Notes and Quotes: "Jumpin' Jack Flash"

This is Jimmy Miller's (c.f. Traffic) first Stones record and the Stones first UK #1 since "Paint It, Black" [May 66]. Jagger and Richards gave him specific instructions to get away from the clean production sounds they had began obtaining towards the end of their relationship with Andrew Loog Oldham. Notably, Oldham is not the only person they excluded from the process. Brian Jones from 1968 on will play an increasingly nominal role.

Elliott. The Jumpin' Jack Flash foundations were laid by Bill Wyman during the Surrey sessions as he "mucked around" with a chord sequence on the piano. Brian Jones and Charlie Watts improvised on it until Keith Richards and Mick Jagger entered the studio. The duo knew instantaneously that the sound had great possibilities. Mick had some nearly completed lyrics and Keith had some guitar riffs—they were both inspired by his gardener at Redlands, Jack Dyer and so they set about recording and bringing all these ideas together. [Martin Elliott. The Compete Rolling Stones Recording Sessions, 1962-2002. London: Cherry Red Books, 2002.]

Jagger. The words come "out of all the acid of Satanic Majesties. It's about having a hard time and getting out. Just a metaphor for getting out of all the acid things." [Jann Wenner. "Jagger Remembers." In Rolling Stone (14 December 1995).]

Schedule

22 April, 2013