Start Me Up

Writing and recording

"Start Me Up" was originally a reggae song recorded in March 1975 during sessions for the Rolling Stones' album Black and Blue before it was re-worked during the January and March 1978 sessions for the Some Girls album. The song began as a reggae rock track named "Never Stop", but after dozens of takes it was abandoned. "Start Me Up" was not chosen for the album and was saved for later use. Richards commented:

In 1981, with the band looking to tour, engineer [Chris Kimsey proposed to lead singer Mick Jagger that archived songs could comprise the set. While searching through the vaults, Kimsey found the two takes of the song with a more rock vibe among some fifty reggae versions. Overdubs were completed on the track in early 1981 in New York City at the recording studios Electric Lady Studios and The Hit Factory. On the band's recording style for this track in particular, Kimsey commented in 2004:

The "thump" to the song was achieved using mixer Bob Clearmountain's "bathroom reverb", a process involving the recording of some of the song's vocal and drum tracks with a miked speaker in the bathroom of the Power Station recording studio in New York City. It was there where final touches were added to the song, including Jagger's switch of the main lyrics from "start it up" to "start me up".

The song opens with what has since become a trademark riff for Richards. It is this, coupled with Charlie Watts' steady backbeat and Bill Wyman's echoing bass, that comprises most of the song. Lead guitarist Ronnie Wood can clearly be heard playing a layered variation of Richards' main riff (often live versions of the song are lengthened by giving Wood a solo near the middle of the song, pieces of which can be heard throughout the original recording). Throughout the song Jagger breaks in with a repeated bridge of "You make a grown man cry", followed by various pronouncements of sexual innuendo with automobile terminology. Percussion (cowbell and guiro) by Mike Carabello and handclaps by Jagger, Chris Kimsey and Barry Sage were added during overdub sessions in April and June 1981.

Billboard said that "its catchy refrain easily worms its way into the memory." Record World said that the song is highlighted by "biting, raunchy guitars and a rhythm kick that spanks hard".

A music video was produced for the single, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg. According to Lindsay-Hogg's recollection, Jagger and Watts proposed the collaboration to him over lunch with Jagger particularly keen to emulate the style of video shown on MTV, which he regarded as "the future". The subsequent production became one of the most programmed videos of MTV's early years.

Release

"Start Me Up" peaked at number 7 on the UK Singles Charts in September 1981 and remains the last Rolling Stones song to appear in the UK Top 10. In Australia and Spain, the song reached number 1 in November 1981. In the US, "Start Me Up" spent three weeks at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in October and November 1981, behind Christopher Cross' "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)", becoming the Stones' biggest hit of the 1980s in the United States.

The single spent thirteen weeks atop the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart. This set a record that was not broken until 1994 when Stone Temple Pilots' "Interstate Love Song" spent fifteen weeks at number 1.

"Start Me Up" is often used to open the Rolling Stones' live shows and has been featured on the live albums Still Life (recorded 1981, released 1982), Flashpoint (recorded 1989, released 1991), Live Licks (recorded 2003, released 2004), Shine a Light (recorded 2006, released 2008), and Hyde Park Live (2013). It also features on several Stones live concert films and DVD/Blu-ray sets: Let's Spend the Night Together (filmed 1981, released 1983), Stones at the Max (filmed 1990, released 1991), The Rolling Stones: Voodoo Lounge Live (filmed 1994, released 1995), Bridges to Babylon Tour '97–98 (filmed 1997, released 1998), Four Flicks (2003), The Biggest Bang (filmed 2006, released 2007), Shine a Light (filmed 2006, released 2008), Sweet Summer Sun: Hyde Park Live (2013), and Havana Moon (2016, bonus track). The song was the first of three songs played by the Stones at halftime during Super Bowl XL in 2006.

The song has been included on every major Stones compilation album since its release, including Rewind (1971–1984), Jump Back, Forty Licks and GRRR!. Writing for AllMusic, Stewart Mason called it "the last great Rolling Stones song." Rolling Stone magazine ranked it the 8th Best Sports Anthem.

Personnel

Credits sourced from Sound On Sound.

The Rolling Stones

• Mick Jaggerlead and backing vocals
• Keith Richardselectric rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Ronnie Woodelectric lead guitar, backing vocals
• Bill Wymanbass guitar
• Charlie Wattsdrums

Additional personnel

• Michael Carabellocowbell
• Barry Sagehandclaps

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Commercial usage

Microsoft paid about US$3 million to use this song in their Windows 95 marketing campaign. This was the first time that the Rolling Stones allowed a company to use their songs in an advertising campaign. In 2012, a remixed version of the song was used as the soundtrack to an Omega advertising campaign for their role as official timekeepers of the 2012 Summer Olympics.

CBS Sports played the song began the 2025 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament Selection Show as a tribute to Greg Gumbel, the longtime host of "March Madness" who died towards the end of 2024.

References

References

1. Buskin, Richard. "Classic Tracks: Start Me Up". Sound on Sound.
2. "Start Me Up". Time Is on Our Side.
3. (August 15, 1981). "Top Single Picks".
4. (August 15, 1981). "Hits of the Week".
5. (2013). "50 Licks: Myths and Stories from Half a Century of the Rolling Stones". [[Bloomsbury Publishing]].
6. tolsen. (2013-01-02). "Billboard Hot 100™".
7. [[Fred Bronson. Bronson, Fred]] (2003). ''The Billboard Book of #1 Hits'', 5th Edition (Billboard Publications), pages 548–549.
8. [[Joel Whitburn. Whitburn, Joel]] (2004). ''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits'', 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 539.
9. Mason, Stewart. "Song Review: Start Me Up". AllMusic.
10. "Music | New Music News, Reviews, Pictures, and Videos".
11. Buskin, Richard. (April 2004). "Classic Tracks: The Rolling Stones 'Start Me Up'".
12. Kent, David. (1993). "[[Kent Music Report". Australian Chart Book.
13. https://hitsofalldecades.com/chart_hits/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=41
14. "Los 40 Principales".
15. "All #1 Hits on the US Mainstream Rock Charts 1981-2023 - RYM/Sonemic".
16. https://www.oldiesloon.com/il/wls100381.htm
17. Kimberley, Chris. (2000). "Zimbabwe : Zimbabwe Singles Chart Book".
18. (4 January 1982). "National Top 100 Singles for 1981". [[Kent Music Report]].
19. "Jaaroverzichten 1981". Ultratop.
20. "Top 100 Singles of 1981".
21. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1981".
22. https://www.oldiesloon.com/il/wls89of81.htm
23. McNamara, Paul. (2011-06-29). "What Microsoft paid The Stones to help launch Windows 95". [[Network World]].
24. [https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/06/05/torontos-jingle-king-still-crooning.html "Toronto’s Jingle King still crooning"] {{webarchive. link. (5 June 2016 ''Toronto Star'', Christopher Reynolds 5 June 2016)
25. "Rolling Stones Sell Microsoft Right To Use Song In Ads". The Seattle Times.
26. (2012-05-31). "Rolling Stones Help Launch Omega Olympic Campaign with 'Start Me Up'".
27. Silverman, Blake. (March 16, 2025). "CBS Had Heartwarming Greg Gumbel Tribute to Begin NCAA Tournament Selection Show". SI.com.