The Rolling Stones’ Iconic Ballad “Angie” – Why It Still Resonates Today! ( 1973)

About The Song

The prevalent rumor concerning this song revolves around its inspiration being David Bowie’s wife, Angela. In her autobiography, Angela wrote of an incident where she unexpectedly walked in on David Bowie and Mick Jagger together in bed, a tale that Jagger vehemently denies. The rumor suggests that Jagger composed this song to mend their relationship, but it was actually Jagger’s fellow band member, Keith Richards, who contributed significantly to its creation. Jagger clarified, “People started speculating that the song was about David Bowie’s wife, but the reality is that Keith came up with the title. He mentioned ‘Angie,’ and I believe it was in reference to his daughter, Angela. I then took it upon myself to complete the rest of the song.”

There was also conjecture that Richards’ girlfriend, Anita Pallenberg, served as the muse for this song. However, Keith addressed this in his 2010 autobiography, “Life,” where he explained, “While I was in the [Vevey drug] clinic in March-April 1972, Anita was nearby giving birth to our daughter, Angela. Once I emerged from the usual turmoil, I had a guitar with me, and I penned ‘Angie’ in a single afternoon, while sitting in bed. Finally, I could move my fingers properly, without feeling like I had to endure distress or go berserk. I just thought, ‘Angie, Angie.’ It wasn’t dedicated to any specific individual; it was simply a name, like any other, such as Diana. When I wrote ‘Angie,’ I had no idea that Angela would be her actual name. In those times, you didn’t know the gender until the child was born.”

A rarity among The Rolling Stones’ repertoire, this song marked their initial venture into a ballad. It was released as the first single from “Goat’s Head Soup.” Unlike most of the band’s music during that period, which was known for its hard and aggressive style, this ballad became a massive success, achieving the coveted #1 spot in the US.

Remarkably, “Angie” stands out as one of the few acoustic tracks in The Rolling Stones’ extensive discography.

Video

Lyrics

Angie, Angie
When will those clouds all disappear?
Angie, Angie
Where will it lead us from here?

With no loving in our souls
And no money in our coats
You can’t say we’re satisfied
But Angie, Angie
You can’t say we never tried

Angie, you’re beautiful, yeah
But ain’t it time we said goodbye?
Angie, I still love you
Remember all those nights we cried?

All the dreams we held so close
Seemed to all go up in smoke
Let me whisper in your ear
Angie, Angie
Where will it lead us from here?

Oh, Angie, don’t you weep
All your kisses still taste sweet
I hate that sadness in your eyes
But Angie, Angie
Ain’t it time we said goodbye? Yeah

With no loving in our souls
And no money in our coats
You can’t say we’re satisfied
But Angie, I still love you, baby
Everywhere I look, I see your eyes
There ain’t a woman that comes close to you
Come on, baby, dry your eyes

But Angie, Angie
Ain’t it good to be alive?
Angie, Angie
They can’t say we never tried