"Sway" is a song 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 ...

from their 1971 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 also released as the b-side of the " Wild Horses" single in June 1971. This single was released in the US only. Initial pressings of the single contain an alternate take; later pressings include the album version instead.

Background

Credited to

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 ...

, "Sway" is a slower blues song and was the first song recorded by the band 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 ...

. The song features a bottleneck slide guitar solo during the bridge and a dramatic, virtuoso outro solo (both performed by

Mick Taylor Michael Kevin Taylor (born 17 January 1949) is an English guitarist, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1967–1969) and the Rolling Stones (1969–1974). As a member of the Stones, he appeared on: ''Let It Bleed'' ...

). Rhythm guitar performed by Jagger was his first electric guitar performance on an album. The strings on the piece were arranged by Paul Buckmaster, who also worked on " Moonlight Mile", another song from ''Sticky Fingers''. Richards added his backing vocals but provided no guitar to the track.

Pete Townshend Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. He is co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Townsh ...

Billy Nichols William Lee Nichols (born 1940) is an American guitarist and soul songwriter from Carrollton, Mississippi. Early years Nichols was one of nine children born to Laura Bell and Tom Sanders. Sanders was a farmer who played blues guitar in his spa ...

and

Ronnie Lane Ronald Frederick Lane (1 April 1946 – 4 June 1997) was an English musician and songwriter who is best known as the bass guitarist and founding member of Small Faces (1965–69) and subsequently Faces (1969–73). Lane formed Small Faces ...

are believed to contribute backing vocals as well. Taylor would later claim that he felt he deserved writing credits on "Sway" and a few other songs, and the fact that he did not receive them was one of the causes of his departure from the band.

Live

It was performed live for the first time in Columbus, Ohio, and then at many of the shows on the band's

A Bigger Bang Tour A Bigger Bang was a worldwide concert tour by the Rolling Stones which took place between August 2005 and August 2007, in support of their album '' A Bigger Bang''. At the time, it was the highest grossing tour of all time, earning $558,255,52 ...

in 2006. A seven-minute version of "Sway" appears on the Carla Olson/Mick Taylor ''Live at the Roxy'' album (also known as ''Too Hot for Snakes''). Taylor gets to stretch out and solo whereas the Stones version faded at just under four minutes.

Ian McLagan Ian Patrick McLagan (; 12 May 1945 – 3 December 2014) was an English keyboardist, best known as a member of the rock bands Small Faces and Faces. He also collaborated with the Rolling Stones and led his own band from the late 1970s. He was i ...

plays piano on this version. During the Stones' "

50 & Counting 50 & Counting was a concert tour by The Rolling Stones to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the band, which started in October 2012 (with two secret club gigs in Paris) and ended in July 2013 (with two major shows at Hyde Park). History 201 ...

" concert tour in 2013, the band, accompanied by their guest Mick Taylor, played "Sway" during concerts at Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston. These concerts marked the first time that Taylor played on "Sway" at a Stones concert.

Personnel

lead vocals, rhythm guitar *

backing vocals *

lead guitar, slide guitar, guitar solo * Bill Wymanbass guitar * Charlie Wattsdrums *

Nicky Hopkins Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins (24 February 1944 – 6 September 1994) was an English pianist and organist. Hopkins performed on many popular and enduring British and American rock music recordings from the 1960s to the 1990s, most notably ...

piano * Paul Buckmaster string arrangement

Pop culture

The song was featured in ''

The Sopranos ''The Sopranos'' is an American crime drama television series created by David Chase. The story revolves around Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster, portraying his difficulties as he tries to balance ...

'' prequel, ''

The Many Saints of Newark ''The Many Saints of Newark'' (marketed with the subtitle ''A Sopranos Story'') is a 2021 American crime drama film directed by Alan Taylor and written by David Chase and Lawrence Konner. A prequel to Chase's HBO crime drama series ''The So ...

'', released in 2021. A young Tony and Artie get off the bus and enter Holsten's Diner while the song plays in the background.

Cover versions

The song was covered by the band Overwhelming Colorfast on their 1995 ''Bender'' EP, then later appeared on the 1996 label comp, '' Super Mixer: A Goldenrod Compilation''. It was also covered by

Alvin Youngblood Hart Alvin Youngblood Hart (born Gregory Edward Hart; March 2, 1963) is an American musician. Career Hart was born in Oakland, California, and spent some time in Carroll County, Mississippi, in his youth, where he was influenced by the Mississippi ...

on the October 1997 River North Records release, ''Paint It Blue: Songs Of The Rolling Stones''.

Albert Castiglia Albert Castiglia (born August 12, 1969) is an American blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. Castiglia has variously worked alongside Junior Wells, Sandra Hall, Aron Burton, Pinetop Perkins, Melvin Taylor, Sugar Blue, Phil Guy, Ronnie Earl ...

covered the track on his 2014 album, ''Solid Ground''. Carla Olson and Mick Taylor recorded a live version for their album ''Live: Too Hot for Snakes''.

Jason Isbell Michael Jason Isbell (; born February 1, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is known for his solo career, his work with the band The 400 Unit, and as a member of Drive-By Truckers for six years, from 2001 to 2007. Isbell h ...

& the 400 Unit covered the song for their EP ''Live From Welcome To 1979''. Melvins covered the song for their EP ''Five Legged Dog''.

References

{{Authority control The Rolling Stones songs 1971 songs Songs written by Jagger–Richards Song recordings produced by Jimmy Miller Blues rock songs