Down and Dirty: The Rolling Stones’ ‘When You’re Gone’ (1978)

By Marcelo Sonaglioni on June 7, 2025

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Rolling Stones songs: When You’re Gone

I don’t want to read about you when you’re gone/ I don’t want to hear about the things you’ve done…

Original title: Redeyes
Written by: Jagger/Richards
Recorded: EMI Pathé Marconi Studios, Paris, France, Jan. 5-March 2 1978. Overdubs by Mick at Le Fork Studios, Pocé sur Cisse, France and La Fourchette (Mick’s homestudio) in Sept. 2011 and by Keith at Electric Lady Studios, NYC and Berkeley St. Studios, Los Angeles, Sept. 2011

From Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012:
A slow boogie with a pronounced bass sounding guitar by Ron and a lead guitar furter back in the mix.

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More about ‘When You’re Gone’ by The Rolling Stones

*By Marcelo Sonaglioni

rolling stones songs when you're gone 1978

***When You’re Gone: A Forgotten Groove from Some Girls***

A smoky, slow-burning groove lies hidden in the vaults of Some Girls—a track that didn’t see the light of day until the 2011 deluxe edition of the album. When You’re Gone, originally titled Redeyes, carries a low-slung swagger with a deep, boogie rhythm and a bass-heavy guitar line courtesy of Ronnie Wood. The track wraps itself in a melancholy, almost drunken blues haze, letting Mick Jagger’s vocals carry a reluctant ache: “I’ll throw away your letters and rip up all your sweaters/ You can’t haunt me, you can’t taunt me when you’re gone, aah yeah…” There’s a deliberate distance in the mix too—Keith Richards’ lead guitar drifts like an echo, more texture than spotlight, adding a haunting layer to the song’s late-night feel. While not included in the original 1978 release, its later emergence feels less like a leftover and more like a secret finally whispered.

Studio Alchemy and Rediscovery

Recorded between January 5 and March 2, 1978, at EMI Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris, the track remained unfinished until Mick and Keith revisited it over three decades later. In September 2011, Mick added new vocals and overdubs at his private French studios—Le Fork and La Fourchette—while Keith laid down his parts at Electric Lady Studios in New York and Berkeley St. Studios in Los Angeles. The result is a seamless blend of past and present: the raw, analog heartbeat of the late ’70s colliding gently with the clarity and polish of modern production. When You’re Gone, which sound absolute Muddy Waters, is more than a bonus track—it’s a bittersweet echo from a golden era, finally pulled into the spotlight with a touch of grace and a whole lot of groove.

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