Neighbours (song)
Encyclopedia
For the The Academy Is... song, see Neighbors (song).
"Neighbours" is a song by The Rolling Stones
featured on their 1981 album Tattoo You
.
Written by Mick Jagger
and Keith Richards
, "Neighbours" is notable as being one of two songs from Tattoo You which isn't an outtake from earlier recording sessions. Jagger was inspired by Richards' own run-ins with his neighbors after the guitarist was evicted from his New York City
apartment after complaints that he was playing music too loudly. On the story, Richards said at the time of release, "...Patti [Hansen
] (Richards' wife) and I (have been evicted from apartments in New York). Mick wrote the lyrics to that - and he never has trouble with neighbors... I have a knack of finding a whole building of very cool people, you know, but there'll be one uncool couple... 'Neighbors' is the first song I think Mick's ever really written for me. It's one I wish I'd written, that."
Recording took place between the months of October and November 1980, and April through June 1981, at Paris
' Pathé Marconi Studios and Atlantic Studios
in New York City. With Jagger on lead vocals, electric guitars are performed by Richards and Ronnie Wood, with Wood taking the solo. Charlie Watts
and Bill Wyman
perform drums and bass, respectively. Sonny Rollins
also contributes saxophone
, one of his three credits for the album. Ian Stewart
performs the song's piano.
An elaborate music video
was produced in support of the song, which featured the Stones in an apartment building setting and was a take-off on the Alfred Hitchcock
film Rear Window
.
"Neighbours" was performed by the Stones throughout their tours in support of Tattoo You. It re-emerged for performances on their 2002-2003 Licks Tour
, with one performance being captured and released on the 2004 album Live Licks
.
"Neighbours" is a song by The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
featured on their 1981 album Tattoo You
Tattoo You
Tattoo You is the 16th British and 18th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1981. The follow-up to Emotional Rescue, it proved to be a big critical and commercial success...
.
Written by Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
and Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
, "Neighbours" is notable as being one of two songs from Tattoo You which isn't an outtake from earlier recording sessions. Jagger was inspired by Richards' own run-ins with his neighbors after the guitarist was evicted from his New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
apartment after complaints that he was playing music too loudly. On the story, Richards said at the time of release, "...Patti [Hansen
Patti Hansen
Patricia "Patti" Elvina Hansen is an American model and actress.-Early life and career:Hansen, who is of Norwegian ancestry, was born and raised in the Tottenville section of Staten Island, New York. The youngest of six children, Hansen was discovered by photographer Peter Gert at age 14...
] (Richards' wife) and I (have been evicted from apartments in New York). Mick wrote the lyrics to that - and he never has trouble with neighbors... I have a knack of finding a whole building of very cool people, you know, but there'll be one uncool couple... 'Neighbors' is the first song I think Mick's ever really written for me. It's one I wish I'd written, that."
Recording took place between the months of October and November 1980, and April through June 1981, at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
' Pathé Marconi Studios and Atlantic Studios
Atlantic Studios
Atlantic Studios was the recording studio of Atlantic Records. It was located at 1841 Broadway , in New York City. According to the address written in the original liner notes of Charles Mingus' The Clown, it was initially located at 157 W 57th Street. The American record label first recorded in...
in New York City. With Jagger on lead vocals, electric guitars are performed by Richards and Ronnie Wood, with Wood taking the solo. Charlie Watts
Charlie Watts
Charles Robert "Charlie" Watts is an English drummer, best known as a member of The Rolling Stones. He is also the leader of a jazz band, a record producer, commercial artist, and horse breeder.-Early life:...
and Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1992. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings...
perform drums and bass, respectively. Sonny Rollins
Sonny Rollins
Theodore Walter "Sonny" Rollins is a Grammy-winning American jazz tenor saxophonist. Rollins is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. A number of his compositions, including "St...
also contributes saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, one of his three credits for the album. Ian Stewart
Ian Stewart (musician)
Ian Andrew Robert Stewart was a Scottish keyboardist, co-founder of The Rolling Stones and inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
performs the song's piano.
An elaborate music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was produced in support of the song, which featured the Stones in an apartment building setting and was a take-off on the Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
film Rear Window
Rear Window
Rear Window is a 1954 American suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, written by John Michael Hayes and based on Cornell Woolrich's 1942 short story "It Had to Be Murder"...
.
"Neighbours" was performed by the Stones throughout their tours in support of Tattoo You. It re-emerged for performances on their 2002-2003 Licks Tour
Licks Tour
The Licks Tour was a lengthy, worldwide concert tour held during 2002 and 2003 by The Rolling Stones. Its start was somewhat concurrent with the compilation album Forty Licks, which was released on October 1, 2002....
, with one performance being captured and released on the 2004 album Live Licks
Live Licks
Live Licks is a double live album by The Rolling Stones and was released in 2004. Coming six years after No Security, this seventh official Rolling Stones full-length live release captures performances from the band's year-long 2002–2003 Licks Tour in support of their career-spanning retrospective...
.