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).
If Things Could Be Different
Mick Jagger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If only you'd give one more twist of the key
If things would be different
A change in the numbers
If only that message could just be retrieved
If things would be different
You'd be a goddess carved on a frieze
If things could be different
You would be sharing your whole life with me
I saw it all, I saw it from afar
I saw it all, I saw it in the stars
I saw it all, I saw it much too late
Coincidence and fate
If things had been different
If only your finger had not pushed delete
I would not be walking down
Down this lonely street
'Cause if things had been different
If only my whole life could be just re-dreamed
'Cause I was born way too soon
Born on the other side of the seas
And if things had been different
We'd spend the fourth of July on the beach
And if things had been different
All of your children would look just like me
I saw it all, I saw it from afar
I saw it all, I saw it from the stars
I saw it all, I saw it much too late
I saw it all, the fingerprints of fate
The lyrics to Mick Jagger's "If Things Could Be Different" tell a story of regret and longing for what could have been. The songwriter reflects on missed opportunities, both in his personal life and in the larger scheme of things. The repetition of the phrase "if things had been different" emphasizes his desire to rewrite the past, to change the factors that led to his current situation.
The first verse focuses on a specific moment when things could have gone differently - if only the key had turned in the ignition. This small action could have changed the course of events, leading to a different outcome than the one he is living now. The second verse broadens the scope to include other potential changes, like a different message or a different set of circumstances. The third verse takes the biggest leap, imagining a reality where life is permanent and his love interest is a literal goddess. All of these scenarios are impossible, and the repetition of the title phrase underscores the sadness and frustration of that fact.
The chorus shows the singer grappling with the reality of his situation. He "saw it all" from afar, meaning he had a clear view of what was happening, but it was too late to change things. He attributes this to "coincidence and fate," suggesting a belief that some things are out of our control. This is in contrast to the first verse, which implies that one small action could have made all the difference. The final verse brings the focus back to the personal, specifically to relationships. The singer feels like he was born in the wrong place and time, and that if things had been different, his love interest would be with him instead of someone else. He imagines a world where they're spending holidays together and raising a family. While these scenarios are appealing, the fact that they're impossible makes them all the more melancholy.
Line by Line Meaning
If things had been different
Reflecting on how things could be different in life
If only you'd give one more twist of the key
Regretting a missed opportunity or mistake that could've altered life's course
If things would be different
Expressing a desire for a different outcome or reality
A change in the numbers
Contemplating the significance of a small change or difference
If only that message could just be retrieved
Wishing for a chance to correct or undo past actions
If life could be permanent
Imagining a life without fear of death or loss
You'd be a goddess carved on a frieze
Idealizing a person or situation
You would be sharing your whole life with me
Longing for companionship or connection with someone
I saw it all, I saw it from afar
Reflecting on hindsight and past experiences with clarity
I saw it all, I saw it in the stars
Musing on the role of fate or destiny in one's life
I saw it all, I saw it much too late
Acknowledging regret or missed opportunities in life
Coincidence and fate
Contemplating the role of chance and destiny in one's life
If only your finger had not pushed delete
Regretting a past action that resulted in negative consequences
I would not be walking down
Down this lonely street
Feeling the effects of a missed opportunity or mistake
If only my whole life could be just re-dreamed
Wishing for a chance to start over and make different choices
Born on the other side of the seas
Reflecting on one's origins and the path one's life has taken
We'd spend the fourth of July on the beach
Envisioning a different reality or outcome
All of your children would look just like me
Wondering about the potential outcomes of different choices in life
The fingerprints of fate
Reflecting on the role of destiny and chance in one's life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MICHAEL (MICK) JAGGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Peter Mills
what a great songwriter Mick is !
Peter Mills
Another bonus track 'Blue' is very good too.
elwachio
alto tema gracias !!!!!!!!
elwachio
GREAT SONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ricardo Dos santos Barros
Parabéns por sucesso mick jegger eu nao entendo a sua lingua e você não entende a minha mas o mal que eu lhe desejo e que deus nos abençoe e nos proteja e a você por você e o seu sucesso ate hoje
GunCollector007
This is great. It’s not on my cd.
RMR
Buried treasure.
simon19665
To εψαχνα καιρο!
alvaro Santiago
òtimo porra!.
natureboy tom
Ive got this CD and this song is not on it. Qué?