Did You Know?
The song’s theme delves into the harrowing history of African slaves who were forcibly brought to New Orleans and subjected to sexual exploitation by their white masters. Although the subject matter is profoundly serious, the song’s structure presents it as an upbeat rock track, seemingly portraying a white man engaging in a relationship with a black woman.
Mick Jagger penned the lyrics, and according to Bill Wyman, his inspiration partially stemmed from a black backup singer named Claudia Lennear, who was one of Ike Turner’s Ikettes. Jagger and Lennear crossed paths during The Stones’ tour with Turner in 1969. David Bowie also drew inspiration from Lennear for his track “Lady Grinning Soul” on the “Aladdin Sane” album.
Another potential muse for the song is Marsha Hunt, an American-born singer. Jagger and Hunt met during her participation in the London production of the musical “Hair.” Their closely guarded relationship eventually led to the birth of their daughter, Karis, in 1972.
According to Tony Sanchez’s book “Up And Down With The Rolling Stones,” the references to slavery and whipping in the song hold a double meaning, symbolizing the dangers of being ensnared by “Brown Heroin” or “Brown Sugar.” The term “Brown Sugar” alludes to the drug’s transformation when it is cooked in a spoon.
The Rolling Stones recorded this track in Sheffield, Alabama, a musically vibrant but economically deprived city. The studio choice was influenced by Jerry Wexler, a member of Atlantic Records, the group’s label. The Stones’ stay in Sheffield in December 1969 coincided with their infamous Altamont Speedway concert on December 6, where they performed “Brown Sugar” live for the first time. Tragically, a fan was fatally stabbed by a Hells Angels security guard during the event.
Their three-day stay in Alabama led to productive recording sessions at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, established in May 1969 by four musicians who departed from FAME Studios. Other notable tracks like “Wild Horses” and “You Gotta Move” also originated from these sessions. The engineering was handled by Jimmy Johnson, a producer and guitarist who co-founded the studio. While Glyn Johns, The Rolling Stones’ engineer, added overdubs in England, including horn sections, he retained Johnson’s original mix. Johns reportedly praised Johnson’s work during a phone call from England.
Despite being recorded in December 1969, The Stones delayed the release of “Brown Sugar” until April 1971 due to a legal dispute with their former manager, Allen Klein, regarding royalties. Despite advancements in recording technology, the band opted to keep the original version intact due to its powerful rendition.
Mick Jagger began writing the song while filming the movie “Ned Kelly” in the Australian outback. Notably, Jagger had made appearances in several films, including “Performance,” “Freejack,” and “The Man From Elysian Fields.” He recalled the songwriting process, mentioning that he composed it outdoors in a field while playing an electric guitar through headphones, a novel experience at the time.
In Keith Richards’ 2010 autobiography “Life,” he offers an interpretation of the lyrics, suggesting that the line “Scarred old slaver know he doin’ alright” may actually be “Skydog Slaver.” This interpretation stems from the nickname “Skydog” associated with Duane Allman, a regular at Muscle Shoals known for his continuous drug use.
A year after the initial recording, The Rolling Stones created another version at Olympic Studios in London, featuring Eric Clapton on guitar and Al Kooper on keyboards. While considered for release as a single, it remained shelved until 2015 when it appeared on a “Sticky Fingers” reissue.
Originally, Mick Jagger had titled the song “Black Pussy” but later decided to change it to “Brown Sugar.”
“Notably, this track served as the inaugural release on Rolling Stones Records, the band’s subsidiary label under Atlantic Records, featuring their iconic tongue logo.
The album’s cover art was designed by Andy Warhol, featuring a close-up image of a man wearing tight jeans with a functional zipper. Although the zipper caused shipping difficulties, it added unique value to the album.
Additionally, “Sticky Fingers” marked the debut of the renowned tongue and lips logo, designed by John Pasche, a recent graduate of the Royal College of Art in London.
“Brown Sugar” found its way into commercials for Kahlua and Pepsi, contributing to The Stones’ lucrative licensing of their songs for advertisements.
Audiences who attended The Rolling Stones’ nine-date UK tour in 1971 had the privilege of hearing this song live, as it was included in the setlist, despite the “Sticky Fingers” album not being released until a month later.
Interestingly, The Stones had to agree not to perform this song when they were granted permission to play in China. In 2003, they obtained approval for a performance in China but ultimately canceled due to the outbreak of SARS, a respiratory illness.
Jimmy Johnson, a guitarist for the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, engineered the sessions for this song, as well as “Wild Horses” and “You Gotta Move.” Johnson collaborated with numerous artists, including Aretha Franklin, Bobby Womack, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Johnnie Taylor.
Several artists have covered “Brown Sugar,” including Little Richard, Collin Raye, and Alice Russell. Bob Dylan also featured the song on his 2002 US tour.
In 327 BC, Alexander the Great encountered the cultivation of sugar cane in India. This encounter marked the first time a European came into contact with sugar, extracted from the cane as dark brown sugar by chewing and sucking it. Some of this “sweet reed” was sent back to Athens.
A bootleg version of the song, with Eric Clapton playing lead slide guitar, was recorded at a birthday party for Keith Richards. It is widely regarded as part of an informal audition by Clapton to become The Stones’ second guitarist. However, the bootleg version reveals why Clapton may not have been offered the position or withdrew himself from consideration. Clapton’s lead guitar work, characterized by an abundance of notes per minute, lacks interaction with the rest of the band, giving the impression of a studio musician playing along with a pre-recorded CD.
In numerous interviews, Keith Richards has expressed admiration for Clapton’s musicianship but has also acknowledged that the two-guitar sound he and Ron Wood developed may not align with Clapton’s preferences.
The song features Bobby Keys on saxophone, a favorite collaborator of The Rolling Stones, known for his contributions to albums like “Sticky Fingers” and “Exile on Main Street.” He can also be heard on John Lennon and Elton John’s hit “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” and on classic records such as George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” and Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.”
The year following the release of “Brown Sugar,” Randy Newman released a song dealing with slavery in a more earnest manner, titled “Sail Away.”
The song receives a mention in the 2002 episode of “The Wire,” titled “A Man Must Have A Code.
Video ” Brown Sugar “.
Lyrics
Gold coast slave ship bound for cotton fields
Sold in a market down in New Orleans
Skydog slaver knows he’s doing alright
Hear him whip the women just around midnightBrown sugar how come you taste so good?
Brown sugar just like a young girl shouldDrums beating, cold English blood runs hot
Lady of the house wonderin’ where it’s gonna stop
House boy knows that he’s doing alright
You shoulda heard him just around midnightBrown sugar how come you taste so good, now?
Brown sugar just like a young girl should, nowAh, get along, brown sugar how come you taste so good, baby?
Ah, got me feelin’ now, brown sugar just like a black girl shouldI bet your mama was a tent show queen
And all her boyfriends were sweet sixteen
I’m no schoolboy but I know what I like
You shoulda heard me just around midnightBrown sugar how come you taste so good, baby?
Ah, brown sugar just like a young girl should, yeahI said yeah, yeah, yeah, woo
How come you… how come you taste so good?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, woo
Just like a… just like a black girl should
Yeah, yeah, yeah, woo