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Beast Of Burden
(Mick Jagger / Keith Richards)

Pathé Marconi Studios (EMI Studios), Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris, France,
October 10 - December 21, 1977

Mick Jagger - lead vocals, backing vocals
Keith Richards - acoustic guitar, electric guitar, backing vocals
Charlie Watts - drums
Bill Wyman - bass
Ron Wood - acoustic guitar, electric guitar

I'll never be your beast of burden, my back is broad, but it's a hurting
All I want is for you to make love to me
I'll never be your beast of burden, I've walked for miles my feet are hurting
All I want is for you to make love to me
Am I hard enough, am I rough enough, am I rich enough, I'm not too blind to see

I'll never be your beast of burden, be your slave, take your curses
All I want is for you to make love to me
I'll never be your beast of burden, so let's go home and draw the curtains
Music on the radio, come on baby, make sweet love to me, yeah
Am I hard enough, am I rough enough, am I rich enough, I'm not too blind to see

Oh little sister, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty girls
Oh, you're a pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty girl
Pretty, pretty, such a pretty, pretty, pretty girl, come on baby, please, please, please

I'll tell ya, you can put me out on the street, put me out with no shoes on my feet
But put me out, put me out, put me out of misery, yeah
All your sickness, I can suck it up, throw it all at me, I can shrug it off
There's one thing baby, that I don't understand
You keep on telling me I ain't your kind of man
Ain't I rough enough, oh honey, ain't I tough enough
Ain't I rich enough, in love enough, oh please

I'll never be your beast of burden, I'll never be your beast of burden
Never, never, never, never, never, never, never be
I'll never be your beast of burden, I've walked for miles, my feet are hurting
All I want is you to make love to me, yeah
I don't need no beast of burden, I need no fussing, I need no nursing
All I want is you to make love to me
I don't need no beast of burden, I don't need no beast of burden
Never, never, never, never, never, never, never be

Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, such a pretty girl
Such a pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty girl

Produced by The Glimmer Twins

First released on: The Rolling Stones - “Some Girls” LP
(Rolling Stones Records CUN 39108) UK, June 9, 1978



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011-11-21 14:14 by René.

i really love Beast Of Burden! For me it is together with Wild horses and Angie (yes, i admit this!) the best ballad of the stones, and actually from the 3 songs i think i like it most....

One of their strongest points.Weaving , guitars , atmosphere.Beast of Burden forever!

BOB .......



ROCKMAN

I love their perfomance of BOB on 4 Flicks documentary disc.
Song? I know people who say it's a song of their life... Easy to understand, though I don't envy

i like it (because i like almost all the stones songs) but it would not even be in my top 50 list. dont know why...

<I love their perfomance of BOB on 4 Flicks documentary disc.>

It's good, but I think Keith should start playing the signature riff again...

always a fave. chawlie's drumming is the key to the song - and for some reason the drum style reminds me of ringo's in "in my life."

keith used to do a nice little solo on this during the VL tour...the kind of dexterity that alludes him now....

song is called "beast of bottle" now, of course....i've assumed the re-title has something to do with ronnie's probs....

Bill's bass is great on the studio version...

Simply amazing...

Simon
myspace.com/koningsimon

As a contrast, here's Buckwheat Zydeco's laid-back cover version:

[www.youtube.com]

(edited to put in a working link)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-08-13 16:44 by Green Lady.

Beautiful track. Would love them to open their shows with it. It'll never happen...

I've read that the only songs Keith wrote on Some Girls, were Beast of Burden and Before They Make Me Run.

The Still Life leftover B-side is CRAP.

They finally got it somewhat right on the Voodoo tour. In general, not a good song live.

I like the song, it's a great song, but I never listen to it because I've been sick of it for eons.

However, it does have some of their best guitar work ever.

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skipstone
I like the song, it's a great song, but I never listen to it because I've been sick of it for eons.

sorta yogi berra-esque....like when he responded to the person enquiring about a certain restaurant, to wit: "nobody goes there because the lines are too long."

So much applauds here already so I need to give some criticism.

There is one feature that almost everytime destroys the song when it is done live: Jagger has always difficulties to get the run of first high and then low notes of the key phrase in tune ("I'll NEVER BE... YOur Beast of Burden". I think it is written too difficult for his capacities, and he sounds like struggling with the high notes - he doesn't sound natural, but very forced. I think he can not sing those high ones any lower because then the low notes would get too low for him.

But it is a wonderful song from a wonderful album, of course!

- Doxa

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Ringo
I've read that the only songs Keith wrote on Some Girls, were Beast of Burden and Before They Make Me Run.

That would be about right...

One of my favorites.
I like all the different versions on eacht tour. '78 was awesome with the weaving, '81 i really liked Ernie Watts sax solo great sound, '94 a bit less but still great Ronnie goes of with a "agressive" solo, '02 a bit less guitars but still great. Haven't heard the ABB version unfortunately. It's been
I also really dig Bette Midler's version that was posted here resently!

Cheers,
Wuudy

Fantastic soul/r&b track. One of my favs off Some Girls. It just has everthing going for it. The beautiful weaving guitars, the subtle acoustic low down in the mix. Mick's urgent pleading testifying vocals full of angst. And bright crisp production, with Charlie just snaping that beat along. Love the '78 live version, but not too fond of the sax in the '81. Live Licks version is pretty good too....and what about the acoustic version from the Stripped outtakes? That is pretty cool as well!

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DandelionPowderman
It's good, but I think Keith should start playing the signature riff again...

Did you hear his version from the O2 Arena? You probably wouldn't be saying this if you had!

One my all time favorites...somehow it manages to be both mellow (studio version) & can rock at the same time ('81). I agree w/ wuddy, I kind of appreciate the song in all its forms over the years. Early versions were raw ...loved Ernie Watts on the '81 versions (wish they would bring him back!) not too fond of the live licks version...but I am sure it will grow on me. I have to say I am not fond of any audience participation on this song aka.. the woooo's. But again, a great song. Love to play it myself on the guitar. I stole Buckwheat Zydeco's key change (D instead of E) & mix it with the reggae version from Keiths bootleg w/ Sly & Robbie, play it thru a delay pedal...& it still managees to come out ok!

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georgeV

Quote
DandelionPowderman
It's good, but I think Keith should start playing the signature riff again...

Did you hear his version from the O2 Arena? You probably wouldn't be saying this if you had!

A lot of reviews seemed to slag that version off. I was there that night and absolutely loved it.

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Gazza

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Ringo
I've read that the only songs Keith wrote on Some Girls, were Beast of Burden and Before They Make Me Run.

That would be about right...

I can see that too. But how deep are we looking? I would say that Side 2 could not have happened without Keith's input. Input beyond just being a jam partner, and bouncing ideas off of.

Yeah, i forgot the stripped companion version, awesome, just like the rest of the cd!

Cheers,
Wuudy

A top ten favorite of mine, and a classic were it done by any artist. It lays somewhere between classic R&B and blue-eyed soul. Whether it's an invention of study trickery or not, the guitar interplay is a joy to the ears.



I liked it best live on the VL tour ... soulful, and Keith and Ronnie always pulled out some lovely solos for it. Only heard one Licks tour version, the Wiltern show. Mick was really into it, but Keith's guitar sounded like he hadn't played it in years. Notice the FF dvd 'fixes' some nasty flubs he made. Then there's the Tattoo You tour version - great, except for Mick's tendency to bark.

I have seen them 5 times and have never heard them do this song live. Bless you to those who have!

I consider this my favorite stones track. Its very funky and soulful. They managed to come up with a new sound after being together for so long at that point.

Studio is the best but I love the 78 and 81 live versions including The SNL version. the lower key mick sang it in was cool. It was still pretty good on VL, after that not so much.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2008-12-16 04:52 by ryanpow.

Is it just me, or am I the only one who can't hear
the acoustic guitars on the studio version?
I've played it loud, soft, all sorts of ways, and I can't hear it.
Or is it one of those tracks where they're so low in the mix
that if you took them out, you;d go "What happened? It sounds different."

Quote
T&A
chawlie's drumming is the key to the song - and for some reason the drum style reminds me of ringo's in "in my life."

....

I agree, on the studio version charlies drumming is one of the best parts of this song.

<Did you hear his version from the O2 Arena? You probably wouldn't be saying this if you had!>

I'll check it out, but it will suprise me alot, if Keith suddenly has started to play the complete riff again.

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tomk
Is it just me, or am I the only one who can't hear
the acoustic guitars on the studio version?
I've played it loud, soft, all sorts of ways, and I can't hear it.
Or is it one of those tracks where they're so low in the mix
that if you took them out, you;d go "What happened? It sounds different."

It's fairly loud under the chorus (Am I hard enough etc).

Mathijs