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Rolling Stones unreleased: Lonely at the Top
Written by: Jagger/Richards Recorded: Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas, USA, Jan. 18-Feb. 12 1979 (Emotional Rescue sessions)
From Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012: Mick Jagger was evidently fond of this song since he re-recorded it with Jeff Beck and Pete Townshend on his 1985 solo album She’s the Boss. The lyrics were altered and generally it was given an uplift compared with this duller version.
More about ‘Lonely at the Top’ by The Rolling Stones
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni Lonely at the Top is an unreleased Rolling Stones song from 1979. While the song never made it onto a Rolling Stones album, its existence highlights Jagger’s growing interest in branching out as an individual artist, a trend that would come to fruition with the release of his solo album She’s the Boss in 1985.
Written and recorded during the early Emotional Rescuesessions, Lonely at the Top was a reflection of the complexities of fame and the isolation that often accompanies it. The song’s lyrics, like many of Jagger’s later works, reveal a blend of self-awareness and introspection, with themes of loneliness, power, and the empty pursuit of success. It is clear that Jagger, who had already achieved tremendous success with the Rolling Stones, was beginning to explore the notion that being at the top of the musical world did not guarantee fulfillment or happiness.
Musically, Lonely at the Top carries the signature rock sound of the late ’70s, with a driving beat and Jagger’s unmistakable vocals. Its rough, unpolished quality gives the song a raw edge, which likely contributed to its exclusion from the Emotional Rescuealbum. However, the track’s exploration of personal and professional loneliness would later reappear in She’s the Boss, Jagger’s solo debut, where he delved further into themes of fame and self-reflection with a more polished, mainstream sound. Mick Jagger would later sing it live during his solo appearance at the Live Aid festival in 1985.
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