One Hit (To the Body)
Encyclopedia
"One Hit" is the opening track to English
rock and roll
band The Rolling Stones
' 1986
album Dirty Work.
, guitarist Keith Richards
and guitarist Ron Wood
, "One Hit (to the Body)" was largely the work of Richards and Wood. Both guitarists contributed heavily to Dirty Work overall, with Wood receiving credit alongside Jagger and Richards on another three songs. A sign of Wood's heavy contribution is the song's distinctive opening of an acoustic
piece. Wood used Richards' own 1967 Martin D-18
to perform the jam in an attempt to come up with a proper electric riff
, but the acoustic version remained. The band is known for their use of acoustic guitars to "shadow" their electric guitars; "Brown Sugar
" being a prime example. Both Richards and Wood played electric, but lead riffs and solos were provided by ex-Led Zeppelin
guitarist Jimmy Page
. Page's contribution was the result of a short studio session between him and Wood after Page's request to hear what the band was working on. Drummer Charlie Watts
provides the song's driving beat as well as its notable cymbal opening, while Bill Wyman
performs bass.
Backing vocals on the song were provided by Richards, Wood, Bobby Womack
, Patti Scialfa
, Don Covay
, and producer Steve Lillywhite's
wife Kirsty MacColl
.
Recording and re-recording lasted throughout much of 1985. Two locations used were the Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris
and New York City
's RPM Studios.
and May 9 in the United States
with album mate "Fight" as its B-side. The single reached the top thirty in the US but is notable for being the first single by the band to miss the UK Top 75. One of the song's most memorable features was the music video
produced in support, directed by Russell Mulcahy
. Featuring the Stones in a large warehouse set, the song's title is taken literally and both Jagger and Richards are seen trading mock blows whilst archive footage of actual boxing matches is cut in. Dirty Work has long been known as the album produced at the height of Jagger and Richards' feud during the 1980s.
A remix of the song, called the "London Mix" (clocking at 7:00), was done by Steve Lillywhite
and then released on the 12" single.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band The Rolling Stones
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...
' 1986
1986 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1986.-January-June:*January 23 – The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame takes place...
album Dirty Work.
Recording
Credited to lead singer Mick JaggerMick 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....
, guitarist 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...
and guitarist 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....
, "One Hit (to the Body)" was largely the work of Richards and Wood. Both guitarists contributed heavily to Dirty Work overall, with Wood receiving credit alongside Jagger and Richards on another three songs. A sign of Wood's heavy contribution is the song's distinctive opening of an acoustic
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
piece. Wood used Richards' own 1967 Martin D-18
C. F. Martin & Company
C.F. Martin & Company is a US guitar manufacturer established in 1833 by Christian Frederick Martin. Martin is highly regarded for its steel-string guitars, and is a leading mass manufacturer of flattop acoustics with models that retail for thousands of dollars and vintage instruments that often...
to perform the jam in an attempt to come up with a proper electric riff
RIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
, but the acoustic version remained. The band is known for their use of acoustic guitars to "shadow" their electric guitars; "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...
" being a prime example. Both Richards and Wood played electric, but lead riffs and solos were provided by ex-Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
guitarist Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
. Page's contribution was the result of a short studio session between him and Wood after Page's request to hear what the band was working on. Drummer 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:...
provides the song's driving beat as well as its notable cymbal opening, 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...
performs bass.
Backing vocals on the song were provided by Richards, Wood, Bobby Womack
Bobby Womack
Robert Dwayne "Bobby" Womack is an American singer-songwriter and musician. An active recording artist since the early 1960s where he started his career as the lead singer of his family musical group The Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's career has spanned more than 40...
, Patti Scialfa
Patti Scialfa
Vivienne Patricia "Patti" Scialfa is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She is married to Bruce Springsteen and they have three children.- Early life :...
, Don Covay
Don Covay
Don Covay is an American R&B/rock and roll/soul music singer and songwriter most active in the 1950s and 1960s, who received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1994...
, and producer Steve Lillywhite's
Steve Lillywhite
Steve Lillywhite is an English Grammy Award winning record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited for working on over 500 records and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including XTC, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Dave Matthews Band, U2, Peter Gabriel,...
wife Kirsty MacColl
Kirsty MacColl
Kirsty Anna MacColl was an English singer-songwriter.MacColl scored several pop hits from the early 1980s to the early 1990s...
.
Recording and re-recording lasted throughout much of 1985. Two locations used were the Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and 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...
's RPM Studios.
Single release
"One Hit (to the Body)" was released as Dirty Works second single on May 16 in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and May 9 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with album mate "Fight" as its B-side. The single reached the top thirty in the US but is notable for being the first single by the band to miss the UK Top 75. One of the song's most memorable features was the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
produced in support, directed by Russell Mulcahy
Russell Mulcahy
Russell Mulcahy is an Australian film director. His work is easily recognized by his use of fast cuts, tracking shots and use of glowing lights.- Music videos :...
. Featuring the Stones in a large warehouse set, the song's title is taken literally and both Jagger and Richards are seen trading mock blows whilst archive footage of actual boxing matches is cut in. Dirty Work has long been known as the album produced at the height of Jagger and Richards' feud during the 1980s.
A remix of the song, called the "London Mix" (clocking at 7:00), was done by Steve Lillywhite
Steve Lillywhite
Steve Lillywhite is an English Grammy Award winning record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited for working on over 500 records and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including XTC, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Dave Matthews Band, U2, Peter Gabriel,...
and then released on the 12" single.