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Rolling Stones songs: Soul Survivor
You ain’t giving me no quarter/ I’d rather drink sea water…
Written by: Jagger/Richard Recorded: Rolling Stones Mobile, Nellcote, France, Jun.-Nov. 1971; Sunset Sound Studios, Los Angeles, USA, Dec. 1971-March 1972; RCA Studios, Los Angeles, USA, March 1972 Guest musicians: Nicky Hopkins (piano) *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
Many see the song as a reflection of the mounting tensions between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards during the intense, chaotic Exile on Main St. sessions at Nellcôte. Richards, who truly took the reins as the album’s driving force, left his imprint all over the record. And Soul Survivorseems to echo the friction of that period with lines like “You’ve got a cut-throat crew… I’ve taken all of the knocks, you ain’t giving me no quarter.” It’s a raw, unfiltered take on the struggles within the band, packed with both defiance and resignation.
There’s also a fascinating contradiction in the lyrics—mockery and self-deprecation wrapped in vulnerability. “When you’re flying your flags, all my confidence sags,” Jagger sings, hinting at the power struggles at play. Whether it’s about love, friendship, or creative tensions, Soul Survivor is a song of resilience in the face of inevitable endings.
On the surface, Soul Survivor paints a dramatic picture of sailors on a doomed ship, bracing for an inevitable crash against the rocks. But beneath that literal imagery lies something much more personal—an anthem for the collapse of a relationship. Is it about a man and a woman? Or maybe a bond between close friends coming undone?
So, basically, the singer is the soul survivor, and the Rolling Stones themselves are the ones sailing straight into disaster. A bit far-fetched? Maybe! But hey, stranger theories have been thrown around when it comes to this band.
That being said, it’s interesting to point out that the original lyrics—likely penned by Keith Richards—didn’t seem to have any of these deeper, doom-laden implications. After all, it’s Keith who takes the mic on the alternate version of Soul Survivor from the 2010 Exile on Main St. expanded reissue, and his delivery feels more like a loose jam than a cryptic warning.
One thing we can say for sure? Exile on Main St. both starts and ends the same way—with a killer Keith Richards riff. And honestly, isn’t that the perfect way for a Rolling Stones album to bookend itself? Chaos, swagger, and one last dirty, blues-drenched lick from the master himself.
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