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Rolling Stones songs: One Hit (To the Body)
One voice calls out my name/ It sure went straight to the mark…
Written by: Jagger/Richards/Wood Recorded: Pathé Marconi Studios, Paris, France, Jan. 15-March 3 & Apr. 8-June 17 1985; RPM Studios, NYC, USA, July 16-Aug. 17 & Sept. 10-Oct. 15 1985; Right Track Studios, NYC, USA, Nov. 5-Dec. 15 1985 *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
Mick Jagger: vocals Keith Richards: rhythm and acoustic guitar, backing vocals Bill Wyman: bass Charlie Watts: drums Ron Wood: acoustic and rhythm guitar, backing vocals Guest musicians: Jimmy Page (lead guitar), Chuck Leavell (keyboards), John Regan (some bass parts), Bobby Womack, Don Covay, Patti Scialfa, Kirsty MacColl and Beverly D’Angelo (backing vocals)
More about One Hit (To the Body) by The Rolling Stones
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
A Jolt of Obsession
Love in One Hit (To the Body) is portrayed not as a comfort but as a force that charges through the body with the violence of an electric shock—unpredictable, addictive, and impossible to shake off. The opening sentiment, drawn from imagery that sounds like chemical dependency, sets the stage for a story where romance becomes a lifelong intoxication rather than a gentle embrace. Despite what listeners familiar with Keith Richards’s past might assume, the song is not about drugs at all; instead, it uses narcotic language as a metaphor for emotional surrender. It speaks to the kind of passion that blasts into your system like lightning, leaving marks that don’t fade. The Stones channel this chaotic intensity into a musical landscape built on clashing guitars, stubborn rhythms, and simmering tension within the band itself. From the first note, love is framed not as salvation but as a jolt—dangerous, sweet, and unforgettable.
Strings That Strike
Behind the official songwriting credit—Jagger, Richards, and Wood—lies the unmistakable pulse of Keith and Ronnie’s growing guitar symbiosis. The track blossoms from Ron Wood’s spark of inspiration on Keith’s 1967 Martin D-18, soon met by Richards’s explosive electric riff, likely fueled by his 1959 Telecaster. Keith approached the song with a layered technique: multiple electric overdubs placed in precise moments rather than running through the entire track, creating a sharp, restless texture. After years drifting toward dance-oriented production, One Hit (To the Body) signals a return to guitars as the center of gravity, shaped partly by Mick’s distance as he focused on his solo path. Yet even with divided priorities, the musical push and pull between Keith and Ronnie radiates through every chord—fiery, competitive, and unmistakably alive.
A Visitor On Fire
Into this charged atmosphere walked Jimmy Page, arriving in New York for the Led Zeppelin Live Aid reunion and casually asking Ron Wood if he could drop by the studio. His visit produced anything but casual results: two blistering solos—at 2:26 and 4:10—burned straight into the track, each unmistakably Page in tone and execution. His style, sharper and more dramatic than Keith’s earthy grit, added a new dimension without overwhelming the song’s core. Yet the rhythm section revealed deeper fractures. Charlie Watts, usually loose and swinging, sounded uncharacteristically cold and rigid, leaving some listeners wondering whether the drums were even his. Bill Wyman’s undermixed bass only added to the confusion. Whether due to Steve Lillywhite’s production choices or the band’s internal struggles, the rhythm feels detached from the fiery guitars above it.
Impact Beyond the Blow
Released in May 1986 as the second single from Dirty Work (with Fight on the B-side) the song packed emotional force even if the charts told a different story, peaking modestly in both the United States and the U.K. Its accompanying video, directed by Russell Mulcahy, amplified the track’s internal conflict by turning Mick and Keith’s real-life tension into mock combat, intercut with archival boxing footage. Soulful backing vocals—from Bobby Womack, Don Covay, Patti Scialfa, Kirsty MacColl, and others—added texture, though not enough to mask the fractures within the group. Still, the song retained something noble: Jimmy Page refused any payment for his contribution, offering his solos purely as a gesture of camaraderie during a turbulent era. One Hit (To the Body) may not have conquered the charts, but it endures as a vivid snapshot of a band battered yet still swinging, still capable of fire even in their most divided moments.
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