Waiting on a Friend

Zoo Freaks, get ready for some sweet vibes as The Zoo Crew spins "Waiting on a Friend" by The Rolling Stones from their 1981 album Tattoo You. This track, a mellow gem, started life way back in late 1972 during the Goats Head Soup sessions in Kingston, Jamaica. Originally titled "Waiting for a Friend," it was just an instrumental backing track with no lyrics. Mick Jagger later shared in the liner notes for the 1993 compilation Jump Back that the band loved the vibe but shelved it because it wasn’t complete. Fast forward to 1981, when Jagger dusted it off, adding gentle, heartfelt lyrics about band friendships, transforming it into a dreamy ballad with soft guitars and a lilting "doo-doo-doo" refrain. @RollingStones posted on X in March 2025, noting how those final lyrics gave the song its soul, making it a standout on Tattoo You.

Another cool tidbit comes from Jagger’s 1985 comments about working with jazz legend Sonny Rollins, who laid down the iconic sax solo. Jagger admitted he was nervous, saying, "This guy's a giant of the saxophone. Charlie said, 'He's never going to want to play on a Rolling Stones record!'" But Rollins was game, and Jagger danced out the solo’s vibe in the studio to guide him, creating a magical moment. The song’s video, shot in New York’s East Village on July 2, 1981, is just as iconic, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg. It features Jagger chilling on the steps of 96-98 St. Mark’s Place—yep, the same building from Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti cover. Keith Richards joins him, and they stroll to St. Mark’s Bar & Grill, where the band sets up for a gig, mostly ignored by the bar’s patrons. The video became a staple on MTV, cementing the song’s place in Stones lore.

The Rolling Stones, born in London in 1962, are the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll survivors, still rocking over six decades later. It all kicked off when childhood pals Mick Jagger and Keith Richards reconnected in 1961 at Dartford railway station, bonding over shared loves of Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records. Jagger was already messing around in a garage band with Dick Taylor, covering blues and rock ‘n’ roll classics. That chance meeting sparked something big. By 1962, they’d teamed up with Brian Jones, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts, with Jones initially leading the charge. Their early days were all about gritty blues covers, playing dives and building a rep as the bad boys of the British Invasion. Manager Andrew Loog Oldham pushed Jagger and Richards to write originals, and the Jagger-Richards songwriting duo became the band’s heart, churning out hits that defined hard rock’s raw edge.

The Stones’ official website, rollingstones.com, is your go-to for tour dates, merch, and exclusive stories from their massive archive. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and X for the latest news and throwback posts that keep the Zoo Freaks hyped. Fans can dive deeper at IORR.org, a legendary fan site packed with tour info, setlists, and forums where Stones diehards swap stories. On Reddit, the r/rollingstones community is buzzing, with posts like one from January 2025 where a fan shared how "Waiting on a Friend" was sung at their 1982 wedding during Mass at Saint Ignatius Church—and they’re still married! Join the Rolling Stones Fans Facebook group to connect with fellow freaks who live for the band’s timeless riffs and swagger.