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Rolling Stones songs: Sex Drive
I can drive you fast/ I can drive you slow/ Put me on the hot seat/ I’ve got no sense control…
Mick Jagger: vocals, guitar Keith Richards: guitar Bill Wyman: bass Charlie Watts: drums Ron Wood: guitar The Kick Horns: horns Guest musicians: Tessa Niles and Katie Kissoon (backing vocals), The Kick Horns (brass)
Long before chart numbers or critical reception came into play, Sex Drivearrived as one of the Rolling Stones’ boldest detours—a track built on dance-floor fire but carrying a sly narrative underneath. Shot in May 1991, Julien Temple’s accompanying video transforms the song into a playful confession booth for Mick Jagger. We don’t begin with guitars or grooves but with Jagger sprawled across a couch, spilling his “problem” to an amused psychoanalyst portrayed by Charlie Watts.
As Mick muses about his supposed addiction to sex, three glamorous women glide across the room like mischievous symbols of temptation, disappearing behind a theater curtain before Keith Richards himself wanders through, adding a wink to the fantasy. The entire scene feels less like real confession and more like a cheeky performance—Jagger knowingly blurring lines between parody and persona, inviting viewers to wonder where the act ends and the truth might begin.
Behind the Music
While the video sets the stage with irreverent humor, the record itself channels a different force altogether. If Jagger’s on-screen therapy session hints at exaggerated excess, the music pays direct tribute to the wellspring of funk: James Brown. Sex Drive is built on a rhythmic architecture that nods unapologetically toward the Godfather of Soul, from the fierce opening roar to the kinetic propulsion of its groove. Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts lock into a tight, swaggering rhythm that serves as the track’s backbone, allowing the guitars to spring unexpected surprises. Keith Richards, known more for raw swagger than nightclub slickness, swings into the funk pocket with striking conviction. His rhythmic lick after 1:40 feels like an electric jolt, mirrored by Ronnie Wood’s own sharp touches. Mick himself appears to join the guitar interplay, adding to the song’s layered, playful complexity.
Crafting the Groove
Supporting this charged framework is an ensemble whose contributions elevate the track from experiment to full-on party. The Kick Horns—already familiar to Stones fans from their appearance on Steel Wheels—deliver vibrant brass riffs that punch through the mix with crisp precision. Their standout moment arrives at 2:11: an agile saxophone solo that channels nightclub heat and drives the song toward its climax. Vocal power comes from Tessa Niles, who previously added texture to Continental Drift, and newcomer Katie Kissoon, a talented British singer later known for collaborations with Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, and George Harrison. Together, their harmonies brighten the coda, weaving around the groove with both soul and finesse. Whether shaking tambourines or layering harmonies, they complete the track’s infectious energy. At the center, Jagger burns brightly—his vocal performance a fusion of mischief, power, and commanding charisma.
Release and Reception
Despite its swaggering construction and irresistible rhythm, Sex Drivecuriously failed to make a dent on the charts. Released as a single in May 1991, it arrived in multiple versions: Michael H. Brauer crafted the Dirty Hands Mix for the European B-side and the Club Version for a Dutch maxi-single, while U.S. listeners received a release paired with a live version of Undercover of the Night. Yet commercial impact proved elusive. Perhaps fans were unsettled by the track’s unabashed funkiness, a stylistic leap even for a band known for reinventing itself. Still, within the Stones’ catalog, Sex Drive stands as a fearless foray—spirited, humorous, and rhythmically rich. Its legacy lives less through rankings and more through its boldness: a testament to a band still unafraid to push boundaries nearly three decades into their career.
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