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Monday, March 9, 2020

The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You (1981) | Album & Cover Art Analysis

The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You (1981) album front coverThe Rolling Stones - Tattoo You (1981) album back cover
 The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You (1981)
Tracklist front / back album image covers

Tattoo You (1981)

Artist: The Rolling Stones
Type: Studio album (16th UK / 18th US)
Released: August 24, 1981
Label: Rolling Stones Records
Genre: Rock • Hard rock • Blues rock
Length: 43:52
Producers: The Glimmer Twins

Tattoo You is one of The Rolling Stones’ most acclaimed early-1980s albums. Although the record was largely assembled from outtakes and unfinished tracks from previous sessions spanning 1972–1981, it became a cohesive, high-energy rock album.

The album is best known for the massive hit single “Start Me Up”, which revitalized the band’s popularity and became a concert staple for decades.

πŸ“¦ Cover Art & Design

🎨 Iconic Face Tattoo

  • πŸ–Œ️ Artwork by Peter Corriston.

  • 🎭 Features a black-and-white close-up of a man’s face with a large, elaborate tattoo superimposed across his cheek.

  • πŸ–€ Bold, minimalist design that emphasizes edginess and rock attitude.

  • πŸ–Ό️ The tattooed face was meant to reflect the raw, hard-rocking energy of the album’s music.

The cover is now considered one of the band’s most memorable and striking visuals from the 1980s.

🎡 Tracklist

  1. Start Me Up

  2. Hang Fire

  3. Slave

  4. Little T&A

  5. Black Limousine

  6. Neighbours

  7. Worried About You

  8. Tops

  9. Heaven

πŸ‘₯ Band Lineup

  • Mick Jagger – Lead vocals, backing vocals, percussion

  • Keith Richards – Guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on “Neighbours”

  • Ronnie Wood – Guitar

  • Bill Wyman – Bass

  • Charlie Watts – Drums

Additional Musicians:

  • Ian Stewart – Piano

  • Nicky Hopkins – Piano

  • Bobby Keys – Saxophone

  • Chuck Leavell – Keyboards

  • Sugar Blue – Harmonica

🎢 Top Tracks

⭐ Start Me Up

Hard-rocking anthem and the album’s biggest hit; iconic opening riff instantly recognizable.

⭐ Waiting on a Friend

Smooth, laid-back track featuring saxophone by Sonny Rollins (on some versions of the sessions).

⭐ Hang Fire

Punchy, sarcastic commentary set to upbeat rock.

⭐ Tops

Deep groove-driven track highlighting the band’s funk and blues influences.

πŸ“ˆ Commercial Performance & Sales

  • πŸ₯‡ US Billboard 200: #1

  • πŸ₯‡ UK Albums Chart: #2

  • πŸ’Ώ Certified 4× Platinum (US)

  • 🌍 Worldwide sales: 7–8 million copies

The album’s success revitalized the Stones’ commercial position in the 1980s, especially in the US market.

πŸ† Awards & Recognition

  • “Start Me Up” became a global hit and remains one of the band’s most popular songs.

  • Often ranked among the top Rolling Stones albums of the post-1970s era.

  • Certified multi-platinum and frequently included in greatest hits compilations.

🎀 Fun Facts & Trivia

  • 🎸 Most tracks were outtakes from previous sessions, including material from Some Girls and Emotional Rescue.

  • 🎀 Keith Richards sings lead on “Neighbours” and co-leads on other tracks.

  • πŸ”Š The album captures the Stones at their tightest, most polished rock performance since the late 1970s.

  • 🎡 “Waiting on a Friend” features one of Mick Jagger’s smoothest vocal performances.

🀯 Did You Know?

  • The album was originally conceived as a project to make use of unreleased recordings and session outtakes.

  • Tattoo You became the Stones’ most commercially successful album of the 1980s.

  • The iconic cover art helped define the band’s edgy image in the MTV era.





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