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Rolling Stones unreleased: Randy Whore (version 1)
Written by: Jagger/Richards Recorded: Blue Wave Studios, St. Philip, Barbados, Apr-May 1993 (Voodoo Lounge sessions)
From Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012: The Voodoo Lounge sessions are exceptionally well documented by a series of bootleg releases with professional packaging and sleeve notes. Two versions of Randy Whoreexist. This one, a long version with Keith Richards on vocals and electric guitar, Charlie Watts on drums and Mick Jagger on backing vocals sung guide style.
The Unreleased Energy Behind Randy Whore (Version 1)
The Voodoo Lounge era was one of the most open windows into The Rolling Stones’ creative process, thanks to a wave of well-packaged bootlegs that captured the band’s raw studio energy. Among the standout discoveries from this period is Randy Whore, an unreleased track that reveals a different side of their 1993 Barbados sessions. Far from being a polished, ready-for-release song, it feels like a candid snapshot of musicians chasing a groove, letting instinct shape the moment. The track’s loose structure and unfiltered tone place you right inside Blue Wave Studios, where ideas sparked, evolved, and sometimes never reached the official album.
A Closer Look at a Rare Studio Moment
Written by Jagger and Richards, Randy Whore (as for this, Version 1) comes from the Voodoo Loungesessions recorded between April and May of 1993. What sets this version apart is not just its length but its distinctive lineup. Keith Richards takes the lead vocal, giving the track a rough, human edge that suits its unvarnished feel. His electric guitar adds grit, while Charlie Watts keeps everything grounded with his steady, unfussy drumming. Mick Jagger appears only in a supporting role, offering guide-style backing vocals that hint at melodic possibilities without locking anything in place.
The song’s atmosphere carries the spirit of experimentation—an impression reinforced by Martin Elliott in his book The Rolling Stones Complete Recording Sessions 1962–2012. Elliott notes that two versions of Randy Whore circulate among collectors, but this long take is particularly intriguing for its rawness and the dynamic interplay between the musicians. It’s less a finished composition and more a glimpse into the Stones’ workshop, where ideas were tested, stretched, and sometimes abandoned.
Listening to Randy Whore today feels like opening a time capsule containing the band’s unfiltered creativity—one of those rare moments when the process becomes just as compelling as the product.
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