The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger Said His Many Girlfriends Inspired a Nasty Song He Wrote
Mick Jagger said one of The Rolling Stones‘ songs was inspired by having many girlfriends. On the other hand, Keith Richards said “too many dumb chicks” inspired the track. Notably, the song was the B-side to “Paint It Black.”
Mick Jagger said 1 of The Rolling Stones’ songs is ‘nastier’ than ‘Under My Thumb’
“Under My Thumb” is a Rolling Stones song with a reputation for being sexist. During a 1995 interview with Rolling Stone, Jann S. Wenner told Jagger that The Rolling Stones’ “Stupid Girl” was “nastier” than “Under My Thumb.” “Yeah, it’s much nastier than ‘Under My Thumb,'” Jagger replied.
Wenner asked Jagger why he wrote “Stupid Girl” and similar songs. “Obviously, I was having a bit of trouble,” he said. “I wasn’t in a good relationship. Or I was in too many bad relationships.”
Jagger revealed he had a very active love life at the time. “I had so many girlfriends at that point,” he revealed. “None of them seemed to care they weren’t pleasing me very much. I was obviously in with the wrong group.”
Keith Richards said the band’s environment inspired the song
The book Keith Richards on Keith Richards: Interviews & Encounters includes an interview from 1971. In it, Richards explained the origin of “Stupid Girl.” “It was all a spinoff from our environment … hotels, and too many dumb chicks,” he said. “Not all dumb, not by any means but that’s how one got.”
Richards said The Rolling Stones were isolated at the time. “When you’re canned up — half the time it’s impossible to go out, it’s a real hassle to go out — it was to go through a whole sort of football match,” he said. “One just didn’t.
“You got all you needed from room service, you sent out for it,” he added. “Limousines sent tearing across cities to pick up a little bag of this or that. You’re getting really cut off.”
How The Rolling Stones’ ‘Stupid Girls’ and its parent album performed in the United States and the United Kingdom
“Stupid Girl” became the B-side of “Paint It Black” in the United States. The latter song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks, staying on the chart for 11 weeks. The tracks appeared on the album Aftermath. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and lasted 50 weeks on the chart.
“Stupid Girls” was neither a single nor the B-side of “Paint It Black” in the United Kingdom. According to The Official Charts Company, “Paint It Black” was No. 1 for one week in the U.K. It stayed on the chart for 10 weeks in the 1960s. Meanwhile, Aftermath was No. 1 for eight weeks, remaining on the chart for 24 weeks.
“Stupid Girl” might be nasty — but it was the B-side to one of The Rolling Stones’ most famous songs.
