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Rolling Stones songs: I Want to Be Loved
The touch of your hand drives me insane/ But baby, I want to be loved…
More about I Want To Be Loved by The Rolling Stones
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
The Rolling Stones’ first single may have raised a few eyebrows among purists, as they chose to cover one of Chuck Berry’s most polished, pop-leaning compositions. Given the band’s deep-rooted love for raw blues and rock ’n’ roll, this selection seemed almost uncharacteristic—at least on the surface. Berry, of course, was a pivotal influence on the Stones, but this particular track lacked the gritty, blues-infused energy that defined much of his work.
However, any doubts about the band’s allegiance to their blues influences were quickly put to rest by the B-side of the record. Here, the Stones delivered a rendition of I Want to Be Loved, a song written by none other than Willie Dixon and originally performed by the legendary Muddy Waters. This choice felt far more in line with the group’s musical DNA, paying homage to the Chicago electric blues sound that had shaped their identity.
Willie Dixon and Muddy Waters weren’t just notable names in the blues world—they were foundational figures in the Chess Records legacy, an institution that had been a beacon for electrified, hard-hitting blues. By placing a song like I Want to Be Loved on their debut single, the Rolling Stones sent a clear message: while they could appreciate and reinterpret different shades of rock, their heart truly belonged to the blues. This early move foreshadowed the deep respect and authenticity they would continue to bring to their blues influences throughout their career.
Before they became the world’s greatest rock ’n’ roll band, the Rolling Stones were just five young Londoners obsessed with American blues. Their admiration ran so deep that they named themselves after a Muddy Waters song—Rollin’ Stone—a nod to the very roots of their sound.
That devotion was on full display when they recorded I Want to Be Loved in 1963. Originally cut by Muddy Waters in 1955, with My Eyes (Keep Me in Trouble) as its B-side, the song carried the unmistakable Chicago blues grit that had captivated the Stones from the start. But the band wasn’t content with a simple recreation—they gave it a fresh twist, speeding up the tempo and injecting it with the raw energy that would soon define their style.
By the time they officially laid it down, I Want to Be Loved was already a familiar piece in their live sets. They had even tracked an earlier version at IBC Studios with Glyn Johns at the helm as producer and sound engineer, fine-tuning their approach before making it their own This wasn’t just another cover—it was a declaration. The Rolling Stones weren’t just inspired by the blues; they were carrying its torch into a new era. And with this recording, they left no doubt about where their hearts truly lay.
What stands out most about the song is Mick Jagger’s vocal delivery. Unlike his performance on Come On, where his voice carries a more polished tone, here it feels youthful and fragile, adding an emotional edge that perfectly suits the bluesy atmosphere of the track. This time, the Rolling Stones aren’t just experimenting—they are in their element, fully immersed in the music that shaped them.
Brian Jones reinforces this authenticity with his harmonica playing, soaked in reverb and reminiscent of Big Walter Horton’s signature style. His bluesy embellishments, combined with Charlie Watts’s steady drumming on his Sonor Chicago Star kit—where the snare drum is particularly prominent—give the track a raw, unfiltered energy, while Bill Wyman’s bass and Keith Richards’s rhythm guitar provide a tight foundation.
Despite Ian Stewart being present at the recording, his piano is completely inaudible on the final mix. The reason? Sound engineer Roger Savage later revealed that Andrew Loog Oldham had specifically instructed him to turn off Stewart’s microphone. Oldham, eager to shape the band’s image, felt Stewart didn’t fit visually with the group. When the playback session began in the control room, the piano was nowhere to be heard—but no one said a word.
Interestingly, a previous version of the song, recorded on March 11 with Glyn Johns as producer, was closer to Muddy Waters’s original take. Yet by the time of this recording, the Stones had infused it with their own energy, marking an early step in defining their unique approach to the blues.
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