If you like this, please consider making a donation with PayPal. From as little as $5, your support helps to do what I do and pay for its maintenance costs. Thank you! *Donate here
This time it’s not for fun/ That you’re the only one…
Written by: Jagger/Richards Recorded: EMI Pathé Marconi Studios, Paris, France, Nov. 11-Dec. 16 1982; Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas, May 1983; The Hit Factory, NYC, USA, June-July 1983 *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
From the The Rolling Stones – All the Songs book: Keith Richards wrote “Wanna Hold You” in Paris, in a little eight-track studio that he rented from a friend around October 1982. Mick Jagger went to visit him on two or three nights, and thus the song was born, with Keith singing and playing guitar, and Mick on drums. I wanna hold you; I hope you find it funny that I got no money, but if you stick with me, you’re gonna get some love for free… Keith Richards adopts his finest voice to declare his love to his new beloved. After Anita Pallenberg, with whom he had a relationship that was simultaneously passionate and destructive, Patti Hansen entered the life of the guitarist and Stones songwriter at Studio 54 in March 1979—the seventeenth, to be precise. In January 1980, Keith wrote in his diary: “Incredibly I’ve found a woman. A miracle! I’ve pussy at the snap of a finger but I’ve met a woman!” Patti and Keith would get married on December 18, 1983 (the rock star’s fortieth birthday!), a month and a half after the release of Undercover.
Keith is in love, and sings about it with great sincerity. He would later explain in an interview that the title of his song references “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by the Beatles, and that its structure resembles that of the early Lennon-McCartney numbers. However, he also provides assurance that his own signature is immediately identifiable and that apart from the harmonies and refrains, his song owes nobody anything. It is probably on one of his Telecaster 5-strings in open G that he launches “Wanna Hold You.” He establishes an exhilarating rhythm supported by the excellent and imperturbable Charlie, who discharges his metronomic responsibilities to perfection. Ron Wood is on bass, which is unfortunately a little undermixed. Ronnie also looks after the second rhythm guitar part, which is strongly colored by phasing, and plays a number of solo phases after 2:14, presumably on a Fender Stratocaster. The two guitarists share the backing vocals and it looks as if Mick plays no part at all in this number. Please note: there is no synthesizer on Keith’s song…
