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Rolling Stones songs: Loving Cup
I’m the man who walks the hillside in the sweet summer sun/ I’m the man that brings you roses when you ain’t got none…
Written by: Jagger/Richard Recorded: Rolling Stones Mobile, Villa Nellcote, Villefranche-sur-mer, France, June/November 1971; Sunset Sound Studios, L.A., USA, Dec. 1971-March 1972; RCA Studios, L.A., USA, March 1972
Mick Jagger: vocals Keith Richards: acoustic guitar, electric rhythm guitar, backing vocals Bill Wyman: bass Charlie Watts: drums
Guest musicians: Nicky Hopkins (piano), Bobby Keys (sax), Jim Price (trumpet and trombone), Clydie King and Vanetta Fields (background vocals), Jimmy Miller (maracas)
There’s something delightfully imperfect about Loving Cup — a song that balances elegance and grit, desire and humility, and the ever-present chaos that makes The Rolling Stones who they are. Long before its official release on Exile on Main St., the track had lived multiple lives. In 1969, during the Let It Bleed sessions at London’s Olympic Sound Studios, a very different version was born — slower, soulful, with a distinct piano intro by Nicky Hopkins. That early take, later unearthed for the 2010 Exile deluxe edition, revealed a gentler side of the Stones, still searching for the perfect mix of groove and vulnerability. When Loving Cup finally arrived in its finished form two years later, recorded at Nellcôte in France, it had evolved into something brighter, bolder, and utterly Stones — a jubilant toast to imperfection and passion.
The Making Of A Hidden Gem
The refined version of Loving Cup came together with an ensemble of the band’s finest talents. Mick Jagger took on both lead and backing vocals, while Keith Richards handled acoustic and electric guitars and joined Mick in harmonic playfulness. The rhythm section—Bill Wyman on bass and Charlie Watts on drums—offered their usual seamless drive, giving the track its intoxicating swing. Nicky Hopkins’ piano once again became the song’s heartbeat, his flourishes bringing a gospel-like warmth. The horns, courtesy of Bobby Keys on saxophone and Jim Price on trumpet and trombone, injected bursts of soul and celebration. Producer Jimmy Miller added maracas to the mix, enhancing the festive texture that gives Loving Cup its unmistakable lift. Together, they created a sound that feels spontaneous yet meticulously crafted—a musical cocktail that sparkles with both polish and rawness.
Desire, Devotion, And Double Meaning
At its lyrical core, Loving Cup is pure Mick Jagger—full of swagger, sensuality, and clever metaphor. The song’s narrator, “a man on the mountain” who turns into “a plowman in the valley,” portrays both humility and desire. The imagery drips with sexual innuendo, as Jagger transforms the traditional Celtic wedding cup—a vessel for unity and celebration—into a symbol of carnal and emotional thirst. Phrases like “spill the beans” and “push and pull” extend the song’s playful ambiguity, turning simple expressions into rhythmic metaphors for physical passion. Yet beneath the flirtation lies a sense of reverence, as if the singer is toasting both love’s ecstasy and its chaos. It’s this mixture of earthiness and exaltation that keeps Loving Cup as intoxicating as its name suggests.
From Hyde Park To Shine A Light
Since its debut at the Brian Jones tribute concert in Hyde Park on July 5, 1969, Loving Cup has resurfaced at key moments throughout the Stones’ live history. It reappeared in early shows on the 1972 U.S. tour, then again during the 2002–2003 Licks Tour. Its most celebrated revival came in 2006, when Jack White joined Mick and Keith onstage during the A Bigger Bang tour, blending generations of rock energy. That performance, immortalized in Martin Scorsese’s 2008 film Shine a Light, reintroduced Loving Cup to a new audience, proving that its charm transcends time. Whether played in Hyde Park or projected on a cinema screen, the song remains a heartfelt toast—to music, love, and the enduring, unpolished brilliance of The Rolling Stones.
Contracts, Conflict, And Continuity
Even after its release Loving Cupstirred controversy. Allen Klein, the band’s former manager, sued the Stones, claiming ownership of the song and four others from Exile on Main St.—works conceived under his ABKCO contract. The result was a tangled legal aftermath that granted ABKCO publishing rights and a share of royalties. Despite the disputeLoving Cup survived as one of the Stones’ most radiant deep cuts, a track that encapsulates both the band’s creative freedom and the struggles that shadowed their success. In the end, it stands as more than a love song—it’s a chronicle of artistic evolution, a clinking glass raised to the messy beauty of The Rolling Stones’ journey.
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