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Rolling Stones songs: The Last Time
THE MAKING OF THE LAST TIME Before it became a Stones classic, The Last Time started as a nervous sketch in Jagger and Richards’ Hampstead flat. Unsure if the band would go for it, they took the leap. RCA Studios turned that rough idea into a punchy, riff-driven single, with Phil Spector’s production, Nitzsche on tambourine, and Stewart on piano. What was tentative became bold—Stones’ first self-penned hit that still hits hard.
Well I told you once and I told you twice/ That someone will have to pay the price…
Written by: Jagger/Richard Recorded: De Lane Lea Studios, Kingsway, London, England, Jan. 11-12; RCA Studios, Hollywood, USA, Jan. 17-18, Feb. 18 1965 Guest musicians: Jack Nitzsche (tambourine) *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
Before The Last Time became the Rolling Stones’ first self-penned real hit, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards nervously sketched it out in their Hampstead flat at the tail end of 1964. Unsure if the band would buy into it, they eventually found the courage—and history was made. The Stones gave the track a loose, almost casual recording at RCA Studios, helped along by Phil Spector’s sharp production instincts, Jack Nitzsche’s tambourine, and Ian Stewart’s piano. What began as a hesitant idea transformed into a sharp, commanding single.
Though rooted in the gospel-inspired This May Be The Last Time by the Five Blind Boys of Alabama and later the Staple Singers, the Stones stripped away the spirituality and gave it an edge—directing the message at a girl with attitude. Between studio sessions and flights through Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan on their Australasia tour, the Stones were no longer just interpreters—they were carving their own sound.
The Controversy And The Sound Of The Last Time
When The Last Time dropped it wasn’t just another Stones single—it sparked debate. Once again, gospel fans cried foul, pointing out the obvious similarities to the Staple Singers’ This May Be the Last Time. Since the song was traditional and carried no ownership rights, the Stones weren’t breaking rules, but critics felt they were cashing in on black American music without giving proper credit. Besides all this the comparison to James Brown’s 1964 song Maybe the Last Time, which also borrowed from gospel roots, only fueled the fire. The Stones, though, gave the tune a harder, rock-driven edge that made it their own—even if the shadow of appropriation lingered.
Back in the studio, Mick Jagger wasn’t thrilled with his first vocal takes, so the band returned in February to re-record. This persistence paid off. What emerged was a bold, riff-heavy track that leaned on Keith Richards’ rhythmic acoustic and buzzing electric textures, with Brian Jones slicing through on his quirky VOX teardrop guitar. Add in the relentless backing vocals, and you had a sound that wasn’t just a hit single—it was a glimpse into the Stones’ future. Controversial or not, The Last Time captured the moment the Stones truly started shaping rock’s next chapter.
Keith Says…
Keith Richards in the 2003 book According to the Rolling Stones: “We didn’t find it difficult to write pop songs, but it was very difficult , and I think Mick will agree , to write one for the Stones. It seemed to us it took months and months and in the end we came up with The Last Time, which was basically re-adapting a traditional gospel song that had been sung by the Staple Singers, but luckily the song itself goes back into the mists of time. I think I was trying to learn it on the guitar just to get the chords, sitting there playing along with the record, no gigs, nothing else to do…
…At least we put our own stamp on it, as the Staple Singers had done, and as many other people have before and since: they’re still singing it in churches today. It gave us something to build on to create the first song that we felt we could decently present to the band to play… The Last Time was kind of a bridge into thinking about writing for the Stones. It gave us a level of confidence; a pathway of how to do it. And once we had done that we were in the game. There was no mercy, because then we had to come up with the next one. We had entered a race without even knowing it”
The Long Echo Of The Last Time
When The Last Time hit UK shelves on February 26, 1965, it wasn’t just another Stones single—it was a turning point. A sharp lyric aimed at a troublesome girlfriend, wrapped in swaggering riffs, stormed the charts within a week. By March 4, it was sitting at number one, holding the throne for three weeks and cementing itself as the third consecutive UK chart-topper. More importantly, it was the first single officially credited to the Jagger-Richard songwriting partnership—a milestone that signaled the band’s growing creative independence.
The song’s influence didn’t fade with its initial run. In 1967, The Who recorded their own version as a gesture of solidarity when the Stones were caught up in drug charges back home. It wasn’t just music; it was loyalty set to amplifiers. Fast forward three decades: The Verve’s Bitter Sweet Symphony gave the track a strange afterlife. Built on an orchestral version from Andrew Oldham’s 1966 TheRolling Stones Songbook album, the lush sample pushed the single into global fame. But behind the scenes, Allen Klein’s control of publishing rights forced The Verve to sign everything away. Klein pocketed huge royalties while Bitter Sweet Symphony sold big, scored a Nike commercial, and became an anthem. The Last Time proved timeless—resonating far beyond its own era.
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