The Rolling Stones have become synonymous with rock and roll, boasting a legacy that spans decades and a fan base that continues to grow. Today, they are a global phenomenon, but in the early 1960s, they were just another young band grinding it out on the London live music circuit, trying to make their mark. After honing their craft onstage, they eventually took the pivotal step of entering a recording studio for the very first time.
Back then, studio time was a luxury few could afford. Unlike today’s artists, who can create polished tracks on laptops with relative ease, bands in the 1960s faced significant challenges. Studio sessions required meticulous preparation, as mistakes could be costly. Even legendary albums, like Please Please Me by The Beatles, were recorded quickly and on tight budgets. For The Rolling Stones, stepping into the studio in 1963 marked a crucial turning point.
The First Recording: A Chuck Berry Cover
By 1963, after a year of relentless gigging at iconic London venues like Soho’s Marquee and Ealing Jazz Club, The Rolling Stones were ready to record. Their manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, recognized their potential and decided it was time for the band to cut their first track.
Lacking original material at the time, the band turned to their influences, choosing to record Chuck Berry’s 1961 hit “Come On.” Though not a Mick Jagger and Keith Richards composition, the choice perfectly captured the group’s blend of blues and rock and roll—a sound they would later master. The recording not only became their first studio track but also served as their debut single, launching their career and elevating them from a popular live act to a rising force in the music world.
The First Original Song: A Slow Start for Jagger and Richards
While The Rolling Stones’ first recording was a cover, the band’s journey as songwriters began shortly after. Surprisingly, their first original song wasn’t even recorded by them. Instead, Marianne Faithfull was the first to record a Jagger-Richards composition, the melancholic “As Tears Go By.” The song’s success marked the duo as emerging songwriters, though Keith Richards later admitted it felt oddly disconnected from the band’s gritty blues ethos at the time.
“We had a number one hit with Marianne Faithfull,” Richards recalled, “So suddenly, ‘Oh, we’re songwriters,’ with the most anti-Stones sort of song you could think of at the time, while we’re trying to make a good version of [Muddy Waters’] ‘Still A Fool.’”
Despite this unusual start, it didn’t take long for The Rolling Stones to establish themselves as formidable songwriters. Their first self-penned single, “Tell Me,” marked a turning point, proving that the band could hold their own in the songwriting game. The track helped solidify their reputation, showing that they were more than just talented interpreters of others’ songs—they were a creative powerhouse in their own right.
From Covers to Classics
The Rolling Stones’ early days were defined by a mix of influences and experimentation. Starting with a Chuck Berry cover and evolving into confident songwriters with tracks like “Tell Me,” the band laid the foundation for their legendary career. These initial steps may have been humble, but they set the stage for The Rolling Stones to become one of the most influential bands in music history.
