The Rolling Stones have delivered some of the most iconic rock anthems of all time, from the driving beats of “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” to the captivating “Sympathy for the Devil.” However, before Mick Jagger and Keith Richards became the legendary songwriting duo we know today, The Stones got their start by covering songs from other artists.
Their debut single in 1963 was a cover of Chuck Berry’s rock classic “Come On,” marking the beginning of a string of covers that defined the early years of their career. From Buddy Holly to Bobby Womack, The Rolling Stones initially built their reputation by mastering the art of cover songs, even releasing entire albums filled with tracks written by others.
Still, they knew that a career based on covers wouldn’t last forever. By the mid-1960s, the band began incorporating original material into their albums. Songs like “Heart of Stone” and “As Tears Go By” hinted at what was to come.
By 1966, they made the leap with Aftermath, their first album of entirely original compositions, featuring iconic tracks like “Paint It Black” and “Goin’ Home.” From that point, Jagger and Richards were on their way to becoming one of rock’s most influential songwriting teams.
Despite their move toward original songwriting, the Stones never abandoned their love of covers. In 1969, their album Let It Bleed featured one of their most notable covers, Robert Johnson’s blues track, “Love In Vain.”
Johnson, known for his melancholic yet poetic lyrics, originally wrote the song as a short blues piece. The Stones transformed it, adding a country flair and stretching it into a four-minute lament. Keith Richards spoke about how they wanted to “present it differently,” so they introduced new chords and gave it a country edge.
Mick Jagger described Johnson’s original as both poignant and desolate, with lyrics that captured a raw sense of longing. In lines like, “The train come in the station, and I looked her in the eye, I felt so sad, so lonesome, that I could not help but cry,” Johnson’s heartbreak was palpable.
The Rolling Stones’ cover deepened the emotional impact, layering in dramatic country twangs and Jagger’s soulful voice to reinvent the song for a new audience.
The Stones proved that even as they transitioned into original songwriting, their knack for covering songs and making them their own remained strong. Their take on “Love In Vain” stands as one of their finest cover performances, seamlessly blending blues and country while honoring Johnson’s legacy.
