Comments, input and alterations are very welcome!
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Slipping Away
(Mick Jagger / Keith Richards)

Air Studios, Montserrat, West Indies, March 29 - May 5, 1989 and
Olympic Sound Studios, London, UK, May 15 - June 29, 1989

Keith Richards - lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Mick Jagger - backing vocals
Charlie Watts - drums
Bill Wyman - bass
Ron Wood - electric guitar, backing vocals
Chuck Leavell - organ, piano
Matt Clifford - electric piano, strings
Simon Clarke - saxophone
Tim Sanders - saxophone
Roddy Lorimer - trombone
Paul Spong - trumpet
Bernard Fowler - backing vocals
Lisa Fisher - backing vocals
Sara Dash - backing vocals

Guess it's just another dream that's slipping away
Each time that I fall asleep it seems I'm drifting away
Just as you have touched my heart, babe I wake and we're apart, yeah
And it's slipping away

Here comes just another day that's drifting away
Every time I draw a breath it's dying away
First the sun and then the moon, one of them will be round soon
Slipping away, slipping away, slipping, oh yeah

It’s all drifting away, it seems it’s slipping away
Just as you have touched my heart, I wake up babe and we're apart, yeah
It seems we're slipping away, slipping away, yeah, slipping away

All I want is ecstasy, but I ain't getting much
Just getting off on misery, it seems I've lost my touch

Well, it's just another song, but it's slipping away
Well, we didn't sing it long, 'cos it's fading away
First the sun and then the moon, one of them will be round soon
And it’s slipping away, slipping away, slipping away
Slipping away, slipping away, slipping away…

Produced by Chris Kimsey & The Glimmer Twins

First released on:
The Rolling Stones - “Steel Wheels” LP
(CBS 465752-1) UK, August 28, 1989

What a beautiful heartfelt song. Is it about love, life in general, the Stones as a band, Keith's dad? - who knows but when someone can set such a lovely, open sentiment to such a great tune then they're on a winner. One of Keith's most touching songs.

The song also displays the new era of vulnerability found in Stones lyrics during the 90s where the cocksure swagger and misogyny of old was being replaced with a more worldly and humble outlook. The Worst, New Faces and Losing My Touch are others that spring easily to mind.

Keith sings it like a crooner, or a crooning bluesman to be more precise with that gravelly voice of his but one that is as rich as molasses. It's almost like he is facing his own mortality here.

For me that makes this song a companion to Before They Make Run - an older and wiser Keith reflecting on someone or something that he cherishes greatly but one that is literally slipping through his fingers like the sands of time.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2014-08-19 19:07 by Silver Dagger.

Very nice tune, indeed. That's the beauty of all Stones albums. They may not be consistently great throughout, but there's always a little gem like this on them to enjoy. The bridge where Mick comes in is nothing but perfection, imo.

Yep Dandy. We know the ones that are gems as they are still played live - just as this one is. There haven't been that many in the last 25 years but Slipping Away is certainly one of them.

One of the good things to come from the fallout of WWIII--a renewed of appreciation of what you almost lost before it was too late.

Excellent track. A high point for both SW and Stripped.

Hello,

It is a beautiful song...adore the 'Stripped' version.

Cheers,

Simon.

Great song, this is a latter-day Keith song I can get behind. Some structure and good lyrics.

Great track. It's funny, I took my Mom to see the Stones a few years ago in Phoenix, and that's the one she really related to.

Great Great Keith-Track!

2 1 2 0

When he sang it in 2006, after his accident ... I don't know how he did it,
but he filled all the space in the stadium with the warmth of this song.
I could feel the music on my skin

All kinds of blessings and well-being on Keith and all the Stones, for good

My favorite Keith tune. Simply beautiful!

One of the best Stones songs of the past 25 years. That bridge where Mick joins in is just fantastic.

Whereas I for instance like "Sleep Tonight", especially because of its mood, I have to say that "Slipping Away" does not do much to me. It may be due to the song itself, or to some effect that the sound of STEEL WHEELS for me has had on other songs there, too, even on songs that I think I could have had a better impresssion of. I don't even know as much as what about "Slipping Away" that leaves me a little untouched.

"The Worst" is mentionned in comparison. That song gives me more, without being a favourite of mine.

nice song, and so is the worst and this place is empty.

I like the end of it, I could listen to that part go on forever.

Truly wonderful song..... And a perfect fit for the end credits on 25 by 5

What a drag it is gettin' old

live absolutely outstanding on the 14 on fire tour! ><

Quality song and one of Keith's best. Always liked to hear this live as he always seemed to nail it. Silver Dagger's comments above, pretty much says it all!

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crumbling_mice
Quality song and one of Keith's best. Always liked to hear this live as he always seemed to nail it. Silver Dagger's comments above, pretty much says it all!

Except for in Abu Dhabi

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DandelionPowderman

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crumbling_mice
Quality song and one of Keith's best. Always liked to hear this live as he always seemed to nail it. Silver Dagger's comments above, pretty much says it all!

Except for in Abu Dhabi

Oh, go on, I'll give you that...but you get the gist.

Love it!

One of my favorites. Live is excellent. Stripped is excellent. Perfect Keith song. Listening to it now.

I like Hate it When You Leave about as much

don't give me that ole one two, one two three four



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-08-19 02:56 by bigfrankie.

Not much of a fan. I like the fade out a lot but the song itself isn't much chop to my ears. Latter day Keith great tracks are Thief and Worst for me.

It's weird in that this track to me has all the ingredients and I should really dig it. Perhaps true minor chords on standard tuning may have helped as some of the chords sound as though they're not quite sure where they're supposed to be to my ears. I like the bridge although Mick I would say has added that and it sort of takes the song into a left turn I'm not sure it really wanted to make.

To me 'Slipping Away' is their coda. If they had broken up after the 89/90 tour and that song was their final statement, I could live with that. Keith is wonderful on it, and Bill is so subtle and well placed. I'll always think of it as Bill's swan song, though it was never meant to be that. They were never as tender again. Everything that came afterward is an echo.

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crumbling_mice

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Quote
crumbling_mice
Quality song and one of Keith's best. Always liked to hear this live as he always seemed to nail it. Silver Dagger's comments above, pretty much says it all!

Except for in Abu Dhabi

Oh, go on, I'll give you that...but you get the gist.

Just joking, because after the restart he delivered a fantastic version. Very heartfelt

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24FPS
To me 'Slipping Away' is their coda. If they had broken up after the 89/90 tour and that song was their final statement, I could live with that. Keith is wonderful on it, and Bill is so subtle and well placed. I'll always think of it as Bill's swan song, though it was never meant to be that. They were never as tender again. Everything that came afterward is an echo.

How Can I Stop would have been just as good (and by the title just as funny)

it's just wonderful song,
both versions SW and Stripped.

...Every time I draw a breath it's dying away.....

When STEEL WHEELS was released the track didn't made a big impact on me. It sounded 'just another Keith ballad closing an album', a kind of formula thing, and still back then I thought that firm formulas is not a Stones thing. It's sonical resemblance (key phrase and melody) to "Sleep Tonight" probably most made this effect on me. So for years the song didn't mean much to me.

But when I first time I heard it live (Helsinki 1995) I was immediately hooked up, starting from the very moment Keith started doing the intro. Beautiful, catchy song, which somehow had escaped my mind by then.

I do like the original now, but still I think the song works best in live surroundings (even though the praised 'Mick part' do not come across so well).

- Doxa

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Quote
24FPS
To me 'Slipping Away' is their coda. If they had broken up after the 89/90 tour and that song was their final statement, I could live with that. Keith is wonderful on it, and Bill is so subtle and well placed. I'll always think of it as Bill's swan song, though it was never meant to be that. They were never as tender again. Everything that came afterward is an echo.

How Can I Stop would have been just as good (and by the title just as funny)

"Losing My Touch" continues the theme...

- Doxa