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Rolling Stones Unreleased: Before They Make Me Run (demo version)

Also known as: Rotten Roll
Written by: Jagger/Richards
Recorded: EMI Pathé Marconi Studios, Boulogne-Billancourt, France, Jan. 5-March 2 1978 (Some Girls sessions)
*Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012

*Click for MORE STONES UNRELEASED TRACKS

Keith Richards, Raw and Running

Long before the polished version made its way onto Some Girls, a rough, unruly take of Before They Make Me Run was laid down in the early months of 1978—and it’s as gritty as you’d expect. Known in its demo form as Rotten Roll, this early version captures Keith Richards in survival mode, pouring all his attitude into every chord and lyric. Recorded at EMI Pathé Marconi Studios in Boulogne-Billancourt, France, during the Some Girls sessions, the track sounds like a midnight confessional set to guitar fuzz and defiance. Keith, facing legal troubles and personal chaos at the time, wasn’t just singing about the fear of getting caught—he was living it. This demo strips away the polish, leaving us with raw emotion, loose swagger, and that unfiltered Richards edge that reminds us why the Stones never needed perfection to make rock history.

Rotten Roll Never Sounded So Good

While Before They Make Me Run eventually found its place in the Stones’ official discography, this unreleased version stands as a window into the band’s behind-the-scenes energy. It’s loose, loud, and soaked in the urgency of the moment. The Jagger/Richards songwriting duo hit a different nerve here—less glam, more grit. You can almost feel the smoke in the studio, the late-night exhaustion, and the push to create something real, no matter how messy. For fans of deep cuts and Stones mythology, this demo is gold: a rebellious, off-the-cuff snapshot of the band doing what they do best—staying just one step ahead, before they make you run.

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