"The Worst" is a song by The Rolling Stones from their 1994 album "Voodoo L… Read Full Bio ↴"The Worst" is a song by The Rolling Stones from their 1994 album "Voodoo Lounge". The album was recorded in Dublin, Ireland. Said Keith Richards, who sings this song, in 1994: "It's funny, but a lot of these songs were written in kitchens. That one I wrote in the kitchen in Barbados, and I thought, That's a pretty melody, but what to do with it, I really didn't know. I guess that's where Ireland comes in, because Ireland has its own traditional music, and it's not country music as such, but it's the roots of it, you know? It's that Irish feel."
This features Chuck Leavell on piano and Frankie Gavin on violin. Fiddle player and flute player Frankie Gavin is a member of the well-known traditional Irish folk music group De Dannan. While recording in Dublin in 1993 for Voodoo Lounge, The Stones got him to contribute on "The Worst and New Faces." Gavin also later worked on Keith's Wingless Angels project. In November 2002, Gavin guested onstage with The Stones at their Oakland concert, performing on "Sweet Virginia." (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France, for all above)

The Worst
The Rolling Stones Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well I said from the first
I am the worst kind of guy
For you to be around
Tear me apart
Baby, including this old heart
That is true
And never ever let you down

You shouldn't stick with me
Trust me too much, you see
Take all the pain
It's yours anyway
Yeah, kid

Oh, put the blame on me
You ought to pass, you see
Somewhere outside
I threw love aside
Now it's a tragedy

I said from the first

I am the worst kind of guy
For you to be around

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Rolling Stones' song The Worst are a confession of self-awareness of being a bad guy in a relationship. The singer warns the person he is with that he is not easy to be around and that they are likely to be hurt by him. With lines like "Tear me apart, baby, including this old heart," and "Take all the pain, it's yours anyway," it is clear that the singer is fully cognizant that he is a destructive presence in the life of the person he is addressing.

The chorus of the song, "Oh, put the blame on me, you ought to pass, you see, somewhere outside, I threw love aside, now it's a tragedy," shows that the singer is willing to take the blame for the pain he has caused. He acknowledges that he has thrown love aside and that it has resulted in a tragic outcome. The lyrics paint a picture of a man who is aware of his flaws and is willing to accept the consequences of his actions but is still unable to change himself.

Line by Line Meaning

Well I said from the first
Right from the start of our relationship, I acknowledged to you

I am the worst kind of guy
That I'm not the best person to be with

For you to be around
For your own good and happiness

Tear me apart
It hurts because I am aware that it will eventually end in tears

Baby, including this old heart
Even my heart, which I cherish the most, is vulnerable

That is true
Honestly, it's a fact that I'm not good enough for you

And never ever let you down
I will disappoint you, repeatedly

You shouldn't stick with me
I think it's best if you leave me alone

Trust me too much, you see
I'm not worthy of your trust, and it scares me that you believe in me so much

Take all the pain
The pain that's part and parcel of being with me is mine to bear

It's yours anyway
I don't want to be a burden on you