Inside the Rolling Stones’ 1981 Masterpiece, ‘Tattoo You’

Tattoo You isn’t just an album. It’s a swaggering time capsule of the Rolling Stones doing what they do best, pretending not to care while sounding absolutely electric. Released in 1981, it landed right when rock’s old guard was supposed to be fading out, but instead, the Stones strutted in wearing leather pants and sunglasses.

This record has that rare, lazy confidence that only a band with too many hits and too many stories can pull off. It’s stitched together from leftovers and sessions from the ‘70s dusted off and polished into something sharp and totally rocking. But instead of sounding like scraps, Tattoo You feels like a greatest hits album that hadn’t happened yet.

"There was no time to make a whole new album and make the start of the tour," Richards said in 1993, according to Esquire. The magazine adds that the album is "ultimately, one of the most curious entries in the Rolling Stones’ discography."

Tattoo You was also the final album by the Stones to reach No. 1 on the U.S. charts, although all of their subsequent albums have done very well. It was certified four times platinum.

“Start Me Up” kicks things off like an alarm clock made of guitar riffs and caffeine. Keith Richards’ opening chords practically invented the sound of stadium rock. Mick Jagger croons his way through every line, reminding everyone that cool is a state of being. Then there’s “Hang Fire,” all spit and sparkle, and “Little T&A,” which might be the most Keith Richards song ever written.

But the real charm of Tattoo You is how it splits itself in two. Side A is all strut and really the rock ‘n’ roll party that never ends. Flip it, though, and suddenly the lights dim and the Stones slide into slow-burn, beautiful soul. “Worried About You” and “Tops” shimmer with that bittersweet, late-night ache, like last call at a dive bar where the jukebox only plays breakup songs. Jagger’s falsetto floats somewhere between parody and perfection, but somehow, it lands beautifully.

At the time of its release and even years later, the critics loved Tattoo You. In their review of the set, Pitchfork states that "despite everything, on a good night, it’s still possible to catch the spark and recognize the Rolling Stones are still the" greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world. They add that "it's no wonder they once chose to rename themselves after a famously persistent prehistoric household pest for a few shows, intent on getting back to basics and recapturing the old glory," because "cockroaches can live through anything."

Rolling Stone magazine gave the set a glowing review, noting, "Like all of Tattoo You, it begs the listener’s trust. And, for the first time in years, the Rolling Stones deserve it. Deserve it in spades." They also call the set a "compact, unified statement."

Variety looked at the album's reissue following its 40th anniversary, noting, "How much longer the Stones will continue without Charlie Watts, one of the greatest drummers in rock history and the backbone of the band, remains to be seen. But this album, and this concert document, cap their second decade — the period that set the template for everything that followed over the next three."

In the All Music Guide's review, they note, "Like Emotional Rescue before it, Tattoo You was comprised primarily of leftovers, but unlike its predecessor, it never sounds that way. Instead, Tattoo You captures the Stones at their best as a professional stadium-rock band."

As for this girl's review, let's just say, in the best possible way, that there’s no grand concept here. Nothing concept-driven. Tattoo You is the sound of a band refusing to overthink, and that’s what makes it timeless. It’s messy, magnetic and impossible not to love, at least if you're a rock 'n' roll fan. Even after all these years, it still sounds like rock ‘n’ roll showing off in the mirror, winking at its own reflection.

One standout song on the set is "Waiting on a Friend," where this album finally exhales. It’s tender, but in that distinctly Stones way. It's cool without trying to be anything that it's not. The song drifts in on Richards’ gentle, reggae-tinged guitar and a rhythm that feels like the last golden hour of summer.

Jagger's voice is soft and beautiful. It's not the usually hard rock vocal that he presents in the band's more amped-up numbers. There’s no drama here, no chase. It's just a contented ease that feels earned. It’s the Stones standing on the street corner, no stage, no lights, just a couple of old friends waiting on something. Or, maybe they're waiting on nothing at all.

What makes “Waiting on a Friend” so timeless is how effortlessly it shrugs off the weight of age. It’s not a goodbye. It's a breather and a song that sounds like the band finally realizing they don’t have to be eternal flames to stay burning. Here, the Rolling Stone just rest in being who they are and what they love doing, which is making music. Perhaps “Waiting on a Friend” also brought the band some comfort during their difficult days, with band drama, too.

The Stones didn’t plan for Tattoo You to be iconic, but it totally is that way. And maybe that’s the secret to its staying power. It’s a reminder that rock doesn’t always need reinvention or reinforcements, just a beat, a riff, and a little bit of attitude. Tattoo You proved that the Rolling Stones didn’t have to chase the times.

Tattoo You isn’t just a record you listen to, and even though it's packed with deep rock cuts, it's more than that. It's an album you wear, like an old leather jacket that only looks better with age. It’s proof that the Stones didn’t just outlast their peers. They out-styled them, out-grooved them, and left a lipstick mark on the face of rock history that refuses to fade. What's your favorite song on the album? Contact the author and give your picks from this absolutely legendary release.