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: Neighbours
Neighbours do unto strangers/ Do onto neighbours what you do to yourself…
Written by: Jagger/Richards Recorded: EMI Pathe-Marconi Studios, Boulogne-Billancourt, France, Oct. 11-Nov. 12 1980; Electric Ladyland Studios, NYC, USA, Apr-June 1981 *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
Mick Jagger: vocals Keith Richards: rhythm guitar, backing vocals Bill Wyman: bass Charlie Watts: drums Ron Wood: rhythm and lead guitar Guest musicians: Ian Stewart (piano), Sonny Rollins (sax), Jennifer & Susan McLean (backing vocals)
When the Rolling Stones released Tattoo You in 1981, Neighbours wasn’t just another track—it was Mick Jagger turning real-life urban chaos into rock ’n’ roll gold. Inspired by Keith Richards’ loud-apartment adventures with Patti Hansen, Mick captured the frustration, wit, and energy of New York City living, making it one of the few songs on the album written specifically for that record. From noisy neighbors to playful digs at everyday life, the track is as personal as it is electrifying.
Recorded across Paris and New York between 1979 and 1981, Neighbours showcases the Stones’ signature sound: Charlie Watts’ punchy drums, Bill Wyman’s swinging bass, Keith and Ronnie Wood’s intertwining guitars, and Sonny Rollins’ saxophone flourish. Mick’s vocal delivery rides atop a vibrant, layered mix, transforming ordinary apartment squabbles into an unforgettable rock anthem.
The Michael Lindsay-Hogg-directed promotional video of the song channels Hitchcock’s Rear Window, turning neighbors’ antics into cinematic fun. Performed live across decades—from Tattoo You tours to the 2018 No Filter shows—the song blends humor, personal storytelling, and raw energy, securing its place as a classic Stones moment fans keep coming back to.
More about Neighbours by The Rolling Stones
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
Mick Jagger’s Personal Ode to Keith
When Mick Jagger and Keith Richards collaborated on Neighbours they weren’t just crafting another track for the Rolling Stones’ 1981 album Tattoo You; they were capturing a slice of real life in New York City. Released on 24 August 1981 by Rolling Stones Records as the album’s sixth track, Neighbours emerged as one of the only songs on the record written and recorded specifically for the album, rather than drawn from older sessions.
Mick, who penned the lyrics, turned Keith’s fraught experiences with his neighbors into a rock anthem brimming with energy and wit. Sharing an apartment with Patti Hansen, Keith faced complaints from their very neighbors: “We can’t even hear Bugs Bunny on our TV, your music’s so loud! Turn the kettledrums down!” Jagger channeled that tension into a song Keith describes as “the first song I think Mick’s ever really written for me,” a track he wishes he’d written himself.
Keith Richards (1981): “Yeah, Patti and I have been evicted from apartments in New York. Mick wrote the lyrics to that – and he never has trouble with neighbors… I have a knack of finding a whole building of very cool people, you know, but there’ll be one uncool couple… Neighbours is the first song I think Mick’s every really written for me. It’s one I wish I’d written that.”
Recording and Production Manic
Neighbours underwent a creative journey before its final release. Work on the track began as early as 1979 in Paris, evolving into recordings at Pathé Marconi Studios at the end of 1980 and concluding in New York City’s Atlantic Studios between April and May 1981. From the first seconds, Mick launches into the intro with his signature overexcited vocal delivery, backed by Charlie Watts’ powerful drumming. Eschewing his hi-hat, Charlie’s snare dominates the mix, with cymbals reserved for the coda around.
Bill Wyman’s bass drives the rhythm with a clean, swinging power, while Keith’s analog delay-fueled rhythm guitar enters first, joined by Ronnie Wood’s second rhythm line and a standout solo. Mick’s probable third rhythm guitar adds texture, and various backing vocals—subtle references to sisters and models Jennifer and Susan McLean—round out the layered sound. Sonny Rollins’ saxophone adds an unmistakable flourish, and Stu’s piano makes a brief but memorable appearance. The song may not reinvent rock, but it pulses with Mick’s charisma and the band’s dynamic energy.
Keith Richards (1982): “There’s no slide on Neighbors, but it sounds like it. Ron plays that solo, and a lot of his things on regular guitar sound like they’re slide. He’s wangled a way of playing it without them, because he keeps losing them (laughs). At the start of that solo he’s bending about four strings. Sounds like slide”
Visual Storytelling
The music video for Neighbours elevated the song’s narrative through cinematic inspiration. Director Michael Lindsay-Hogg drew heavily from Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 film Rear Window, crafting a visual that mirrored the suspense and voyeuristic tension of Keith’s real-life conflicts with his neighbors. The combination of rock intensity and cinematic suspense gave fans a multi-sensory glimpse into the Stones’ world, translating apartment disputes and everyday frustrations into compelling visual storytelling. The promo’s energy and Mick’s magnetic performance captured the essence of the song, transforming a personal anecdote into a cultural moment that resonated far beyond the studio walls.
Touring Life and Live Legacy
Following its release Neighbours became a staple of the Rolling Stones’ live shows. Performed throughout their 1981 and 1982 tours supporting Tattoo You, the track was captured on the concert film Let’s Spend the Night Together (1983), giving audiences a taste of the band’s onstage vitality. Decades later, the song re-emerged for the 2002–2003 Licks Tour, with a performance included on the 2004 live album Live Licks. Even more recently, the Rolling Stones brought Neighbours to Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland, on 17 May 2018 during their No Filter Tour. Through live shows spanning decades, the track has maintained its status as a high-energy Stones classic, blending humor, personal narrative, and musical craftsmanship into performances that remain electric and memorable.
Cultural Context and Personal Impact
Beyond its music and visuals Neighbours offers a window into the Rolling Stones’ dynamic as a band and the personal lives that inspired their work. Mick Jagger’s ability to translate Keith Richards’ apartment woes into lyrics demonstrates a rare synergy between bandmates, turning everyday frustration into universal storytelling. The track’s saxophone, rhythm guitars, and drums underscore the Stones’ mastery of rock form, while the lyrics provide a candid, relatable glimpse into celebrity life intersecting with ordinary urban annoyances. Neighbours is more than a high-energy song; it is a snapshot of a moment in time when real-life conflict, personal camaraderie, and musical ingenuity collided, leaving an enduring mark on the Stones’ legendary catalog.
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!
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here:
Cookie Policy
Subscribe to the Stones Data newsletter and get all daily posts delivered to you for free. Everybody got to go! *Support the site and help me keep sharing great content. Thanks in advance!
