Rolling Stones fans knew long before the band's newest album, Foreign Tongues, was released that there would be some special guests on the record. These included the Cure's Robert Smith, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith, Steve Winwood, and Paul McCartney.
What fans didn't necessarily know was which part each player would do on whatever their specific song was. For McCartney, he simply plays bass on "Covered in You." The odd part was that vocalist Mick Jagger was a little nervous before McCartney recorded his part. After all, the last time the icons collaborated was in 1967 when McCartney sang with Jagger on the Stones' "We Love You."
According to NME, Jagger indicated he was unsure that McCartney would be up for the style of song he was about to participate in. The singer said the tune is "punk" and the bass part is fast, and Jagger didn't want any "mucking around" while trying to record the track.
Paul McCartney adds a piece of brilliance on the Rolling Stones' "Covered in You"
Jagger said, "He's not a stranger, but he's never played bass with us before. It's a different thing, you know? I said to (album producer Andrew Watt), 'Is he gonna be into this? Because it's a punk tune and it's going to go really fast and I want overdriven bass. It's gonna be simple, no mucking about.' But he said, 'No, no, no, Paul can do that.' And he did it. He did exactly what was needed in like 10 minutes."
The question ultimately is if the final product good? In fact, it is.
But don't let Jagger's description of "punk" mislead you. One shouldn't expect the Rolling Stones churning out a Sex Pistols song. "Covered in You" won't fit the definition of many music lovers' view of punk.
The song is midtempo and mixed exceedingly well by Watt. Jagger is in fine voice, and Keith Richards' guitar is nuanced and clear, but McCartney's bass is understatedly terrific, with just enough room for trills. Instead of needing to stand out, the instrument perfectly fits with the mood of the track.
To be fair, why would we have expected anything else? Paul McCartney has long been one of the better bassists in rock & roll. He is capable of using his instrument in a myriad of ways, from straightforward rock to more classical-type tunes. His versatility only proves his brilliance.
As for the rest of Foreign Tongues, which was released on Friday, July 10, it is another winner for the Rolling Stones. It isn't 1972's Exile on Main St., but that would be far too high an expectation. That album is one of the best albums ever made. While the album doesn't have any elite singles, all of the tracks are solid. It's another solid work in the Stones' career-long history of delivery excellence.
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