Like what you see? Help keep it going! This site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh Rolling Stones content coming your way every day. Thank you!
Rolling Stones songs: Memo from Turner
You’ll still be in the circus when I’m laughing, laughing in my grave…
Written by: Jagger/Richard *Earlier take of the song (Metamorphosis version) Recorded: Olympic Sound Studios, London, England, Nov. 17 1968 Guest musicians: Nicky Hopkins (piano), Steve Winwood (guitar), Jim Capaldi (drums) *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
More about ‘Memo from Turner’ (Performance version)
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni In 1968, Mick Jagger ventured into acting with his debut role in Performance, a film directed by Donald Cammell and Nicolas Roeg. In this cult classic, Jagger portrays Turner, a reclusive former rock star. The story follows Chas (played by James Fox), a gangster on the run after murdering a rival. Seeking refuge, Chas hides in Turner’s decadent Notting Hill apartment, where the enigmatic musician lives with two women, Pherber (Anita Pallenberg) and Lucy (Michèle Breton). Against a backdrop of drug use and bohemian excess, a peculiar and intense relationship unfolds between the two men, who come from vastly different worlds.
Warner Brothers, eager to emulate the Beatles’ cinematic success under Richard Lester, originally hoped the Rolling Stones’ Jagger and Keith Richards would compose the film’s soundtrack. However, the project was marred by behind-the-scenes drama, including Anita Pallenberg’s romantic entanglements with both Jagger and Cammell during filming. This tension led Keith Richards to walk away from the project, leaving the soundtrack largely devoid of Stones contributions.
The sole exception was Memo from Turner performed by Jagger. Though officially credited to Jagger-Richards, the song was primarily written by Jagger, with minimal input from Cammell. The track, often described as a “great lost Rolling Stones classic” by author Sean Egan, perfectly captures the band’s raw and provocative essence.
In the film, Turner performs the song to a group of stunned criminals, delivering biting and confrontational lyrics like, “I remember you in Hemlock Road in 1956/You’re a faggy little leather boy with a smaller piece of stick.” This performance cemented Memo from Turner as a standout moment, showcasing Jagger’s magnetic on-screen presence and the song’s darkly satirical edge.
Like what you see? Help keep it going! This site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh Rolling Stones content coming your way every day. Thank you!
