Like what you see? Help keep it going! This site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh Rolling Stones content coming your way every day. Thank you!
Rolling Stones songs: The Worst
You shouldn’t stick with me/ You trust me too much, you see…
Written by: Jagger/Richards Recorded: Ronnie Wood’s Sandymount Studios, Kildare, Ireland, July 9-Aug. 6 and Sept. 1993; Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland, Nov. 3-Dec. 10 1993; Don Was’ Studio and A&M Studios, Los Angeles, USA, Jan. 15-Apr. 1994 Guest musicians: Darryl Jones (bass), Chuck Leavell (piano), Frankie Gavin (fiddle) *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
Keith Richards’ Quiet Reflection: The Heart Behind The Worst‘
The Worst stands as one of Keith Richards’ two vocal contributions on Voodoo Lounge, alongside Thru and Thru. But unlike the band’s usual gritty swagger, this track reveals a more vulnerable, introspective side of Keith. It’s not just a song—it’s a moment of calm within the Stones’ storm.
What makes it truly resonate is the way Keith describes his songwriting process. Speaking in June 1994, he shared that the pieces he sings aren’t always deliberate stories—they’re feelings. Fleeting moments from his past bubble up unexpectedly: small encounters, conversations, or memories from decades ago. Once dormant, they eventually demand a melody. Rather than crafting songs with a clear intent, Richards captures emotion like lightning in a bottle. The Worst becomes more than just a ballad—it’s a quiet echo of life’s overlooked moments, finally finding their voice through music, years after they first happened
The Rolling Stones’ ‘The Worst’: An Irish-Tinged Confession
With a voice worn by time and truth, Keith Richards delivers one of his most heartfelt performances in The Worst. It’s not just a ballad—it’s an open confession, wrapped in a tender melody. Few lyricists are as brutally honest as Richards, who practically waves a red flag in the chorus: “I said from the first, I am the worst kind of guy for you to be around” It’s vulnerability laid bare, a self-aware warning disguised as a love song.
While the Rolling Stones famously flirted with country and western during the late ‘60s—think “Country Honk” or the twang-laced grooves on the second half of Exile on Main St.—The Worst wanders into different territory. With its lilting arrangement and emotional phrasing, the track plays more like a tribute to traditional Irish music than a Nashville echo.
Here, the Glimmer Twins—particularly Richards—honor a deeper, more Celtic influence, turning raw introspection into quiet beauty.
“It’s funny, but a lot of these songs were written in kitchens”, Keith Richards said in 1994. “That one I wrote in the kitchen in Barbados, and I thought, That’s a pretty melody, but what to do with it, I really didn’t know. I guess that’s where Ireland comes in, because Ireland has its own traditional music, and it’s not country music as such, but it’s the roots of it, you know? It’s that Irish feel.”
Frankie Gavin’s Celtic Touch: Weaving Irish Soul into the Stones
When The Rolling Stones were recording Voodoo Lounge in Dublin in 1993, they didn’t just tap into the local atmosphere—they brought in its sound. That sound came alive through Frankie Gavin, the celebrated fiddle and flute player from the acclaimed Irish folk group De Danaan. His soulful contributions added an unexpected, earthy layer to two tracks: The Worst andNew Faces.
But Gavin’s collaboration with the Stones didn’t end in the studio. Nearly a decade later, in November 2002, he rejoined the band on stage in Oakland, lending his signature violin to a rousing live rendition of Sweet Virginia. It was a reunion that highlighted how well his traditional style had blended with the Stones’ ever-evolving sound.
Chuck Leavell’s subtle piano work and Gavin’s Celtic flair created something quietly powerful on The Worst—a track that carries both rock heritage and Irish soul in every note.
Like what you see? Help keep it going! This site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh Rolling Stones content coming your way every day. Thank you!
