Sweet Black Angel
Encyclopedia
"Sweet Black Angel" is a song by The Rolling Stones
, featured on their 1972 album Exile on Main St.
It was also released on single as the b-side to "Tumbling Dice
" prior to the album.
Written by Mick Jagger
and Keith Richards
, "Sweet Black Angel" is one of the few outright political songs written by the Rolling Stones. A country
-blues
ballad, the song was written about civil rights activist Angela Davis
, who was facing murder charges at the time. Steve Kurutz says in his review, "Having never heard of Angela Davis, a listener could easily overlook the political lyrics and get lost in the circular acoustic plucking or the washboard rhythm that propels the song so well. Yet, by knowing the case history one realizes how deft and clever Mick's lyrics could be, even if he hides behind his best backwoods diction and garbled annunciation [sic] obscure[s] the point."
Initial recording took place at Mick Jagger's home in England "Stargroves' in early 1971 and overdubs and final mixing were later done at Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles between the months of December, 1971, and March, 1972. With Jagger on lead vocals, Richards and Mick Taylor
perform guitars, Bill Wyman
the bass, and Charlie Watts
on the drums. Richard "Didymus" Washington performs marimbas for the track while producer Jimmy Miller lends support percussion.
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...
, featured on their 1972 album Exile on Main St.
Exile on Main St.
Exile on Main St. is the tenth British and 12th American studio album by English rock band The Rolling Stones. Released as a double LP in May 1972, it draws on many genres including rock and roll, blues, soul, R&B, gospel and country. The release of Exile on Main St. met with mixed reviews, but is...
It was also released on single as the b-side to "Tumbling Dice
Tumbling Dice
"Tumbling Dice" is a rock song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards for The Rolling Stones' 1972 double album Exile on Main St., and was the album's first single. The single peaked at #7 on the US charts and #5 in the UK....
" prior to the album.
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...
, "Sweet Black Angel" is one of the few outright political songs written by the Rolling Stones. A country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
-blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
ballad, the song was written about civil rights activist Angela Davis
Angela Davis
Angela Davis is an American political activist, scholar, and author. Davis was most politically active during the late 1960s through the 1970s and was associated with the Communist Party USA, the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Panther Party...
, who was facing murder charges at the time. Steve Kurutz says in his review, "Having never heard of Angela Davis, a listener could easily overlook the political lyrics and get lost in the circular acoustic plucking or the washboard rhythm that propels the song so well. Yet, by knowing the case history one realizes how deft and clever Mick's lyrics could be, even if he hides behind his best backwoods diction and garbled annunciation [sic] obscure[s] the point."
Initial recording took place at Mick Jagger's home in England "Stargroves' in early 1971 and overdubs and final mixing were later done at Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles between the months of December, 1971, and March, 1972. With Jagger on lead vocals, Richards and 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...
perform 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...
the bass, and 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:...
on the drums. Richard "Didymus" Washington performs marimbas for the track while producer Jimmy Miller lends support percussion.