Hey Negrita (song)
Encyclopedia
"Hey Negrita" is a song by The Rolling Stones
that appeared on their 1976 album Black and Blue
.
Credited to Mick Jagger
and Keith Richards
, Ron Wood
apparently wrote the song's main riff, a piece of music he took with him to Munich
's Musicland Studios
where he and other guitarists were auditioning for the second guitarist slot left open after the departure of Mick Taylor
. For his contribution, Wood would receive an "inspiration by" credit on the final album. In 2003, Wood recounted, "All of us, independently and together, were into reggae
, and it was also a mood of the time. I had this particular lick that I took into the studio and the others said, What are we going to start with? and I said, I've got this song. Charlie [Watts
] was sitting behind his kit, so he was already into it and then Keith and Mick both got into the motion of it. That was 'Hey Negrita', which came together very easily. The key to getting a song across in this band is never to try and write all the words. If you've got the rhythm, you're lucky! Let Mick write the words and then you're in with a chance."
In his review, Bill Janovitz
says, "[Hey Negrita] straddles Latin, reggae, and funk
musical styles. Mick Jagger had been spending a lot of time in New York City
and absorbing new elements of dance music, specifically Latin forms." Black and Blue is known for its heavy contribution from Stones recording and touring veteran Billy Preston
, of which Janovitz says, "...Preston plays a very percussive Afro-Cuban-sounding piano part over the... riff." Also prominent is Ollie Brown
(another veteran of the Stones' mid-1970s tours) who provides the song's heavily Latin-influeced percussion.
Of the song's substance, Janovitz says, "Jagger again chooses not to shy away from controversy... "Negrita," a Spanish term translating as "little black girl," was a pet name he had coined for his wife at the time, Bianca
, a Latina. The song, however, is undeniably sexy, and Jagger is playing with the stereotypical Central and South American approaches to the battle of the sexes."
Janovitz concludes, "Mostly, though, the lyrics are meant to stay out of the way of the groove and are an excuse to throw in some fresh-sounding Spanish phrases. But the song did little to avoid the controversy the Stones continued to stoke..." This song, along with some of the promotional billboard
s for Black and Blue, were called out for their apparent sexist content directed towards women, a criticism not new to the Stones at the time. Jagger said at the time, "Hey Negrita. It's a compliment. I mean, it's not a put down. I mean, what's the problem, the 'Hey' part? No, I think 'hey' will get past. What, you think colored people won't like it? Well... only the most sensitive ones. It's about South Americans, that's just what you say, you know? You say, hey negrita... one negri... negrota... you say to a lady one, a lady negress... hey negrita! In fact, it's been done, been said to my old lady, you see?"
While considered "splendid... edgy, funky" by Janovitz and popular among Stones fans, it is considered one of the songs that earned Black and Blue its unofficial title as the Stones' "jam album". Recorded in December, 1974 and in March and April 1975 at Munich and Mountain Recording Studios in Montreux
, "Hey Negrita" features Jagger on lead vocals, Richards and Wood (lead) on guitars, Bill Wyman
on bass, and Watts on drums. In addition to piano, Preston also performs organ and backing vocals with Richards and Wood.
"Hey Negrita" has only been performed live during the Tour of Europe '76
, evidently because of the controversial lyrics (although one of the longtime mainstays of the band's shows, "Brown Sugar
," has similar issues with its lyrics.)
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
that appeared on their 1976 album Black and Blue
Black and Blue
Black and Blue is the 13th British and 15th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1976. It was the band's first studio album released with Ronnie Wood as the replacement for Mick Taylor...
.
Credited to Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
and Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
, Ron Wood
Ron Wood
Ronald David "Ronnie" Wood is an English rock guitarist and bassist best known as a former member of The Jeff Beck Group, Faces, and current member of The Rolling Stones. He also plays lap and pedal steel guitar....
apparently wrote the song's main riff, a piece of music he took with him to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
's Musicland Studios
Musicland Studios
Musicland Studios was a recording studio located in Munich, Germany. It was established by Italian record producer, songwriter and performer Giorgio Moroder in the late 1960s...
where he and other guitarists were auditioning for the second guitarist slot left open after the departure of Mick Taylor
Mick Taylor
Michael Kevin "Mick" Taylor is an English musician, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and The Rolling Stones...
. For his contribution, Wood would receive an "inspiration by" credit on the final album. In 2003, Wood recounted, "All of us, independently and together, were into reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, and it was also a mood of the time. I had this particular lick that I took into the studio and the others said, What are we going to start with? and I said, I've got this song. Charlie [Watts
Charlie Watts
Charles Robert "Charlie" Watts is an English drummer, best known as a member of The Rolling Stones. He is also the leader of a jazz band, a record producer, commercial artist, and horse breeder.-Early life:...
] was sitting behind his kit, so he was already into it and then Keith and Mick both got into the motion of it. That was 'Hey Negrita', which came together very easily. The key to getting a song across in this band is never to try and write all the words. If you've got the rhythm, you're lucky! Let Mick write the words and then you're in with a chance."
In his review, Bill Janovitz
Bill Janovitz
Bill Janovitz is best known as the singer and guitarist of the alternative rock band Buffalo Tom.-History:After enrolling at the University of Massachusetts, Janovitz formed Buffalo Tom with fellow students Chris Colbourn and Tom Maginnis. A friendship with J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr...
says, "[Hey Negrita] straddles Latin, reggae, and funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
musical styles. Mick Jagger had been spending a lot of time in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and absorbing new elements of dance music, specifically Latin forms." Black and Blue is known for its heavy contribution from Stones recording and touring veteran Billy Preston
Billy Preston
William Everett "Billy" Preston was a musician who gained notoriety and fame, first as a session musician for the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and later finding fame as a solo artist with hits such as "Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from...
, of which Janovitz says, "...Preston plays a very percussive Afro-Cuban-sounding piano part over the... riff." Also prominent is Ollie Brown
Ollie E. Brown
Ollie E. Brown is an American drummer, percussionist and record producer. A prolific session musician, Brown has performed on over a hundred albums in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. Brown was also half of the American dance-pop duo Ollie & Jerry, which had a Top 10 hit with "Breakin'.....
(another veteran of the Stones' mid-1970s tours) who provides the song's heavily Latin-influeced percussion.
Of the song's substance, Janovitz says, "Jagger again chooses not to shy away from controversy... "Negrita," a Spanish term translating as "little black girl," was a pet name he had coined for his wife at the time, Bianca
Bianca Jagger
Bianca Jagger is a Nicaraguan-born social and human rights advocate and a former actress and model...
, a Latina. The song, however, is undeniably sexy, and Jagger is playing with the stereotypical Central and South American approaches to the battle of the sexes."
Janovitz concludes, "Mostly, though, the lyrics are meant to stay out of the way of the groove and are an excuse to throw in some fresh-sounding Spanish phrases. But the song did little to avoid the controversy the Stones continued to stoke..." This song, along with some of the promotional billboard
Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s for Black and Blue, were called out for their apparent sexist content directed towards women, a criticism not new to the Stones at the time. Jagger said at the time, "Hey Negrita. It's a compliment. I mean, it's not a put down. I mean, what's the problem, the 'Hey' part? No, I think 'hey' will get past. What, you think colored people won't like it? Well... only the most sensitive ones. It's about South Americans, that's just what you say, you know? You say, hey negrita... one negri... negrota... you say to a lady one, a lady negress... hey negrita! In fact, it's been done, been said to my old lady, you see?"
While considered "splendid... edgy, funky" by Janovitz and popular among Stones fans, it is considered one of the songs that earned Black and Blue its unofficial title as the Stones' "jam album". Recorded in December, 1974 and in March and April 1975 at Munich and Mountain Recording Studios in Montreux
Montreux
Montreux is a municipality in the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.It is located on Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps and has a population, , of and nearly 90,000 in the agglomeration.- History :...
, "Hey Negrita" features Jagger on lead vocals, Richards and Wood (lead) on guitars, Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1992. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings...
on bass, and Watts on drums. In addition to piano, Preston also performs organ and backing vocals with Richards and Wood.
"Hey Negrita" has only been performed live during the Tour of Europe '76
Rolling Stones Tour of Europe '76
The Rolling Stones' Tour of Europe '76 was a concert tour of Europe that took place in Spring 1976.-History:Tickets were in high demand; on 1 April the promoters announced that they had received more than one million applications in the mail for tickets for three shows at London's Earls Court;...
, evidently because of the controversial lyrics (although one of the longtime mainstays of the band's shows, "Brown Sugar
Brown Sugar (song)
"Brown Sugar" is a song by The Rolling Stones. It is the opening track and lead single from the English rock band's 1971 album Sticky Fingers...
," has similar issues with its lyrics.)
Personnel
- Lead Vocals: Mick Jagger
- Background Vocals: Keith Richards, Ron Wood, Billy Preston
- Rhythm Guitar: Keith Richards
- Lead Guitar: Ron Wood
- Bass: Bill Wyman
- Drums: Charlie Watts
- Percussion: Ollie Brown
- Piano: Billy Preston