Start Me Up

The Zoo Crew is spinning the iconic Start Me Up by The Rolling Stones from their 1981 album Tattoo You, and Zoo Freaks, this track has some wild stories behind it! Did you know it took 70 takes across multiple studios to nail this song? Keith Richards was so frustrated he nearly erased the tapes, but thank goodness he didn’t—this rocker hit number 2 on the Billboard charts and became a Top 10 hit in the UK. Originally, the band toyed with it as a reggae track, cutting 44 reggae versions before landing on the raw rock energy we know today. Mick Jagger later shared in a 1995 Rolling Stone interview that the song was pieced together from old vault tracks, with him adding vocals to incomplete takes, which explains its loose, infectious vibe. The band even recorded it in just six hours, a testament to their studio magic.

Another cool tidbit? The song’s gritty edge was shaped by jazz legend Sonny Rollins, who added saxophone to three tracks on Tattoo You, including Start Me Up’s album-mates Slave and Waiting on a Friend. Rollins was spotted by Jagger at a Parisian nightclub and invited to the sessions, giving the album a soulful depth. The track’s iconic riff, played in Keith Richards’ signature 5-string open-G tuning, was a nod to his love for bluesy, stripped-down sounds, as heard in earlier hits like Honky Tonk Women. Fun fact: Tattoo You itself was a patchwork of outtakes from the 1970s, cobbled together when Jagger and Richards were at odds, yet it became a number 1 album in the US for nine weeks!

Now, let’s rewind to how The Rolling Stones kicked off their legendary journey. Formed in London in 1962, the band—Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts—started as blues fanatics, covering songs by Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry. Their name came from a spontaneous moment when Brian Jones, calling to book a gig, glanced at a Muddy Waters album with the track Rollin’ Stone. Early on, they were part of the British Invasion, rivaling The Beatles with a grittier, rebellious edge, thanks to manager Andrew Loog Oldham pushing their “bad boy” image. Their first single, a cover of Chuck Berry’s Come On, hit the UK charts in 1963, and by 1965, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction made them global stars. Jagger and Richards soon took over songwriting, cementing their creative control and paving the way for classics like Start Me Up.

Zoo Freaks, you can keep up with The Rolling Stones on their Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts, where they share tour updates, throwback pics, and exclusive merch drops. For fan communities, check out the It’s Only Rock’n Roll fan site, packed with tour news and forums, or join the r/rollingstones subreddit for lively discussions. On Facebook, groups like Rolling Stones Fans bring together diehards sharing vinyl finds and concert memories. So, crank up Start Me Up, vibe with the Zoo Crew, and keep rockin’ with the Stones!