Mixed Emotions (The Rolling Stones song)



"Mixed Emotions" is a song by The Rolling Stones from their 1989 album Steel Wheels.

Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards while on vacation in Barbados, "Mixed Emotions" was recorded in Montserrat from March through June 1989. The song was a heavy collaborative effort between Jagger and Richards. Richards brought his own music to the sessions along with most of the song's lyrics, the rest being filled in by Jagger in the studio.

Recording
The song is an upfront rocker, with Richards, Jagger and Ronnie Wood sharing guitar duties. Piano and organ were provided by Chuck Leavell, the Stones' touring keyboardist since the 1980s. Backing vocals are provided by Jagger, Richards, Sarah Dash, Lisa Fischer, and Bernard Fowler, the latter two longtime touring vocalists for the Stones. Brass was provided by the Kick Horns while Luis Jardim provided percussion. Charlie Watts handled drums while Bill Wyman played bass.

Music video
To match the upbeat nature of the song, the music video featured the Stones, playful and smiling, performing the song as well as recording it. This stands in stark contrast to the band's previous video, 1986's "One Hit (to the Body)," filmed during a time when relations between Jagger and Richards were at an all-time low, and which featured uncomfortable physical sparring between the two.

Release
Released as the album's first single in August 1989, "Mixed Emotions" made into the top 10 in the US, going to #5, and was also a #1 hit on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for five weeks. This is significant as it would be the Stones' last US top 10 single thus far, but they would go on to have more chart hits on the Mainstream Rock chart.

There was some controversy that the song was called "Mixed Emotions" to sound very similar to "Mick's Demotion" since Richards and Jagger had a feud a few years earlier, but Richards has denied this.

The song was heavily performed during the 1989-1990 Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour. It appears on all of the Stones' latter day compilations, Jump Back, Forty Licks and GRRR!.

The song's b-side was "Fancyman Blues", a blues number originally written during sessions for Steel Wheels.

"Mixed Emotions" (Chris Kimsey's 12") and "Fancy Man Blues" appear on the Rarities 1971–2003 compilation, released in 2005.

Track listing

 * 1) "Mixed Emotions" (7" version) – 4:00
 * 2) "Mixed Emotions" (Chris Kimsey's 12") – 6:10
 * 3) "Fancyman Blues" – 4:54