Jagger's career has spanned over 50 years, and he has been described as "one of the most popular and influential frontmen in the history of Rock & Roll". Jagger's distinctive voice and performance, along with Keith Richards' guitar style, have been the trademark of the Rolling Stones throughout the career of the band. Jagger gained press notoriety for his admitted drug use and romantic involvements, and was often portrayed as a countercultural figure.
In the late 1960s, Jagger began acting in films (starting with Performance and Ned Kelly), to mixed reception. In 1985, he released his first solo album, She's the Boss. In early 2009, Jagger joined the electric supergroup SuperHeavy. In 1989 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2004 into the UK Music Hall of Fame with the Rolling Stones. In 2003, he was knighted for his services to popular music.
While continuing to tour and release albums with the Rolling Stones, Jagger began a solo career. In 1985 he released his first solo album She's the Boss, produced by Nile Rodgers and Bill Laswell, and featuring Herbie Hancock, Jeff Beck, Jan Hammer, Pete Townshend and the Compass Point All Stars. It sold fairly well, and the single "Just Another Night" was a Top Ten hit. During this period, he collaborated with the Jacksons on the song "State of Shock", sharing lead vocals with Michael Jackson.
For his own personal contributions in the 1985 Live Aid multi-venue charity concert, he performed at Philadelphia's JFK Stadium; he did a duet with Tina Turner of "It's Only Rock and Roll", and the performance was highlighted by Jagger tearing away Turner's skirt. He also did a cover of "Dancing in the Street" with David Bowie, who himself appeared at Wembley Stadium. The video was shown simultaneously on the screens of both Wembley and JFK Stadiums. The song reached number one in the UK the same year. In 1987 he released his second solo album, Primitive Cool. While it failed to match the commercial success of his debut, it was critically well received. In 1988 he produced the songs "Glamour Boys" and "Which Way to America" on Living Colour's album Vivid. Between 15 and 28 March he had a solo concert tour in Japan (Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka).
Wandering Spirit was the third solo album by Jagger and was released in 1993. It would be his only solo album release of the 1990s. Jagger aimed to re-introduce himself as a solo artist in a musical climate vastly changed from that of his first two albums, She's the Boss and Primitive Cool.
Following the successful comeback of the Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels (1989), which saw the end of Jagger and Richards' well-publicised feud, after acquiring Rick Rubin as co-producer in January 1992 Jagger began recording the album in Los Angeles over seven months until September 1992, recording simultaneously as Richards was making Main Offender.
Jagger would keep the celebrity guests to a minimum on Wandering Spirit, only having Lenny Kravitz as a vocalist on his cover of Bill Withers' "Use Me" and bassist Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers on three tracks. Following the end of the Rolling Stones' Sony Music contract and their signing to Virgin Records, Jagger signed with Atlantic Records (which had signed the Stones in the 1970s) to distribute what would be his only album with the label. Released in February 1993, Wandering Spirit was commercially successful, reaching No.12 in the UK and No.11 in the US.
In 2001 Jagger released Goddess in the Doorway spawning the hit single "Visions of Paradise". In the same year he also joined Keith Richards in the Concert for New York City, a charity concert in response to the 11 September attacks, to sing "Salt of the Earth" and "Miss You".
He celebrated the Rolling Stones' 40th anniversary by touring with them on the year-long Licks Tour in support of their career retrospective Forty Licks double album.
In 2007 the Rolling Stones made US$437 million on their A Bigger Bang Tour, which got them into the current edition of Guinness World Records for the most lucrative music tour.[35] Jagger has refused to say when the band will retire, stating in 2007: "I'm sure the Rolling Stones will do more things and more records and more tours. We've got no plans to stop any of that really."
In October 2009 Jagger and U2 performed "Gimme Shelter" (with Fergie and will.i.am) and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" at the 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concert.
On 20 May 2011 Jagger announced the formation of a new supergroup, SuperHeavy, which includes Dave Stewart, Joss Stone, Damian Marley and A.R. Rahman.[38] Jagger has featured on will.i.am's 2011 single "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)". It was officially released to iTunes on 4 February 2012.
On 21 February 2012 Mick Jagger, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Jeff Beck, along with a blues ensemble, performed at the White House concert series before President Barack Obama. When Jagger held out a mic to him, Obama sang twice the line "Come on, baby don't you want to go" of the blues cover 'Sweet Home Chicago', the blues anthem of Obama's home town.
Jagger hosted the season finale of Saturday Night Live on 19 and 20 May 2012, doing several comic skits and playing some of the Rolling Stones' hits with Arcade Fire, Foo Fighters, and Jeff Beck.
Jagger performed in 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief with the Rolling Stones on 12 December 2012. The Stones finally played the Glastonbury festival in 2013, headlining on Saturday 29 June. This was followed by two concerts in London's Hyde Park as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations, their first in the Park since their famous 1969 performance. In 2013 Mick Jagger teamed up with his brother Chris Jagger for two new duets to mark the 40th anniversary of Chris' debut album.
Born Michael Phillip Jagger on July 26, 1943, in Dartford, England, he initially met future musical collaborator and Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards while the pair were five years old at primary school, although they would lose contact with each other shortly thereafter. In the intervening years, Jagger discovered a love for music, especially early rock & roll (forming a high school band, Little Boy Blue & the Blue Boys), as well as developing an interest in business, attending the London School of Economics.
In 1960 in his late teens, Jagger happened to bump into Richards once again (while the two were waiting on a train platform), and when Richards noticed Jagger had several blues records under his arm, they became friends again and started up the Rolling Stones shortly thereafter. The band (which also included second guitarist Brian Jones, bassist Bill Wyman, and drummer Charlie Watts), merged the rock & roll of Chuck Berry with the raw blues of Muddy Waters, creating a style that would be infinitely copied by others in its wake. By the late '60s, the Rolling Stones were rivaling the Beatles as the world's most popular rock band (with their second guitarist slot rotating from time to time), issuing such classic singles as "Paint It Black," "Time Is on My Side," "Get Off of My Cloud," "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Jumpin' Jack Flash," and others. In 1968, they began a string of albums that would go down as some of rock's most quintessential and enduring albums ever recorded -- 1968's Beggar's Banquet, 1969's Let It Bleed, 1970's Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out, 1971's Sticky Fingers, and 1972's Exile on Main Street.
During this time, Jagger also tried his hand at acting in movies, landing roles in such flicks as Performance and Ned Kelly (both from 1970). Jagger also became a renowned playboy and jet setter among other celebrities. As a result (as well as the Stones' escalating drug abuse), the quality of the Stones' music began to suffer -- while they remained one of the world's top concert draws and beloved bands, they issued albums of varying quality from the mid-'70s through the early '80s. Around this time, Jagger and Keith Richards conflicted over the musical direction of the band. Jagger wanted to move the band in a more pop and dance-oriented direction while Richards wanted to stay true to the band's rock & roll and blues roots. By 1984, Jagger had begun recording a solo album where he pursued a more mainstream, dance-inflected pop direction. The resulting album, She's the Boss, was released in 1985. Jagger filmed a number of state-of-the-art videos for the album, which all received heavy airplay from MTV, helping propel the record's first single, "Just Another Night," to number 12 and the album to platinum status. "Lucky in Love," the second single from the album scraped the bottom of the Top 40. In the summer of 1985, Jagger and David Bowie recorded a cover of Martha & the Vandellas' "Dancing in the Street" for the Live Aid organization. The single peaked at number seven on the U.S. pop charts; all the proceeds from its sale were donated to Live Aid.
Around the same time the Rolling Stones released their 1986 album, Dirty Work, Jagger released the theme song from the movie Ruthless People as a single and told Richards that the Stones would not tour to support Dirty Work. For the next few years, Jagger and Richards barely spoke to each other and sniped at the other in the press. During this time, Jagger tried to make his solo career as successful as the Rolling Stones, pouring all of his energy into his second solo album, 1987's Primitive Cool. Although the album received stronger reviews than She's the Boss, only one of the singles -- "Let's Work" -- scraped the bottom of the Top 40 and the record didn't go gold.
Following the commercial failure of Primitive Cool, Jagger returned to the fold of the Rolling Stones in 1989, recording, releasing, and touring the Steel Wheels album. Steel Wheels was a massively successful venture and after the tour was completed, the Stones entered a slow period, where each of the members pursued solo projects. Jagger recorded his third solo album with Rick Rubin, who had previously worked with the Beastie Boys and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The resulting solo album, Wandering Spirit, was released in 1993 and received the strongest reviews of any of Jagger's solo efforts. The album entered the U.S. charts at number 11 and went gold the year it was released. A year after the release of Wandering Spirit, the Stones reunited and released Voodoo Lounge, supporting the album with another extensive international tour. During the '90s, Jagger also resumed his movie acting career, with roles in Freejack (1992), Bent (1997), and The Man From Elysian Fields (2001).
In 1997, the Stones regrouped for another new album, Bridges to Babylon, and a subsequent tour of stadiums worldwide. 2001 saw the release of Jagger's first solo album in nearly ten years, titled Goddess in the Doorway, which included guest appearances from such rock big names as Pete Townshend, Bono, Lenny Kravitz, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot, Joe Perry, Wyclef Jean, and Rob Thomas.
In addition to his work with the Rolling Stones and solo releases, Jagger has guested on albums by a wide variety of other artists -- the Jacksons, Peter Tosh, Carly Simon, Dr. John, and Living Colour, among others (the latter he helped discover and produced part of their hit debut album, Vivid).
Gotta Get A Grip
Mick Jagger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Beat it with a stick
Gotta get a grip
She goin' for the hit
The world is upside down
Everybody lunatics and clowns
No one speaks the truth
And madhouse runs the town
Beat it with a stick
You gotta get a grip
Everybody's stuffing their pockets
Everybody's on the take
The news is all fake
Let 'em eat chicken and let 'em eat steak
Let 'em eat shit, let 'em eat cake
You gotta get a grip
You gotta get a grip
You gotta keep it zipped
And shoot 'em from the hip
Yeah, yeah, you gotta get a grip
Beat it with a stick
I tried diversion and I tried coercion
Meditation and medication
And LA culture and aquapuncture
And overeating and sex in meetings
Induced insanity, Christianity
Long walks and fast drives
And wild clubs and low dives
I pushed and I strived
But I can't get you, can't get you
Can't get you out of my mind
Gotta get a grip
Oh you, oh you
Oh you, beat it with a stick
Immigrants are pouring in
Refugees under your skin
Keep 'em under, keep 'em out
Intellectual, shut your mouth
Beat 'em with a stick
Oh you
Gotta get a grip
Gotta get a grip
Chaos, crisis, instability, ISIS
Lies and scandals, wars and vandals
Metadata scams and policy shams
Put 'em in a slammer
Gotta get a grip
Gotta get a grip
Gotta get a grip
Come on
The song "Gotta Get A Grip" by Mick Jagger is a critique of the chaos and lunacy of the modern world. Jagger's lyrics paint a picture of a world that is upside down, with no one speaking the truth and a madhouse running the town. He encourages listeners to get a grip and take action, even if it means beating the chaos with a stick.
Jagger takes aim at a wide range of issues in the song, including political corruption, fake news, and the mistreatment of immigrants and refugees. His criticism of the intellectual class for remaining silent in the face of these problems is particularly potent. Despite trying many different methods to cope with the state of the world, Jagger concludes that the only solution is to keep fighting and never give up.
The repetition of "gotta get a grip" serves as a reminder to not give up in the face of adversity. The line "let 'em eat shit, let 'em eat cake" is a reference to Marie Antoinette and her infamous quote, symbolizing the privileged class's disregard for the struggles of the working class. Overall, Jagger's lyrics offer a sharp commentary on the state of the world while encouraging listeners to take action and make a positive change.
Line by Line Meaning
Gotta get a grip
Realize and take control of the situation
Beat it with a stick
Defeat it with force
She goin' for the hit
The enemy is approaching
The world is upside down
Current events are chaotic and confusing
Everybody lunatics and clowns
Everyone is acting erratically, causing chaos
No one speaks the truth
Lies are being told constantly
And madhouse runs the town
The world seems to be controlled by those who are insane
Everybody's stuffing their pockets
People are becoming greedy and self-centered
Everybody's on the take
Everyone is taking advantage of each other
The news is all fake
The media is spreading lies and propaganda
Let 'em eat chicken and let 'em eat steak
The rich are getting richer while the poor suffer
Let 'em eat shit, let 'em eat cake
Those in power do not care about the lower classes
You gotta get a grip
Take control of your life
You gotta keep it zipped
Think before speaking
And shoot 'em from the hip
Speak your mind but be honest about it
I tried diversion and I tried coercion
I attempted to distract and force my mind away from my problems
Meditation and medication
I tried relaxation techniques and drugs to calm my mind
And LA culture and aquapuncture
I tried different lifestyles and alternative medicine to cope
And overeating and sex in meetings
I tried unhealthy habits and coping mechanisms
Induced insanity, Christianity
I even turned to religion and madness to try and cope
Long walks and fast drives
I tried physical activity to alleviate my stress
And wild clubs and low dives
I tried partying and drugs to escape reality
I pushed and I strived
I tried my best to overcome my issues
But I can't get you, can't get you
But my problems still persist and won't go away
Can't get you out of my mind
My problems are still weighing heavily on my mind
Immigrants are pouring in
There is an influx of people coming into the country
Refugees under your skin
The issue of refugees is causing tension and fear
Keep 'em under, keep 'em out
People are trying to keep refugees and immigrants from entering the country
Intellectual, shut your mouth
People are shutting down intellectual discussions and free speech
Put 'em in a slammer
Criminals and those deemed as threats are being punished and incarcerated
Chaos, crisis, instability, ISIS
There are endless issues and threats facing society today
Lies and scandals, wars and vandals
The media is filled with stories of lies, war, and destruction
Metadata scams and policy shams
Corruption and dishonesty are rampant in politics
Gotta get a grip
We must band together and take control of the situation
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Michael Philip Jagger, Matthew Robert Clifford
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nicholas Buccelli
wanna tell you 'bout the time
(I was) I was in Abbey Road
(Or the) or the time that I had
(I had) Mick Jagger on the phone
I thought of you when we spoke
Wanna tell you 'bout the time
Wanna tell you 'bout my life
Wanna play you all my songs
Hear your voice sing along
MassiveAttackFan
I sort of wish Kevin Parker would produce every album from everyone.
Kuba Nowak
lol xd
Metadiscorse
osufan77 nah just drum. He's a good drummer
Steven Cruz
shiiit i want him producing my albums if anything, but thats not really a great idea as some producer's production techniques dont fit with every artist GREAT/AMAZING albums are almost always the result from having the perfect pair of producer and artist/band
Alex Koch
osufan77 me fucking too ahah
Isak Larsson
I guess this was that time he had Mick Jagger on the phone
Adrian Medina
Isak Larsson my thoughts exactly
Selam Uzun
Kevin is the best thing happen to music so far at 21st century
Rita Carocinho
When you feel that "touch" thank you Kevin 🙏🙏
Aris Ghazaryan
Way better than original