Wild Horses

The Zoo Crew is spinning the hauntingly beautiful Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones, a track that resonates deeply with Zoo Freaks everywhere. This poignant ballad, recorded in December 1969 at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Alabama, was penned by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards during a tumultuous period for the band. Keith Richards originally wrote the song as a lullaby for his newborn son, Marlon, capturing the heartache of leaving him behind for tours. In his 2010 autobiography Life, Richards described the song’s creation as a magical moment, saying, “It’s like ‘Satisfaction.’ You just dream it, and suddenly it’s all in your hands.” The iconic line “wild horses couldn’t drag me away” was reportedly inspired by Marianne Faithfull, who spoke those words to Jagger after waking from a six-day coma in 1969, though Jagger later denied the song was specifically about her, calling it a universal expression of heartache in the 1993 Jump Back liner notes.

Interestingly, Wild Horses was first released by The Flying Burrito Brothers in 1970 on their album Burrito Deluxe, a year before The Rolling Stones’ version appeared on Sticky Fingers in 1971. Keith Richards, a close friend of the Burritos’ Gram Parsons, gave them permission to record it, and their country-inflected take, complete with Sneaky Pete Kleinow’s pedal steel guitar, hit shelves first, sparking debates about whether it counts as a cover. In a 1973 interview, Parsons recounted how Jagger played him the song the night of the chaotic Altamont concert in 1969, and later sent a master tape for the Burritos to add steel guitar, though the Stones ultimately used their own version without it. Mick Jagger himself praised a cover of the song in 2009, when Susan Boyle’s “ghostly” rendition for her album I Dreamed a Dream left him in awe, claiming it surpassed his own performance, as noted in an NBC interview following her America’s Got Talent appearance.

The song’s emotional weight is amplified by its recording context. The Stones laid down Wild Horses, along with Brown Sugar and You Gotta Move, over three days in a gritty Alabama studio, sneaking in and out due to visa issues, as documented on Rolling Stones Data. Their regular pianist, Ian Stewart, refused to play the minor chords, so session musician Jim Dickinson stepped in on tack piano, adding to the song’s raw, melancholic vibe. A post from the @StonesData account on X in 2023 celebrated the song’s 52nd anniversary, highlighting its enduring legacy. Jerry Hall, Jagger’s ex-wife, named it her favorite Stones song in a 2007 Observer Magazine interview, calling it “so beautiful,” despite mistakenly linking it to Bianca Jagger, whom Mick met after the song was recorded.

The Rolling Stones began their journey in London in 1962, rooted in a shared passion for blues and early rock and roll. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, childhood friends who reconnected at a train station, joined forces with Brian Jones, a multi-instrumentalist who initially led the band. Drummer Charlie Watts and bassist Bill Wyman rounded out the early lineup, with Jones’ vision shaping their gritty, rhythm-driven sound. They started as a cover band, playing Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters tunes in small clubs, but their manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, pushed them to write original songs, sparking the Jagger-Richards songwriting partnership that became the band’s creative engine. Their provocative image—cultivated by Oldham as the “anti-Beatles” with unkempt hair and rebellious attitude—catapulted them to fame, with their first single, a cover of Berry’s Come On, hitting the UK charts in 1963.

Over six decades, The Rolling Stones have evolved into one of rock’s most enduring acts, with eight consecutive number-one US studio albums from Sticky Fingers to Tattoo You. Despite lineup changes—Jones’ departure and death in 1969, Mick Taylor’s exit in 1974, and Ronnie Wood joining in 1975—they’ve remained a cultural force, breaking concert tour revenue records three times by 2007. Their iconic tongue-and-lips logo, debuted on Sticky Fingers, is a global symbol of rock rebellion. Fans can connect with the band on their official Facebook, Instagram, and @RollingStones X accounts, where they share tour updates and archival gems. Zoo Freaks can also dive into fan communities like the It’s Only Rock’n’Roll fan site or join discussions on the Rolling Stones Fan Group on Facebook, where devotees swap stories and memorabilia.