Its blend of groove and attitude mirrored the band’s earliest musical aspirations, making it a meaningful selection rather than an arbitrary deep-cut revival.
Returning to a classic Stones sound
The Rolling Stones’ interpretation of Just Like I Treat You channels the feel of their early-1960s recordings while giving the arrangement a more muscular, rock-leaning edge. Charlie Watts drives the track with energetic, weighty drumming, offering one of his most forceful performances on the album. Darryl Jones lays down a prominent bass line that locks in tightly with Watts, setting up a rhythmic foundation that feels both nostalgic and refreshed. Chuck Leavell’s boogie-piano lines evoke the spirit of Ian Stewart, whose presence Keith Richards often imagines hovering over sessions like an approving ghost. The twin-guitar interplay between Keith and Ronnie Wood provides a unified, complementary texture, with Wood likely responsible for the assorted licks and certainly for the fluid, confident solo. Mick Jagger delivers the vocals with ease and authority, using his harmonica to add a note of country-flavored phrasing that differentiates this version from some of the album’s other tracks. Together, the band creates a rendition that respects the song’s lineage while injecting unmistakable Stones swagger.
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