What did he say?!?! The Rolling Stones "Brown Sugar" Reaction | Asia and BJ
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- Опубликовано: 3 фев 2022
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It’s a history lesson, from the Gold Coast slaves to the tent show queens. The Stones wrote it to be provocative, and it was controversial, even in 1971 (recorded in 1969). With that said, it’s somewhat of a tribute to the black women in Jaggers life at the time, namely Claudia Lennear and Marsha Hunt. The latter is the mother of Jagger’s first born Karis Jagger.
You were the one who got its meaning correct.
"I'LL bet your mama was a Cajun Queen, laying all her boy friends at sweet 16"
Girls are sweet 16 !!!! Not boys !!!!!!
You could get away with that in 65. people weren't so sensitive to words. These British boys loved all people. 😊
As Kant said, "art can sublimate everything". The Stones made a lot of songs that told very dirty, very borderline stories, but made them beautiful and immersive with their melodies. They're geniuses.
Exactly right.
It’s a tribute to black women! “Cajun”, “Creole”, “brown sugar” were common vocabulary in 1970. The Stones reverred the Mississippi Delta roots of rock music.
They also went to Muscle Shoals Alabama to record with the swampers.
Correct.
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
@@heavydownn2962right right right!
You are absolutely correct the stones loved brown sugar they also loved BB king howlin wolf John Lee hooker lightning Hopkins and muddy waters Keith and Mick was obsessed with the old time blues'players without them the stones would never have existed
Dude, you masterfully defused the situation and calmed down your wife with "...you know, you never go back". Epic!
I'm 63 and white, and have heard this song since it's release. It wasn't until 12 years ago, when I really started paying attention to the lyrics, that I knew what the song was about. And after analyzing them, and google searching, it was written from the perspective of people back then. Shocked me, because I've sang every word of this my whole life, not realizing it's meaning. Great reaction guys.
He’s English and he’s casting a light on what happened to slaves at a time when civil rights were a big deal. His singing that he was into ‘Brown Sugar’ in the last verse it was actually very brave - he was talking about hypocrisy and mixed relations were taboo, at the time he was in a mixed relationship and he was thumbing his nose at those attitudes. Basically “You did it behind closed doors and by force so don’t act like it’s a bad thing now.” They were absolute champions of great blues acts like Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy and Howlin’ Wolf using their fame to bring attention to those men. They announced a few months back that they were no longer performing it live because of the confusion.
Very well articulated, Jimi..
I picked up on the pointing out rapes carried out under slavery (which indeed happened worldwide), but adding the dichotomy of a celebration of love for “brown sugar” within the chorus and the latter verses of the song.
It comes off as dipping a toe into BDSM imagery and the taboo of interracial sex and love as a sort of tongue in cheek kink to be shouted from the rooftops instead of kept in secrecy like the slave traders had.
That's good context
Thought is was about smack
From what I understood, the chorus lines about brown sugar were from the slave owners perspective, and exposing the evil justification of owning people and using them sexually. My favorite, and most cringy line, "The lady of the house wondering when it's gonna stop", tells you how rampant and accepted this was by white men. And I'm sure they "lady of the house" blamed the exploited women for "enticing" the men, who couldn't and didn't have to control themselves. The Rolling Stones have no filter and revel in making catchy songs about taboo subjects. Unfortunately, the music is so good that most people miss the message. Love you both! 🤙🏻✌🏿
@@caneidaho2737 you missed the next line after the one you mentioned. Read that one and you’ll see the lady of the house has her own indiscretions around midnight.
The Stones wrote lots of songs with controversial subject matter and lyrics - this one, Sympathy For the Devil, Midnight Rambler, Gimme Shelter and more - they wanted to engage the rock generation and culture in meaningful thought and discussions
Mothers little helper
Exactly. They aren’t Satan worshipers it’s more a ⛔️ ⚠️
They went were others wouldn't, and they succeeded beyond belief.
no , entice into evil...
"Under My Thumb"? "Stupid Girl"? They are just songs. The lyrics may occasionally display a certain brief lapse in taste but the music always rocks.
Remember, they put the line "You'd make a dead man come" in "Start Me Up" and Microsoft bought the rights to that song for ads for Windows 95. For $3 million, allegedly.
The history of the Rolling Stones is littered with astute business decisions. (And the odd marginal one. And a few questionable personal ones. Which, of course, they could afford...)
I know... It's only Rock and Roll, but I like it! No reason to search for a deeper meaning to be offended by. It's Rock and Roll. I am sooooo glad that I wasn't raised in a time when everyone was looking for a reason to be offended and demanding apologies from others.
She needs to get over being black.
The Rolling Stones are considered the bad boys of rock & roll. I grew up with their early stuff. My favorite era of The Rolling Stones is from the 60's British Invasion. I loved the "Flowers" album. They had a lot of great early hits such as "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", "Get Off of My Cloud", "Paint It Black", "Ruby Tuesday", "Let's Spend the Night Together", "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "Honky Tonk Women", "You Can't Always Get What You Want", "Gimme Shelter", "Tumbling Dice" & "Brown Sugar".
Listened to the song most of my life. Never dissected it's content. At that age most of us wern't getting that deep into the lyrics of the song. We were just rocking out. Perhaps this is another perspective to the reason why the Rolling Stones were always referred to as the 'bad boys' of rock-and-roll. ;-) ;-) ;-)
And so many more!!!!!
I remember when they banned Lets Spend the Night Together from the radio. That song was the flip side of the 45rpm record with Ruby Tuesday being the A side.
Absolutely! Gotta start from the beginning. So many hits... Little Red rooster, Route 66, Time is on my side. However, their late 60s stuff is great too. She's a Rainbow, Lady Jane. Their Exile on main Street album, Goat's head soup
They were considered the bad boys while the Beatles were the innocents getting away with all kinds of mischief. Love both groups.
When it comes to the Stones outrage is the name of their game. “Brown Sugar” went to number one on the Billboard charts in the spring of 1971. It’s one of their best.
This reaction is a masterpiece in many ways. First the song...wow, I never really knew the full range and scope of the lyrics. And, Asia's reaction is interesting and intellectual. So is BJ's. You guys knocked it outta the park on this reaction. It could be used in a history class about actual history, or psychology, sexuality, not the least of which, the MUSIC. The Stones and Mick are amazing. So are you two. Great job.
"You shouldn't say this in a song" How was her reaction intellectual at all😂
There's nothing "amazing" about The Rolling Stones.
@@jessiem276 you are wrong.
But there is just NOTHING about you.
Keep listening to modern "music"
Jessium - yet here you are. Go somewhere else than please.
@@perzonne6302
Well Jimmy is a window licker, a red crayon has more intellect and interest than he does. 🖍
There is a lot of speculation that this was written about the attraction to heroin, which was called brown sugar. Several of the Stones had dabbled in that drug. Mick was also in a few relationships with black women, and in fact one of them was the mother of his first child. Some "insiders" say that it was written as a song berating the way slaves and black women in general were treated back in the day. All of Mick's exes talk of him being a great Dad. He has strong relationships with all of his kids still today.
NOT about heroin
@@bitchnguy Well, in the liner notes to the 'Jump back' album Jagger is quoted as saying, "The lyric was all to do with the dual combination of drugs and girls."
Scarred old slaver is not about smack
Okay guys. I didn't say it was about heroin. I said there was speculation that it was one of the possibilities.
ZZ TOPS " Brown Sugar " is about H
, "Brown Sugar" was primarily the work of Jagger, who wrote it in 1969.According to Marsha Hunt, Jagger's then-girlfriend and the mother of his first child Karis, he wrote the song with her in mind. Former Ikette Claudia Lennear disputes this claim, saying that it was written about her. In 2014, Lennear told The Times that she is the subject of the song because she was dating Jagger when it was written. Bill Wyman stated in his book Rolling with the Stones (2002) that the lyrics were partially inspired by Lennear.
It makes sense. Ike & Tina toured with the Stones in 1969.
Yes, this song was risk a, at that time, but it didn't stop one the greatest bands ever, from performing a lot of controversial songs. Love there music, always have. Seen the ROLLING STONES LIVE when I was 19 years old. Absolutely blew my mind. The weed was flowing, LOL!!! RIP - CHARLEY WATTS.
This 1971 song was influenced by Mick’s girlfriend at the time model and actress Marsha Hunt whom they share a son. Others say it was written about Ikette (Ike and Tina Turner) Claudia Lennear whom Mick was also involved with. Jagger has stated he would never write this song today that it is “too raw.” Note one of the great saxophone solos of all time by Bobby Keyes.
Mick Jagger and Marsha Hunt had a daughter together not a son. She (Karis Jagger), is Mick's first child.
Love that Sax !!
Respect y'all's opinions and you opened my eyes How people can take it out of context But Rolling stones have spoken out against Racism Songs also tell a story not necessarily the musicians story what I also hear is the hypocrisy of the men back in the day that did these things behind closed doors and judged others Elvis was told in 1965 to leave his Black backup singers behind he refused in the early 60s The Beatles were asked to do a segrated concert in Jacksonville Florida They refused saying either everyone can come are we won't be there They gave in to the Beatles and The Stones have spoke out on several occasions against Racism back in the day when some people would and did ostracized them
These guys did not spare words- they simply wrote songs and did it their way. Great riffs from Keith Richards on this…..🤘😎🔥❤️
Keith AND Mick Taylor...
@@Pokafalva absolutely 👍
Its a Mick riff,he wrote the music too
@@robertbrown8362 thanks….confused with Jumping jack flash maybe….😎
The song has a double meaning in that Brown Sugar is also slang for Heroin back in the late 60s. If the Stones had said that the song was drug related then it would of been banned on radio back then.
I saw the stones preform this live in Missoula, Montana in 2006. Honestly, I'd never looked at the lyrics closely until you guys played it just now. I only know that I absolutely fell in love with the back up singer, a Nubian goddess. I was there with my ex-wife, who also fell in love with her (in a not weird way, just appreciation of absolute beauty). I can see how the lyrics are absolutely explosive. And I think it's something good that they are. "Art should disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed"
I was a white Scottish teenager, just turning 20 when this record came out and I understood it immediately. It has always been an anti-racism song to me, pointing out the practices inflicted on slaves by their white owners and the references to brown sugar were the attitudes of those performing those acts. We'd already had examples of The Stones educating the masses with Gimme Shelter, Sympathy for the Devil, Street Fighting Man etc. and knew to look beneath the surface of the lyrics and rocking beats to find the message. The Stones were anti-establishment rebels and while a lot of the old attitudes were being reflected in situation comedies and the like, the youth from the mid-60s to the mid 70s, whether in music, movies or the other arts, were waking up to the realities of class and race discrimination in their history and turning away from such programming, which is one of the reasons we all embraced the blues-infused sounds that bands like the Stones and the Animals were giving us. How could we subscribe to the old attitudes when the music we loved and respected was predominately black or MOBO? (although that term didn't exist at that time). Then of course the hedonistic 80s came along and that's a whole other story and a whole other generation.
Spot on! Thank you for summarizing for some our REaction Hosts which isn't always easy to convey about the mid60s through 70s.
This song is written as a tribute to Tina Turner who they were touring with. She taught Mick to dance. So I think his intentions were pure!
RIP
I always thought Claudia Linnear ( an Ikette featured in Twenty Feet to Stardom) is the woman Mick had in mind. They were in a relationship.
5 giggles!
When people say their offended the question should be “..and your argument is?” Back in the 60”s and 70’s we all mingled, danced , flirted with all races, no one was offended and the song I believe is actually about a girl he was dating , we did not take lyrics out of context because there was nothing to take out
Huh? Jim Crow laws still existed in the 1960s
And I remember until the 80s, black ppl getting posted faeces in their letterboxes.......racism was rampant in my playground
I'll never stop playing this just because. I've always enjoyed the song, and never paid much attention to the meaning. It's a great rock song to dance to and the riffs are great.
@@eviekelpie1 So biut don't be afraid of the lyrics. Wish we had this much HONESTY TODAY.
"Woke" people are retards.
I call my girlfriend Brown sugar and she loves me saying that
You got it exactly right. It's meant to be controversial.!! Yes fully intended!! You guys are awesome!
Same band that said "I got some Puerto Rican girls just dying to meet ya." Yep, this was controversial even back then. But the bad boys pulled it off.
It's controversial to ACKNOWLEDGE Puerto Rican girls exist?
@@markupton1417 context! Puerto Rican girls in the sense that they were easy and available. The 80s were a more cautious time. Yes, some of my boricua friends complained. While they were humming the tune.
@@cristobalvalladares973 sorry... don't really "like" low IQ people.
Listen to the song "Some Girls".
❤️❤️❤️ You all amaze me at how you grasp the meaning of the songs !! BJ was spot on !! 👍👍👍✌🏻 You both do a amazing job at breaking things down. Love you!
Okay guys, since you're in Rolling Stones territory, I expect you'd be fairly well whipped by the track (from the same album, Sticky Fingers), titled "Can't You Hear Me Knocking"! It's not controversial, in fact, it's mainly a rock/Latin jazz/blues fusion! But it's a kick butt good time 😁😂🤣
Love it. Permanently in my playlist
One of my favorite jams by the Stones ever, featuring badass guitarist Mick Taylor and Keith’s party pal the amazing Bobby Keyes on sax.
Completely agree with you about the song choice but maybe the word "whipped" is a bit ill-advised in the context of the song (Brown Sugar) being reviewed. Just sayin'.😁
Daniel wtf are you talking about
To many triggered liberals here offended by this song. Blacks love this song. The chic in the headphones seemed offended for some reason. Stones influence’s were all black blues players. Back in the day it was good. Today should not be released. 😆 but WAP is a masterpiece women liberating song.
Rolling Stones took this song out of rotation (concerts).
For exactly the reasons you stated.
Your context is right.
@@Spo-Dee-O-Dee that doesn't track.
The Rolling Stones have a deep catalogue to explore. Brown Sugar is just a great tune. I wouldn't read too much into it. Two different African American woman claim to be the inspiration for the song Brown Sugar and both regret seeing it taken off the Stones playlist last year. They just thought it was a great rock n' roll song, no controversy for them.
i thought the entire song was a metaphor comparing addiction to heroin as being a type of slavery. unprocessed heroin is brown in color.
It is about Claudia Lennear - backup singer for many (one of Leon Russel's Shelter People) also Mad Dog & Englishmen. A real beauty.
@@dougj7295 thank you for the further info.
@@dougj7295 Just googled her. My God she's stunning. I could understand her being the inspiration for a song.
@@mst1740 everyone loved her - great singer - I believe Bowie also had a relationship with her
I'm a fair skinned Puerto Rican. So I appreciate , approve and LIVE this song 🎵
Seen the Stones 4x in concert, in Europe & America. The lyrics come from oppression, but but definitely end up expressing awe & amazement. I’m not patronizing, I’m trying to express respect.
Ya, I saw em 4 times too, starting in 1981, Cedar Falls, Ia. Awesome!
He meant it to have several meanings, and for you guys to have exactly the conversation you're having regarding the several possibilities of what the song means. it also rocks! Very intelligently written and quite bold for it's time.
I heard this song a thousand times and really never knew what they were singing about, just loving the music,
This song was recorded on December 2-4, 1969 and released on April 16, 1971, and it's the track 1 in the Sticky Fingers (1971). Please react Wild Horses, also performed by Rolling Stones. Keep it up guys.
I never knew what this song was about because of "misheard lyrics"...ha, ha. Only been listening to it since it came out. I get your point Asia. I only heard the "brown sugar" part. This is a cool part of what reactors are doing for us old folks...lol.
You should watch the live version from 1972. The Rolling Stones in their prime. The greatest rock and roll band in the world.
I come from Liverpool where a lot of the slave ships docked on the way to America and am not proud of our history, but it was England that put a stop to slavery she had a naval presence around the world to stop slave ships and free the slaves
I've heard this song hundreds of times and never knew what most of the lyrics were!
BJ - "This song is so Upbeat." Asia "WTF?" lol I don't think the Stones were glorifying this horrific BS. More like telling a story of those sadistic old times. And perhaps educating some people in the process. Heck, we all know that kind of horrific crap went on back in the day.
"Can't You Hear Mr Knocking" by The Stones is a must react to. You'll love it.
Congrats on your 150+ subscribers…many more to come.
They managed to get this on a radio! It had a catchy hook. That kept it in my heart. The more you hear it and reflect the more you understand what he's saying.
The Stones got a lot of crazy stuff on the radio. They got “You make a dead man cum” in at the end of Start me up
Simply one of the greatest rock and roll songs of all time. That honky tonk swagger and hip shaking groove are impossible not to get caught up to.
I wouldn't put too much weight on those lyrics. Didn't Mick put them together quite quickly in the studio while the others were putting the rest of the song together? The lyrics did cause a but of controversy at the time, as did other songs on the album (STICKY FINGERS).
Mick Jagger has had his fair share of brown sugar, caramel candy, vanilla wafers, and dark chocolate 😍The man has not been able to settle down these last 60 years, despite his marriages... Why would he, when the sweet shop is open to him 24/7? 😂
The British outlawed slavery decades before the Civil War. The Stones view is different than the American perspective! A lot of the music from the 60s and 70s was commentary that would be politically incorrect now. The Stones and many bands back then pushed the boundaries of what could be voiced. It opened the minds of the public to what had happened and was still happening, right or wrong! Music is an art that moves people and opens our eyes sometimes.
I love that song for years but I never knew what he was saying I didn't know the lyrics and I read them just the other day and my first reaction was it's just like that movie Roots
Yes it was a risky & controversial subject. But keeping it real, is part of the dark side of RnR. Just like Rap. Made VH1's original top 100 songs of RnR list.
Yeah, each generation needs one. Folk, Rock, Punk and Rap are all calls for protest and social upheaval of existing norms. Stuff like this was snubbing its idea that race mattered. Women were burning bras, there were tons of anti-Vietnam songs. And George Carlin was peddling his seven words you can't say on TV. I suspect a lot of those religious Mom's groups are still working on shutting down rock and roll. They've been trying that since Elvis's hips. So far though, it appears that sex, drugs and rock and roll have an edge. :-)
I'm with you Asia. In all these years of grooving to this song, I never listened to the lyrics until now.
Yes, respect Asia's concern about the lyrics.
Exactly who's fault is that??
1. He was reflecting on the way things were in the 1700's
2. This is the Stones, it was done to shock
That guitar tone kills. Bobby Keys on sax. Historic references.
I always felt guilty about loving this song. It's an absolute rocker but the lyrics are like, WTF?
In the end, I think it's just Mick trying to call out what happened and what may not have been widely known.
Why would you feel guilty?
Do you feel guilty for loving “Midnight Rambler” since it speaks from the point of view of of a serial killer?
Lyrics are often meant to be like dramatic scenes from a movie.
Why does everyone these days arbitrarily always view them as morality tales or social commentary?
Do you feel guilty
Music is a art form. Sometimes it's very uncomfortable. This is an example of art meets reality that reflects history. And it's bumping...it's a jam.
Yes
No its not.
One of my favs! couple more--doo doo doo doo (heartbreaker), Wild Horses, Under My Thumb, Angie, It's Only Rock and Roll, Get Off My Cloud
Greatest Rock n Roll band ever 🤘🤘🎶🎸🎶
It was 1971. Lyrics were a lot different back then than they are today (as far as progressive rock).
Mick & the Stones were merely paying homage. No more. No less.
Mick said it was a pastiche of taboo subjects including slavery and drugs
He said in a 1995 interview he would have censored himself with hindsight
It was the track that first turned me on to the Stones it is a phenomenal recording
I don’t think Mick was being deliberately cruel but I think he has a different perspective now on this subject matter and the Stones controversially dropped the song from their most recent tour
I've heard this dozens of times over the years, but never really knew the lyrics until recently (and the first couple of dozen times I was a kid, and didn't have a clue what "brown sugar" meant). I'm going back to just loving the music and not knowing the lyrics.
Sorry...european empires like England did mass atrocities.....history is history
@@penderyn8794 uh, the U.S. has many, many atrocities of our own.
@@penderyn8794 It's not the historical aspect, because you're right, history is history, good, bad or indifferent. It's the "tastes just like a Black girl should" stuff, because I don't think Mick was talking history there, at least not ancient history. Yeah, it's sex, it's been going on forever, and it'll always go on, but as presented here, and based on the knowledge that a particular Black woman (possibly two) inspired the song, it's objectifying and dehumanizing, really. Can you guess I'm not a fan of a particular aspect of Rap music, too?
Keith Richards and Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones have announced that they won't be playing their 1970s hit song “Brown Sugar” on tour anymore. This news comes after concerns about the 50-year-old song's reference to the “horrors of slavery” and other controversial topics
That was the first song at a concert I went to, and the crowd just roared. Wow, loved that!
The Stones were always trying to raise awareness of bad shit
They are legendary
I have heard this song since I was a kid. The only thing I could understand was the chorus and had no idea what this song was about. As I got older, I realized this wasn't about the kind of brown sugar you put on a sandwich (I used to like brown sugar on peanut butter as a kid). Mick Jagger isn't an easy person to understand. I still don't know what half of the Rolling Stone's songs are saying. It wasn't easy to find out the lyrics to a song back then if they weren't on the album sleeve. It was only recently that I even learned what the words are and... they're weird. It's a weird song. Knowing the Rolling Stones, I don't believe it's meant the way it sounds but, it's weird.
Just recently, the Rolling Stones announced that this song would be dropped from their shows.
i thought the entire song was a metaphor comparing addiction to heroin as being a type of slavery. unprocessed heroin is brown in color.
Same here, Mick is a mush mouth
Great conversation about this
This is from Wikipedia " According to Marsha Hunt, Jagger's then-girlfriend and the mother of his first child Karis, he wrote the song with her in mind. Former Ikette Claudia Lennear disputes this claim, saying that it was written about her. In 2014, Lennear told The Times that she is the subject of the song because she was dating Jagger when it was written. Bill Wyman stated in his book Rolling with the Stones (2002) that the lyrics were partially inspired by Lennear."
i like the subversive nature of the song, it take a serious topic and tricks you into thinking about it with its catchy hook. Its like putting medicine in a dessert.
Americans sometimes have difficulty getting a grasp on " English irony " - but BJ nails it first time.
It came out October 2021 on the BBC, that the Stones were going to drop this from their US tour.
I loved the nuanced view you presented on this song.
The Stones dropped this from their show. See below: Keith Richards highlights this ambiguity in his comments on the removal of the song recently from their playlist.
"I don’t know. I’m trying to figure out with the sisters quite where the beef is. Didn’t they understand this was a song about the horrors of slavery?"
Richards’ mildly defensive tone fuels broadcaster Piers Morgan bellicose defence of Brown Sugar as a “song aimed at defending and supporting black women”. Morgan also draws attention to what he sees as a “double standard” for rap music where racist and misogynist tropes abound.
They could have kept the song in the setlist but dropped the slavery verse. Then it just becomes a rock n roll song about lust between black and white.
Piers makes a good point about the double standard.
It is easy to take it out of context. However, I think it's always wise to take a moment and dig a little deeper when a lyric touches a nerve. Things are often not what they initially seem.
It's always been a controversial song, it would have never made it without the great backing music they wrote
The Rolling Stones had a concert and Tina Turner came on stage and sung this song with Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones it’s on the Internet you can find it just RUclips Tina Turner and Mick Jagger Brown Sugar The rumor was Mick got some brown sugar from Tina
to put these lyrics in some historical context, less than 10 years prior to this recording Van Morrison came out with the song, 'Brown eyed Girl' but the lyrics were supposed to be 'Brown skinned Girl' but the record company wouldn't put it out
Your reactions touched me deeply on this tune. I grew up listening to this music, worked all my life as a pro musician, was married for 20 years to a beautiful black woman... But watching Asia's reaction to this one really hit a nerve; brought back a LOT of memories, and for that I thank you.
I may never hear this song the same now. And that's good...
I heard an explanation of this once which said the song was supposed to be about inter-racial attraction basically always being a thing (even when it was taboo). It flits from historical slave trader's attraction and the 'house boy' with the lady of the house to Jagger's relationships and personal experiences(English blood runs hot). Like you say in the context and time period that it was written (and from a British perspective with different racial tensions and history) it probably wasn't intended to be as offensive as it now seems.
I know the line 'whip the women' was re-recorded and changed to 'with the women' for UK radio to take the violence aspect out of it.
It's a weird on for me as a white Brit because I used to love this song without really listening to the lyrics too closely. Then my girlfriend at the time (who was jamaican) explained it from her perspective. As a song, it's great.. full of energy but let's just say the lyrics didn't age well.
WW2.coloured soldiers where speechless being invited into the houses of white people to come and drink some tea with the English people!! No racisme in England!!
Ol' White Guy here... I take the song as a compliment to Black Women. My wife of many years is Black... (sof' skin actually the color of brown sugar). We love the song and dance to it.
I'm 63, and remember when I first heard this song. It was at a bar with the door open, and someone dropped a quarter in the jukebox. I was just 11 or 12, but do remember that Keith Richard's guitar riff. I enjoyed y'alls opinion on this masterpiece.
I thought this was an excellent reaction. BJ was clearly enjoying the music, and Asia was honest about her understandable discomfort with the lyrics. Nice nuanced conversation.
I never listened to the lyrics before- I have always liked this song. I always thought this was about appreciating how pretty and sexy black women could be.
Now I am not so sure that is the message. Asia is spot on, this is fucked up.
@@jayarr961 I agree.
I agree.
@@jayarr961 So are the Stones canceled now ?
The point he’s making is that the white man has ALWAYS had a taste for “brown sugar” but have lied about that and continued to commit atrocities against black women and men. All the way up until he was a teen, people still looked down on interracial relationships in the daylight, but were seeking out some “brown sugar” under the cover of darkness. What this song represents is that he spoke aloud that secret most white men did not want said at that point in history. At the time this song came out it was highly controversial, at least with white conservatives , it was only a few years after the end of segregation in the US, during the free love movement of the early 70’s.
European colonizers have always "had a taste" for everything that was (and is) not theirs. This is what colonization is all about.
And guess what? That "Colonizer" mentality has never gone away.
Just imagine the fun to be had---if humans ever develop the means to travel to other worlds. Rest assured...they (we?) will most certainly export ALL of our socialization pathologies out into Captain Kirk's "space",
...the final frontier.
One of my favorites! Love when Tina Turner sings this w/ Mick…
Mick Jagger is celebrating the beauty and majesty of women with heritage from that part of the world. It was always a tribute and a compliment.
This song is always tricky to deal with. Maybe it's a history lesson, but I think the music is just too damned fun to imagine that there's educational or moral lessons that you are supposed to get from this. I think it's just a raw song that will definitely get an eyebrow raise.
Ima be honest here...this song has been around my whole entire life and I only really listened to melody,beat and chorus and NEVER listened intently to the lyrics...and Im floored...wtf??!! Yeesh....
Sweet Black Angel. he was in love with Angela Davis at the time he wrote Sweet Black Angel. from the album Exile on Mainstreet.
I saw them in Seattle.1976!
17,500 people.
23.00 for Two!
They played this with Billy Preston on key boards!!!!
Back then!!!!!
Asia understandably had a hard time with this one. What I'll say, is when this came out in the early 70s, even "Roots" was years away from coming out. People hadn't given much thought that this had gone on, and still goes on in slave countries. I think they were bringing attention to something that's hard for our 2022 ears to hear. Just like "All in the Family"on TV, and the movie "Blazing Saddles," which ripped racism ruthlessly, but they used that racial "word" throughout it.
I agree... there was a lot of entertainment back in the 60's and 70's that was racist.
@@donnawoods8039 My point probably wasn't very clear though. Blazing Saddles, for instance, was brutally anti-racist, but that "word" was all through the film. I think people were much more willing to take in the overall message back then, whereas these days we're instantly triggered by hearing a certain word. Hopefully that makes sense...
When mick sings the line about the house boy, I think he's talking about a boy slave having sex with the plantation owners wife. 🤔
Song first released in 1971 on the great Sticky Fingers album.
I appreciate the honesty, which is EXACTLY what a reaction video should be --- honest. Thanks, Asia & BJ.
I looked up the lyrics to this one years ago, because I had the same reaction, "how did they get away with that?". But it appears that the whole thing is a question about how wrong some pieces of history have been. The statements written in first person were not the authors thoughts, but quotes from the individuals in the story. Similar to the viewpoint in Sympathy for the Devil.
Right on. The author is not necessarily the character in the song. Cross-reference NIrvana's "Polly" - the lyrics there are the thoughts of a sick kidnapper, a sadist, possibly a killer. But that's not Kurt Cobain talking as himself, that's Cobain feeding you the mind of a sick man to stimulate thought and discussion and awareness. It's definitely edgy, but this happens in books and films and songs all the time.
The stones loved and took black culture to their hearts in every way thru their touring the States in the early days. Their love of the blues, Keith's love/obsession for Ronnie Ronette, living in Jamaica where the rastas treated him as family etc.
I agree it don't sound good now at all. I like to think the verses were trying to tell a tale of history, but the chorus was a bit offensive in that context.
A lot of their blues hero's wrote songs in this manner which wasn't their place to do and is no excuse.
I think it's important to know the blues legends like muddy waters, buddy guy etc loved the stones coz they spread the word in Europe about the blues and covered/endorsed their music. The blues artists went from earning twenty bucks in the US for a gig to hundreds/thousands in Europe where they were worshipped as musical genius which they thoroughly deserved. The same happened for soul legends like Otis Redding. I could never understand why. At the end of the day the stones wouldn't exist without black culture n the blues which they would happily admit.
He also had a child to a Brazilian womanMick Jagger's first wife Bianca was Niguaruguan.
Great review. You raised some good points. They were different times for sure.
Yeah, you pretty much got it. I was literally a little kid when this song came out, it's been around my whole life. It is, in fact, one of the "great, classic" rock and roll tracks. I always thought it was one of the Stones' greatest songs. It wasn't until I was an adult (in the late 80's, early 90's) that I finally really processed what he's actually singing about. We didn't have lyric videos back in the day, so I think a lot of people were like me and didn't really know what it was about. It's hard to understand Mick Jagger a lot of the time, actually having the lyrics in front of you makes a big difference. I think if more people had actually understood the lyrics it would have been even more controversial. As someone said, the Stones have stopped playing it live. That may be for the best.
I have a hard time listening to it anymore. It's uh, kind of messed up... On the other hand, it does, as you say, document a certain something about American history, so you can look at it as a historical document, I guess? If you can just ignore the lyrics, the music is great, but uh, it's hard not to hear the lyrics once you know they're there.
@James Buckingham Nope. Your "alternate reading" is just nonsense. It's clearly about the singers taste in women. But that's all I have to say. I won't waste my life arguing with internet conspiracies. Adios.
You think this song is controversial? I have only 2 words for you: "Some Girls". And not an edited version.
Tina Turner performed a live version with the Rolling Stones. She said at the time, it was a well written account of a history that however uncomfortable, is important to be told and not to be ignored.
Holy shit Asia's eyes focused quick and it scared the shit outa me😂❤ and I been listening to this song my whole life and I'm only 56yrs and its part history lesson not just babbling
Asia is right to feel uncomfortable about this song. I’m a white guy and it makes me squirm. Some of you are giving Mick & Co. way more credit than they deserve. This is a vulgar song.
But I still appreciate it.
There are happy songs, there are sad songs, and there are angry songs. There’s thousands of them and everyone has their favorite.
Then there’s songs like this, where some horrible truth is wrapped in a shiny, bouncy rhythm.
Fortunate Son, Common People, Hey Ya!, All My Friends, and a hundred others that I can’t think of at the moment..
Went to their concert at Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts in 2002. It was the first ever event opening the stadium. First song…. Brown Sugar.
"Lady of the house wonderin´when are gonna stop" was the best line lol
Mick loves our Brown Sugar. He had a well known relationship with Marsha Hunt who was the poster girl of Black is Beautiful in the 60s and 70s
He was writing about model and singer Mesh Hunt who had already had a song written about her by John Mayall also tittled BROWN SUGER.
She recorded a good version off WALK ON GLDED SPLINTERS.
great song pick! the stones are such a great band.
Thank you you got there!
the English rockers of the 60s grew up listening to the glamorous African American female singing groups of the time and thought they were like goddesses. When they went to America they didn't have the same bias against mixed race relationships that American's did at the time and they REALLY liked the African American ladies. A great many dated their back-up singers as well who tended to be African American.