Send It to Me
Encyclopedia
"Send It to Me" is a song by rock and roll
band The Rolling Stones
featured on the 1980 album Emotional Rescue
.
Credited to Mick Jagger
and Keith Richards
, "Send It to Me" is largely the work of Jagger, with him saying at the time of its release, "I did it with Charlie [Watts
] very early on... That was a good example of one, you know, we tried in all kinds of different ways, different times." The song is heavily influenced by reggae music, the Stones being very big fans ever since their introduction to it during the recording sessions for 1973's Goats Head Soup
in Jamaica
. Its influence is also felt on a number of earlier tracks like "Cherry Oh Baby" off Black and Blue
and later Richards compositions. While the influence is evident, Bill Janovitz
notes in his review of the song that also incorporates "...a great R&B guitar lick from Keith Richards... and then cut to a disco feel for the chorus." The song's lyrics deal with "...a lonely man looking for a mail-order bride," and a quite tongue-in-cheek in its approach to this subject, with Jagger invoking off-the-cuff rhymes and in an affected, drawn vocal performance;
Associate producer and chief engineer Chris Kimsey
remarked on the song after the album's release, "I remember it being very, very long, about twelve minutes long. I had to chop it down to whatever it ended up being. I think, in the twelve-minute version, there were like 19 or 20 verses and we just picked the last verses out and chopped it all together."
Janovitz concludes of the song, "Taken for what it is and not what it is a harbinger of, however, 'Send It to Me' is a fun song — catchy, with numerous hooks, and also fun to sing along to. An oft-repeated criticism of the Stones from this period on notes that their records seem to be written as an excuse to go out and tour, as if they need one. It is a valid point, though; the records seem like afterthoughts, and songs such as "Send It to Me" seem to be written to be performed live". In fact the Rolling Stones have never performed "Send It to Me" live on any of their tours since its introduction.
Recording began on "Send It to Me" in June 1979 at Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris, France and concluded later in the year at New York City
's Electric Lady Studios
. With Jagger on lead vocals, Ronnie Wood performs electric slide guitar
, including the song's solo. Richards provides the song's rhythm guitar hooks. Watts and Bill Wyman
perform the song's thumping drums and bass, respectively. Harmonica is performed by Sugar Blue
, a contributor to songs from the Stones' previous album, Some Girls
and their next, Tattoo You
. Another notable contribution comes from reggae singer Max Romeo
who provides the song's tacking percussion parts.
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band 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 the 1980 album Emotional Rescue
Emotional Rescue
Emotional Rescue is the 15th British and 17th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1980. Upon release, the album topped the charts in both the US and UK.-History:...
.
Credited to 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...
, "Send It to Me" is largely the work of Jagger, with him saying at the time of its release, "I did it with 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:...
] very early on... That was a good example of one, you know, we tried in all kinds of different ways, different times." The song is heavily influenced by reggae music, the Stones being very big fans ever since their introduction to it during the recording sessions for 1973's Goats Head Soup
Goats Head Soup
Goats Head Soup is the 11th British and 13th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1973. It featured the song "Angie", which went to #1 as a single in the US and UK.-Recording:...
in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. Its influence is also felt on a number of earlier tracks like "Cherry Oh Baby" off Black and Blue
Black and Blue
Black and Blue is the 13th British and 15th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1976. It was the band's first studio album released with Ronnie Wood as the replacement for Mick Taylor...
and later Richards compositions. While the influence is evident, Bill Janovitz
Bill Janovitz
Bill Janovitz is best known as the singer and guitarist of the alternative rock band Buffalo Tom.-History:After enrolling at the University of Massachusetts, Janovitz formed Buffalo Tom with fellow students Chris Colbourn and Tom Maginnis. A friendship with J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr...
notes in his review of the song that also incorporates "...a great R&B guitar lick from Keith Richards... and then cut to a disco feel for the chorus." The song's lyrics deal with "...a lonely man looking for a mail-order bride," and a quite tongue-in-cheek in its approach to this subject, with Jagger invoking off-the-cuff rhymes and in an affected, drawn vocal performance;
Associate producer and chief engineer Chris Kimsey
Chris Kimsey
Christopher Kenneth Kimsey is a record producer, mixer and musician most famous for having co-produced The Rolling Stones' Undercover and Steel Wheels albums...
remarked on the song after the album's release, "I remember it being very, very long, about twelve minutes long. I had to chop it down to whatever it ended up being. I think, in the twelve-minute version, there were like 19 or 20 verses and we just picked the last verses out and chopped it all together."
Janovitz concludes of the song, "Taken for what it is and not what it is a harbinger of, however, 'Send It to Me' is a fun song — catchy, with numerous hooks, and also fun to sing along to. An oft-repeated criticism of the Stones from this period on notes that their records seem to be written as an excuse to go out and tour, as if they need one. It is a valid point, though; the records seem like afterthoughts, and songs such as "Send It to Me" seem to be written to be performed live". In fact the Rolling Stones have never performed "Send It to Me" live on any of their tours since its introduction.
Recording began on "Send It to Me" in June 1979 at Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris, France and concluded later in the year at 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...
's Electric Lady Studios
Electric Lady Studios
Electric Lady Studios, at 52 West 8th Street, in New York City's Greenwich Village, is a recording studio originally built by Jimi Hendrix and designed by John Storyk in 1970...
. With Jagger on lead vocals, Ronnie Wood performs electric slide guitar
Slide guitar
Slide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
, including the song's solo. Richards provides the song's rhythm guitar hooks. Watts 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 the song's thumping drums and bass, respectively. Harmonica is performed by Sugar Blue
Sugar Blue
Sugar Blue is an American Grammy Award winning blues musician, who plays the harmonica. He is probably best known for playing on The Rolling Stones' single, "Miss You"....
, a contributor to songs from the Stones' previous album, Some Girls
Some Girls
Some Girls is the 14th British and 16th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1978 on Rolling Stones Records, catalogue COC 39108...
and their next, 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...
. Another notable contribution comes from reggae singer Max Romeo
Max Romeo
Max Romeo is a reggae and roots reggae recording artist who has achieved chart success in his home country, and in the UK. Romeo was responsible for launching an entirely new sub-genre of reggae, whose overtly suggestive lyrics caused an outcry but took a massive hold of the music scene regardless...
who provides the song's tacking percussion parts.