Tattoo You
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Album Summary
Born from the vaults and brought into the light, 'Tattoo You' is one of the most beautifully unlikely comebacks in rock and roll history. Released in August of 1981 on Rolling Stones Records, this record pulled together unreleased material the Stones had been sitting on from sessions stretching all the way back to 1972 — gems that had been sleeping in the can while the world kept spinning. Produced by the band alongside engineer Chris Kimsey, who had the ears and the instincts to shape these scattered recordings into something unified and alive, 'Tattoo You' arrived at a moment when the Stones needed to remind the world exactly who they were. And brother, did they ever.
Reception
- The album shot straight to #1 on the Billboard 200 and climbed to #2 on the UK Albums Chart, proving the Stones could still move the needle on both sides of the Atlantic.
- 'Start Me Up' became a cultural thunderbolt of a single, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and burning up MTV rotation in the channel's early days.
- The album was certified 3× Platinum in the US and launched one of the band's most successful touring cycles.
Significance
- The Rolling Stones walked back into the spotlight with 'Tattoo You' and reminded a new generation why the legends became legends — this was their triumphant reclamation of rock and roll's throne in the early 1980s.
- 'Start Me Up' transcended the album itself and became one of the defining rock anthems of the decade, embedding itself permanently into the fabric of sports broadcasts, ceremonies, and American cultural life.
- The record achieved something rare and beautiful — it honored the band's deep blues-rock roots while carrying enough contemporary energy to resonate fully in the MTV era, bridging generations of rock audiences without compromising an ounce of soul.
Samples
- "Start Me Up" — one of the most recognizable samples in popular music, with a rich history of interpolations and references across hip-hop and pop; its iconic riff has been licensed and borrowed across decades of recordings and cultural moments.
Tracklist
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A1 Start Me Up 122
3:32
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A2 Hang Fire 76
2:22
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A3 Slave 133
4:59
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A4 Little T & A —
3:24
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A5 Black Limousine 109
3:31
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A6 Neighbours 83
3:38
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B1 Worried About You 82
5:18
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B2 Tops 80
3:47
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B3 Heaven 114
4:22
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B4 No Use In Crying 143
3:28
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B5 Waiting On A Friend 116
4:45
Artist Details
The Rolling Stones, those bad boys out of London, England, came together in 1962 and proceeded to set the world on fire with a raw, blues-drenched rock and roll sound that made even the devil himself tap his foot — Mick Jagger's swagger, Keith Richards' riffs, and that whole crew built something dangerous and beautiful that the world wasn't quite ready for. They stood toe-to-toe with the Beatles as the defining force of the British Invasion, but where the Fab Four gave you sunshine, the Stones handed you a little darkness, a little soul, a little street — and the world ate it up like gospel. Decades deep into their run, with classics like "Paint It Black," "Gimme Shelter," and "Sympathy for the Devil" permanently etched into the fabric of rock history, the Rolling Stones remain a living, breathing monument to the power of music that refuses to be tamed.
