ROCK MOMENT – The Rolling Stones ‘Start Me Up’
‘Start Me Up’ is one of the Rolling Stones’ most iconic tracks, a song that came to define their 1980s resurgence and cemented their status as rock and roll legends across multiple generations. Released on August 14, 1981, as the lead single from the album Tattoo You, the track became a global hit, reaching No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 7 in the UK.
Interestingly, ‘Start Me Up’ began its life as a reggae-rock experiment. The Stones originally recorded the song in 1975 during the sessions for Black and Blue, laying down numerous reggae-infused versions at Munich’s Musicland Studios. However, none of those takes quite clicked. It wasn’t until 1981, when producer Chris Kimsey was reviewing old tapes for material to complete Tattoo You, that a forgotten straight rock version caught his ear. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards reworked that version, stripping it back to its essentials and giving it the signature Stones swagger.
The track’s infectious guitar riff, delivered with signature precision by Richards, drives the song forward with raw, electrifying energy. Lyrically, it’s playful and suggestive, with Jagger’s bluesy vocal delivery making it irresistibly catchy.
‘Start Me Up’ quickly became a staple of the Stones’ live performances and one of their most commercially successful songs. It gained even more cultural relevance when Microsoft used it in their groundbreaking Windows 95 ad campaign, introducing the band to a whole new digital generation.
From discarded demo to international anthem, “Start Me Up” proves the Stones’ uncanny ability to reinvent and endure.
