"Bitch" is a song recorded by the English
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band
the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...
. Written by
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
and
Keith Richards
Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...
, "Bitch" is a "hard-bitten rocker" featuring Jagger on vocals and a powerful horn line. It was released as the
B-side to the advance
single, "
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar.
Brown Sugar may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul
* ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...
", from their ninth British and eleventh American studio album, ''
Sticky Fingers
''Sticky Fingers'' is the 9th British and 11th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. The Stones released it on 23 April 1971 on their new, and own label Rolling Stones Records. They had been contracted by Decc ...
''.
It was originally released one week before the album. Despite not being used as an official single by itself, the tune has garnered major airplay from
AOR radio stations. The song was recorded in October 1970 at London's
Olympic Studios, and at
Stargroves
Stargroves (also known as Stargrove House) is a manor house and associated estate at East Woodhay in the English county of Hampshire. The house belonged to Mick Jagger during the 1970s and was a recording venue for the Rolling Stones and variou ...
using the
Rolling Stones Mobile studio.
Music and lyrics
"Bitch" was written by
Jagger–Richards
Jagger–Richards (spelled Jagger–Richard from 1963 to 1978) is the songwriting partnership between English musicians Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, of the Rolling Stones. They are one of the most successful songwriting partnerships in history ...
and recorded over many takes
at London's
Olympic Studios and at
Stargroves
Stargroves (also known as Stargrove House) is a manor house and associated estate at East Woodhay in the English county of Hampshire. The house belonged to Mick Jagger during the 1970s and was a recording venue for the Rolling Stones and variou ...
using the
Rolling Stones Mobile studio.
Musically, "Bitch" is a
hard rock song that incorporates a "pulse quickening" horn arrangement.
Composition
"Bitch" was conceived during the ''Sticky Fingers'' sessions in October 1970. Richards was late that day, but when he arrived he transformed a loose jam into the trademark riff found on the released take.
Andy Johns
Jeremy Andrew "Andy" Johns (20 May 1950 – 7 April 2013) was a British sound engineer and record producer who worked on several well-known rock albums, including the Rolling Stones' '' Exile on Main St.'' (1972), Television's '' Marquee Moon'' ...
claimed:
The song is also notable for its heavy brass section that punctuates the guitar riff after the choruses. Jagger said:
Critical reception
"Bitch" was referred to as a "hard-bitten rocker" by the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
in its 2007 retrospective review.
'' ranked the song as the seventy-sixth best song for the band. Comparing it to other seventies songs with similar titles, ''Rolling Stone'' stated that "none bitched harder or louder than this one".