Mixed Emotions (Rolling Stones song)
Encyclopedia
"Mixed Emotions" is a song by The Rolling Stones
from their 1989
album Steel Wheels
.
Written by Mick Jagger
and Keith Richards
while on vacation in Barbados
, "Mixed Emotions" was recorded in Montserrat
from March through June 1989. The song was a heavy collaborative effort between Jagger and Richards. Richards brought his own music to the sessions along with most of the song's lyrics, the rest being filled in by Jagger in the studio.
, the Stones' touring keyboardist since the 1980s. Backing vocals are provided by Jagger, Richards, Sarah Dash
, Lisa Fischer
, and Bernard Fowler, the latter two longtime touring vocalists for the Stones. Brass was provided by the Kick Horns while Luis Jardim
provided percussion. Charlie Watts
handled drums while Bill Wyman
performed bass.
chart for five weeks. This is significant as it would be the Stones' last US top 10 single thus far, but they would go on to have more chart hits on the Mainstream Rock chart. To match the upbeat nature of the song, the music video featured the Stones, playful and smiling, performing the song as well as recording it. This stands in stark contrast to the band's previous video, 1986's "One Hit (to the Body)
," filmed during a time when relations between Jagger and Richards were at an all-time low, and which featured uncomfortable physical sparring between the two.
There was some controversy that the song was called "Mixed Emotions" to sound very similar to "Mick's Demotion" since Richards and Jagger had a feud a few years earlier, but Richards has denied this.
The song was heavily performed during the 1989-1990 Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour
. It appears on both of the Stones' latter day compilations, Jump Back
and Forty Licks
.
The song's b-side was "Fancy Man Blues", a blues number originally written during sessions for Steel Wheels.
"Mixed Emotions" (Chris Kimsey's 12") and "Fancy Man Blues" appears on the Rarities 1971–2003 compilation, released in 2005.
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...
from their 1989
1989 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1989.-Events:*January 14 – Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in the USSR...
album Steel Wheels
Steel Wheels
Steel Wheels is the 19th British and 21st American studio album by The Rolling Stones and was released in 1989. Heralded as a major comeback upon its release, the project is notable for the patching up of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' relationship, a reversion to a more classic style of music and...
.
Written by 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...
while on vacation in Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
, "Mixed Emotions" was recorded in Montserrat
Montserrat
Montserrat is a British overseas territory located in the Leeward Islands, part of the chain of islands called the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies. This island measures approximately long and wide, giving of coastline...
from March through June 1989. The song was a heavy collaborative effort between Jagger and Richards. Richards brought his own music to the sessions along with most of the song's lyrics, the rest being filled in by Jagger in the studio.
Recording
The song is an upfront rocker, with Richards, Jagger and Ronnie Wood sharing guitar duties. Piano and organ were provided by Chuck LeavellChuck Leavell
Chuck Leavell is an American pianist and keyboardist, who was a member of The Allman Brothers Band throughout the height of their popularity, a founding member of the jazz-rock combo Sea Level, a frequently-employed session musician, and later, the keyboardist for Eric Clapton and The Rolling...
, the Stones' touring keyboardist since the 1980s. Backing vocals are provided by Jagger, Richards, Sarah Dash
Sarah Dash
Sarah Dash is a singer and actress. Her first notable appearance on the music scene was as a member of Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles...
, Lisa Fischer
Lisa Fischer
Lisa Fischer is an American R&B singer and songwriter. She rose to fame in 1991 with her debut album So Intense, which produced the Grammy Award winning hit single "How Can I Ease the Pain". Known for her high notes, which extends into the whistle register, Fischer has been recognized as one of...
, and Bernard Fowler, the latter two longtime touring vocalists for the Stones. Brass was provided by the Kick Horns while Luis Jardim
Luís Jardim
Luís Alberto Figueira Gonçalves Jardim is a Portuguese percussionist, born in the Madeira Island, best known for his work with producer Trevor Horn.-Family:Jardim is a cousin of Alberto João Jardim...
provided percussion. 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:...
handled drums while 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...
performed bass.
Release
Released as the album's first single in August 1989, "Mixed Emotions" made into the top 10 in the US, going to #5, and was also a #1 hit on the Mainstream Rock TracksMainstream Rock Tracks
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
chart for five weeks. This is significant as it would be the Stones' last US top 10 single thus far, but they would go on to have more chart hits on the Mainstream Rock chart. To match the upbeat nature of the song, the music video featured the Stones, playful and smiling, performing the song as well as recording it. This stands in stark contrast to the band's previous video, 1986's "One Hit (to the Body)
One Hit (To the Body)
"One Hit " is the opening track to English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones' 1986 album Dirty Work.-Recording:Credited to lead singer Mick Jagger, guitarist Keith Richards and guitarist Ron Wood, "One Hit " was largely the work of Richards and Wood...
," filmed during a time when relations between Jagger and Richards were at an all-time low, and which featured uncomfortable physical sparring between the two.
There was some controversy that the song was called "Mixed Emotions" to sound very similar to "Mick's Demotion" since Richards and Jagger had a feud a few years earlier, but Richards has denied this.
The song was heavily performed during the 1989-1990 Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour
Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour
The Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels Tour was a concert tour which was launched in North America in August 1989 to promote the band's album Steel Wheels; it continued to Japan in February 1990, with ten shows at the Tokyo Dome. The European leg of the tour, which featured a different stage and logo,...
. It appears on both of the Stones' latter day compilations, Jump Back
Jump Back: The Best of The Rolling Stones
Jump Back: The Best of The Rolling Stones is the sixth official compilation album by The Rolling Stones and was initially released worldwide, except in North America, in 1993...
and Forty Licks
Forty Licks
Forty Licks is a double compilation album by The Rolling Stones. A 40-year career-spanning retrospective, Forty Licks is notable for being the first retrospective to combine the band's formative Decca/London era of the 1960s, now licensed by ABKCO Records , with their self-owned post-1970 material,...
.
The song's b-side was "Fancy Man Blues", a blues number originally written during sessions for Steel Wheels.
"Mixed Emotions" (Chris Kimsey's 12") and "Fancy Man Blues" appears on the Rarities 1971–2003 compilation, released in 2005.
Track listing
- "Mixed Emotions" (7" Version) - 4:00
- "Mixed Emotions" (Chris Kimsey's 12") - 6:10
- "Fancyman Blues" - 4:54