Brown Sugar: The Rolling Stones Most Controversial Song

Brown Sugar is one of The Rolling Stones most beloved songs yet has some of their darkest and provocative lyrics. In this video, I look back at the history of the song and reanalyze it with a modern lens.

[@notnotknowing2946]

It's true history, don't blame the Stones!

[@hermesalonso3968]

Oh no doubt!

[@hermesalonso3968]

Not knowing, God bless you my brother you know the deal! & it's funny cause it took the wire for ppl to say huh? I have been saying what this song was about for years! B4 Google so if I did how come nobody else did🤔 & I don't know you but why did it took Eric Clapton to say PRINCE is the baddest guitarist 4 ppl to say 🤔umm 🤔 am just saying, I was criticize 4 loving the Stones & rock music but I also love funk,Latin & all kinds of music & culture it makes you a better human ,GOD BLESS YOU & have a bless holidays😉

[@Zebedie01]

Huh, an admittance to slavery 🤔 it took rock & roll of high & drunk Brits to admit "it" existed/exists. History at its finest 👍🏽.

[@marcyfan]

@@hermesalonso3968 if keith ever goes back to his late 80's view of mick as insufferable, he can remember that mick wrote the guitar part and the lyrics and he'll realize he picked a magnificent partner. this song is uncancelable (unless you live in north korea).

[@andhewonders]

I don't object to the song, I object to the big fat women pouting their lips and getting all horned up dancing to it, and the little skinny men getting horny to it, as a piece of history though, it stands up.

[@fiveowaf454]

Trying to read racism into this song is like accusing someone for being racist because they made a documentary about slavery. Those who constantly look for offense, continually find it. Most people hearing brown sugar will never even be able to hear what 90% of the lyrics are.

[@pgnandt]

Not being able to understand his lyrics makes him a great vocalist. Interpretation is left up to the listener.

[@johnjohnson3709]

We are living in the Age of Whine. Let me know when it’s over.

[@grimmertwin2148]

Lol well said

[@tbone9347]

You can't reason with an idiot liberal.

[@mj.l]

@@johnjohnson3709 you're whining. the rest of us are trying to make the world a bit less shit. you'll be long gone before that struggle is over, thankfully

[@breft3416]

I was 20 when Brown Sugar hit the air waves- everybody knew what the lyrics were short of skydog. It was at the time, to me at least, another breakthrough in recognizing reality in race, history and sex. And powerful musically to this very day. I saw them in July '72 and they opened with it- stunning!

[@jussitikkuri6991]

I was 21 when it broke. As a white poor kid living in the projects with all ethnic peoples whom we all mostly got along with. I always had a thing for the Puerto Rican girls from an early age.. That's what I related "Brown Sugar" to be about. Not "Black Sugar" . Not a racial thing , but a personal preference . I ended up marrying a white girl. 42 yrs married .

[@grey31401]

I'm black and this is one of my favorite Rolling Stones songs

[@roberttompkins6489]

Oh there are others by the Stones far more controversial than this: Star Star, Some Girls, Stray Cat Blues, Sympathy for the Devil,. The original bad boys of rock.

[@Albertanator]

Exactly what I was thinking.

[@shannonschaerer1010]

I have a live recording of the Stones "C#!ksuckere Blues" - cha' That'll mess with Your head if You haven't heard it yet. Also the video being shown has Mick Singing "Just like a Young BOY should" - another funny little thing. Peace!!

[@gsaint-amour]

Times have of course changed BUT Brown Sugar is always going to be a great song to dance and sing along to. It's a shame the Stones won't perform it live anymore. I miss that energy hearing them play it live...."I said Yah Yeah Yeah Wooo."

[@philfrank9226]

What, they play the song anymore?

[@JersayPedro]

WOKENESS at its nauseatingly extreme best.

[@williegordon9188]

@@philfrank9226 Midnight Rambler is more offensive than Brown Sugar, that's a song about a knife wielding sex maniac stalking a woman. But no one ever says anything about that song.

[@Methilde]

@@williegordon9188 It was about Boston Strangler, yes craziest song.

[@Mustang1979]

People have got to remember that Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and the rest of the band are not racist. They came over here from England and were appalled at the amount of racism that existed. They hung around people of color more than they did White people! The adored the old Black Blues players and tried to be like them. They wrote songs based on history, what was happening at the time, and of personal experiences and ya know what? NOBODY was offended! They were loved by all races, all ethnic backgrounds, and more. These days? Everyone's a pansy who gets offended about everything. Give it up!

[@carolramsey6287]

I don't care if they are racist. They can be islamophobic, transphobic, homophobic or hate hedgehogs too for all I care that's their business. But if they go vegan I'm definitely done.

[@johnwatts8346]

@@carolramsey6287 exactly, the stones were /are meant to be offensive and naughty, thats their shtick, jagger wrote these lyrics deliberately, its meant to be dark (pardon pun) but also funny- thats what he always does.

[@cuebj]

False dichotomy with aggressive incel faschist overtones along the lines of what your writing about. RS individually and collectively being thoroughly at ease with people of all external appearances does not feed into labelling everyone (which would include you) as a pansy who gets offended about everything.

[@natestakely1478]

RUFK? Not 1 of you have been wheels up over the Atlantic ocean? Go to their football ( soccer) games and they are openly racist. They throw bananas. That's Germany, England, Holland, you name it. The truth is American blacks trusted no white males (who's the racist) black men hounding white women but as racist as it is over seas they pair up much more often. Thus brown sugar. It happened in the hippie culture here but never displayed.

[@adriennerobinson1180]

Truth Indeed

[@dinosalvatori5329]

Everything woke turns to shit

[@Methilde]

As a french I pray that "woke" virus don't cross the Atlantic.

[@justinmathewson3692]

Yep. It's all a diversion by the American Oligarchy while they run out the back door with all the money. The Elites in the US are pure evil.

[@keeftaylor834]

Interesting fact about "Brown Sugar," it was recorded at the famous Muscle Shoals studios, and Keith Richards guitar was recorded in the bathroom of the studio. Apparently, Keith thought the acoustics in that particular room would really be great. How he ever came to that idea, is just part of the mystery and legend of Keith Richards.

[@green323turbo]

I heard they used a 100 watt Fender Tweed turn to 10 aiming out the back door

[@Santiago-hg6hk]

Ya know, other day I was listening to an old playlist of mine and the song Strange Fruit came on Recorded by Billie Holiday and then again many years later by Katie Segal for an episode of Sons of Anarchy. If you've never heard the song the title Strange fruit refers to the black bodies hanging from trees down south back in the day. More brutal lyrics I have never heard. It's a very beautiful bitter song. The thing is it's a slow somber song which seems fitting for the subject. Of all the bands I listen to growing up in the '70s the Stones are the ones I keep with me. I love them. That being said the only thing you could find controversy with if you wanted to about Brown Sugar is it's an up-tempo dance song I mean you could dance to it people do. Even the sax solo is amazing. But if you know the Stones you know they're not glorifying the subject matter they're just well... The Stones. They're a legendary bad boy rock and roll band they are not preachers gurus or self-help instructors. If a person doesn't know the difference I would beg you not to breed we already have an abundance of stupid motherfuckers walking the Earth. Keep Rocking Bitches !!! 😂🤘🏽😂

[@grimmertwin2148]

Too many white pussies Well said Very well said I tell Republican voters not to breed drive or vote You stole my line But after all it's only Rocknroll PEACE

[@elizabethcsicsery-ronay1633]

I agree! Keep rocking. It's a great song. The Stones were my favorite, they'll always will be my favorite.

[@johnbedford3450]

If someone is offended by Brown Sugar. Then be offended. Don't listen to it.

[@barry1369]

Imagine being offended by a song 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@scottythetrex5197]

Greatest band ever. Not even close. Jagger is a very underrated lyricist. Once you realize what he is actually singing, you realize how intelligent and poetic he is.

[@Santiago-hg6hk]

I could not agree more. There are so many of his lyrics I could just wear on a shirt. It's strange that as a kid growing up on hard Rock I liked the stones I loved Zeppelin deep purple Black Sabbath Pink Floyd but I just liked the stones. Now as a 60-year-old male I just fucking love the stones. I heard it once said if you could pick only one man to represent Rock in the 60s it would have been Hendrix and if you could have picked just one band it would have to be the Stones. I know the Beatles came first but. ...

[@johnwatts8346]

yeah man, jagger is a true genius lyric writer, so so many classic lines, the humour and wit, forget about it. i regard him the best lyricist a mile, screw bob dylan, he writes abstract waffle, jagger takes a very simple straight forward topic and then comes up with an amzingly witty humourous take / angle on it.

[@Bluemoon-sd8vp]

@@Santiago-hg6hk Me and my cat prefer the stones. Our favorite group. They have a different sound. Better, the Best.

[@repetitivemotion]

Jagger sings like he has a mouth full of marbles

[@scottythetrex5197]

@@repetitivemotion Yes, it's perfect for many songs.

[@flinchey6962]

Great breakdown and history of the track, still one of the stones best works I think despite its raw nature it’s shows micks songwriting ability, I understand we’re in a different time now, but I think they should still play it, sweet black angel another good country blues track

[@Methilde]

Yes, Sweet Black Angel is about Angela Davis so how to imagine that Mick could have racists feelings. They take their name from Muddy Water and had played with many greats black musicians ?????????? Two black singers as back vocals on stage etc.....

[@markjenner7199]

We must. Stop political correctness from destroying our music like it has elsewhere it's of its time simple as that ⁉️

[@gary1477]

@dhouse He was never married to Marsha Hunt. He even denied the paternity of their child, until tests proved otherwise.

[@matthatter2849]

"Brown Sugar" might be a bit controversial, but it's the lyrics of "Stray Cat Blues" and "Let it Bleed" that shock me more.

[@green323turbo]

And Under My Thumb is about making women submissive

[@jeromeariganello9874]

​@@green323turbo And Brown Sugar is insanely racist, pedophiliac and misogynistic all in one song. To think otherwise, based upon their catalogue, is naive at best.

[@unclepear1528]

Stray Cat Blues is totally unhinged. The Stones were intentionally trying to push the public opinion to the edge. Plus, times were different. Some of their craziest lyrics are certainly autobiographical (such as Under My Thumb and Stupid) but many other (such as Stray Cat Blues and Some Girls, Brown Sugar too) are obviously in character.

[@davebrokenshire1086]

For their first American tour in 1964 they had it written into their contracts that they would NOT play segregated venues. And don't forget, in '64 they were virtually unknown in the US, outside of New York and California, they had no commercial clout and probably lost some really useful gigs for the sake of their principles.

[@psychedelicpiper999]

The Beatles wouldn’t play to segregated audiences either. I think that ended up helping the Stones out, since those same venues where The Beatles played would then end up booking bands like the Stones.

[@Mustang1979]

True but the ignorance of people today who quickly want to cancel them for this song is ridiculous. They need to go read the numerous books on the Rolling Stones so that they can get that ignorance out of their minds.

[@raiderjohnthemadbomber8666]

"Brown Sugar " is the epitome of Blues music. That is to say it's down and dirty, but it'll tell you the truth. This song describes and explains the world of the blues, better than most music has tried to do. Remember that the blues came from slaves field songs. This style of music generated blues, rock and country music.

[@michaeldavid6284]

"Brown Sugar" is not the epitome of blues music or even close to one of the Stones most blues-influenced tunes. It's a straight-ahead, rocking rhythm guitar driven riff that is total Chuck Berry, and everyone in the band has affirmed that over the years. And yes, Chuck's music incorporates a lot of blues elements, but he refined his songwriting and playing into something unique and groundbreaking that he created.

[@raiderjohnthemadbomber8666]

@@michaeldavid6284 thank you for the lecture, it was educational. And yes, I totally agree about Chuck Berry. He was also a great showman and obviously a pioneer.

[@lennycann3334]

Somewhere on youtube you can find a vid of Mick playing a very early version of the song with just him singing and playing guitar to Ike and Tina turner (they supported the stones on the 69 tour) backstage at MSG on the 69 tour. And when mick starts singing Tina chuckles at the line "oh brown sugar howcome you taste so good"

[@Methilde]

At the end she said "not BAD" and smiles.

[@rufusbodine507]

Yes, they were all doing it back then. Free sex and heroin (aka. brown sugar)

[@bebebrez-kal9136]

@@rufusbodine507 👍🏻

[@rick3313]

What did Ike say to Mick? 😎

[@Arcticnick]

I just spent fifty years thinking Brown Sugar was about heroin.

[@grahamdrummond2412]

me too, I must have read it, & it made sense , obviously

[@jstone247]

Me too.

[@robmills7611]

Actually "some girls" was there most controversial song and justifiably so. Brown sugar IS NOT, at least in terms of being justifiably controversial. It was just people reading things into it, the song was historically correct just not "politically correct" in the upside down world that we live in

[@MrGenexxx]

Nothing wrong with Some Girls. Jagger/Richards been there and done that. The song is based on their experience with lots of different women. It's from their perspective. I think they knew what they were talking about. Doesn't mean all women in the world were like that. Only the ones that met the Stones in the 60's and 70's.

[@edlawn5481]

@@MrGenexxx I remember Garrett Morris on SNL, acting all serious saying, "Mr. Jagger I have one question for you, and you had better answer it, because you have besmirched the character of black women, so here is my question: Like, where are these black broads, baby? You got any phone numbers for me? Please, baby!"

[@MrGenexxx]

@@edlawn5481 that was clearly a joke.

[@jmad627]

Yeah but it wasn’t a hit single played on AM radio.

[@mikenodine6713]

Some Girls lyric "...Black girls just wanna get f%cked all night I just don't have that much jam..." 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@1suitcasesal]

I think that Brown Sugar is a masterpiece. I think some of the best art is made when the artist is young and unafraid of expressing him / herself. It's like they are expressing directly from their Id without interference from their ego or super ego. As we age we can become governed by our ego and super ego because we start to care how history will judge us and how we will be thought of by others. The genius of the Stones is that they were rebels and they almost had to be the antithesis of the Beatles in order to be noticed. This made them take the chance to write some really socially unacceptable stuff. Before the beginning of the rock era we were all supposed to be good little young Humans and who fit in with society completely and effortlessly. We were expected to be polite beings. We were repressing all of our passion and not so nice thoughts. What ever is repressed must eventually be expressed --- enter the Rolling Stones. I think also Brown Sugar must have been written as a response to the weirdness and racism the Stones saw in the USA south. Eperiencing the south must have been really freaky and possibly disgusting to young men from England or anywhere in Europe for that matter. The south and interior of the USA is still a freaky backwards place to this day.

[@Mustang1979]

You are right. The Stones were freaked out about the racism in the south when they first arrived from England. There's a reason why they were recording in Muscle Shoals back in '69. It's all laid out in the many books that I've read about the band over the years. Anyone who's pissed off about this song is ignorant to history. They were actually writing about slaves and the poor treatment that they got from the white man. It doesn't make them racist in any shape or form.

[@drlecter8145]

THEY SHOULD OF NEVER BENT TO THE WOKE...FTW

[@barbaraneville2778]

I'm tired of songs being too controversial to be played. It was written as a time in history that was real at that time. Should be taken in context. It's like banning books. Baby It's Cold Outside is a great song and now that's controversial also. Sick of this!

[@shannonschaerer1010]

I Absolutely Agree!! Context is Everthing. It's about the way it WAS during the slave trade. It's like knowing that I'll never see "Gone with the Wind" on any kind of Regular T.V. again!! We KNOW slavery was(& IS) Wrong - but to the point of not being able to discuss it (in American history) in any rational way is weird. Throughout time (say the last 10,000yrs), after a war, the victors would take some of the people that they conquered & use or sell them as slaves. It HAPPENED - Are we NOT Supposed 2B Learning from our Past!? The WORST is that To this DAY there is still a thriving human trafficking industry - both in the USA & in most of the world. I've Read alot about it, watched many Documentary kinda shows, many things on U - Tube & whatnot, but at least we can discuss the problem & try to find ways of overcoming it. Now it is not about "Race" - it's About the "Sex" industry. Millions of Young people are being sold/traded/moved from city to city every week/month so the police are less likley to notice them in their city. Boys & Girls being FORCED into being slaves. What sickens me MORE is that there is such a HUGE DEMAND for these Children!! How many pedos ARE THERE!? ANY form of Slavery is WRONG & F#!KED up - but it has always been around. - Racism is Also still a Big Problem, & that's what we need to deal with NOW - learn How & Why it's become what it is today. ALL LIVES MATTER - There is no difference when it comes to that. Sorry for the huge reply, I guess I feel like the world is kinda F'd up right now, & that there is NO REASON for Anyone to stop enjoying this CLASSIC SONG - Esp with so many more songs SINCE then that have WAY more controversial lyrics than any performance of "Brown Sugar"!! - Peace!!

[@wombatwilly1002]

Agreed? This generation is a bunch of limpy cry babies

[@Simon-mw6do]

Timeless classics being cancelled… why don’t they cancel overly seductive, low effort, inate songs of today’s music.

[@Larrymh07]

Black lives do matter.

[@wombatwilly1002]

@@Larrymh07 Ok Millennial.

[@noname1st139]

Singing about culture from the past good or bad is not demonising or promoting, it's historical art in a form of a song, and a Great one, possibly will remain in the top 20 stone's songs

[@1rwjwith]

They would never be allowed to release it today! It is a masterpiece ! Jagger was good from time to time at putting historical references in songs, Sympathy For The Devil is another one .

[@kindnessfirst9670]

Who would stop them and how? In the USA (at least) there is no one with the power to stop record releases.

[@blackspring3207]

what are you talking about. more controversial shit comes out all the time.

[@1rwjwith]

I think they should start every show with it but this is the fact

[@Jannbright24]

Brown Sugar is 50yrs old now some people want to ban it. SMH

[@igorbolotnikov4103]

Folks don't lose you mind, i'll sooner believe Jagger is a Martian than he's a racist. If something offends you, just turn off the radio

[@robertlennon9531]

Compared to the lyrics of some of today's songs , Brown sugar should be far from offensive.

[@williaml5223]

This is a well out together little video essay man, would love to see more

[@SheckyBeagleman]

This is so interesting. Thank you. Brown Sugar is a Great, Kick-Ass, Rock n Roll song. I was 14 when it came out in 1971. I'm 65 now. I still Love the song. I still Love The Rolling Stones. But yes, what the song does now when I hear it, is take me back to the excitement I had the first time I heard it. The Rolling Stones as artists, Mick Jagger as an artist wrote that song. He was in a zone, channeling something that created that song. An artistic zone that he and Keith Richards entered many times before and many times since. That's what artists do. They create something and afterward don't even know where it came from. I of course understand the song's controversy, so obviously does Mick Jagger. Art is often just that. It just is. And it's subjective. It lives in its own reality but it is only reality in and of itself. Brown Sugar is just a song. It does reflect horrible things that actually happened. But it's a great song. It just is.

[@cuebj]

I was 15 when it came out. Uneasy about it then so listened carefully and came to similar conclusions to this video. Video is now out of date since RS have stopped playing it live for valid reasons that contexts change

[@JohnSmith-fe7nf]

I was 11 in 1971. I remember listening to this song on my transistor radio. I went and bought the single, I believe on the flip side was the song bitch. I didn't understand most of the words, I loved the beat.

[@jaybee9269]

Mick actually says “Just like a young boy should,” if you listen. I think they recorded at Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Legendary place.

[@johngore7744]

Yup and he got the name Skydog. From the bathroom wall where Duane Allman wrote it. It was Duanes nick name. I wonder if mick paid him. Some how I doubt. Even Ian Stewart used to say. ‘ I never expect to get any credit from this lot I do it cause I love it ‘ lol. True. Still love the band. Egos and all.

[@green323turbo]

you hear what you want to hear > I hear Just like a young girl should Here is the very first live version in 1969. He says "Girl" but Jagger changes the lyrics live all the time. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqm3dIRrnLxjf8k

[@green323turbo]

@@johngore7744 . He clearly says Scared Old Slaver , here in the first live time they played it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqm3dIRrnLxjf8k

[@Better_Call_Raul]

Utter nonsense. *Just like a black girl should* is the album lyric. Stones in concert unfortunately tame it down and sing "Just like a young boy should" which is politically correct bullshit. "Young boy" makes zero sense. The song is obviously about a slavemaster and a *woman* slave. It is poetic and historically accurate. Just let it be. Moreover, why the hell would "Just like a young boy should" be any less offensive than "Just like a black girl should"? Gold Coast slave ship bound for cotton fields Sold in the market down in New Orleans Skydog slaver know he's doin' all right Hear him whip the women, just around midnight Brown Sugar, how come you taste so good? Brown Sugar, just like a young girl should, oh no Drums beatin' cold, English blood runs hot Lady of the house wonderin' when it's gonna stop House boy knows that he's doin' all right You should have heard him, just around midnight Brown Sugar, how come you taste so good? Brown Sugar, just like a young girl should, yeah Brown Sugar, how come you dance so good? Oh, got me quittin' Brown Sugar, just like a black girl should, yeah

[@1suitcasesal]

I think the 60's were the last years artists could be really raw.

[@mickmcgrath2313]

I went to their Voodoo Lounge tour, and was amazed at how many black fans they have.

[@johnshields6852]

I was 12 when this came out, loved the song, to me it was a positive song about a black girl, I guess people say it's sexist, or racist, but for me it just talked about how sweet the black girl is, different era, I still listen to the rock of my youth, great memories and music.

[@jdenino6022]

I was 11 when this came out and I heard it on the radio playing constantly in NYC and didn’t know what it was about bc U could not understand most of what Jagger was singing about.😂

[@NewarkBay357]

Now the Rolling Stones no longer play this song live. A great song, finally censored by the Stones themselves. Bullshit... BTW..It is 'Scarred old Slaver"

[@jaybee9269]

It’s not the slaver that’s scarred though…not externally.

[@franktaconelli9095]

by the way it’s ‘sky dog slaver’ ; a nod to Duane Almann and the Muscle Shoals studio ‘Brown Sugar’ was recorded at; hardly their most controversial song; ever listen to ‘Some Girls’?

[@briangrace1402]

@@franktaconelli9095 its scarred

[@franktaconelli9095]

@@briangrace1402 watch the doc on Muscle Shoals; Sky Dog was Duane Allman’s nickname

[@briangrace1402]

@@franktaconelli9095 does not sound like that on the studio track

[@jaybee9269]

Mick actually says “Just like a young boy should,” most of the time if you listen.

[@cindiballer2939]

Yeah I NOTICED THAT TOO. SO IT DEPENDS WHAT Frequency IN TIME THOUGHT THINKING ONE WANTS TO PONDER FOR THEIR OWN INTERPRETATION. NOW THAT IS PURE GENIUS OF MICK JAGGER GIVING US THE GIFT OF OUR OWN FANCY IN FANTASY. THANK YOU MICK JAGGER. YOU ARE SO COOL AND CLEVER NO ONE HAS EVER SUSPECTED WHAT A MAGNIFICENT TEACHER YOU ARE. ! JUST LIKE A TEACHER SHOULD....... HOLLER!

[@albrechtkonrad5496]

Thank you Joe for the video, on your work and I agree, how you explain the controversial lyrics of Brown Sugar in the 50 year time frame.

[@anthonyambrose479]

Always been and still my favorite.

[@itiswhatitaintanditaintwha1427]

The Stones would court controversy again with 'Some Girls'. And I'm a big fan.

[@brianmallon1810]

its called rock and roll

[@84223100]

I remember there was some show on years ago about greatest rock songs. I recall Little Richard going wow, brown sugar how come you taste some good. And he's laughing. Giving the okay for the song. Naturally thats before country became woke.But when my friends get together partying, and soon as the opening guitar riff comes on, everyone goes yaa and start dancing. Just a great rock song., that still to this day holds its own.

[@christo792]

Apparently Mick wrote this song about Marsha Hunt, his girlfriend at the time. If she read the lyrics before the song was recorded, it's surprising that she didn't point out to Mick that writing a song about slave ships and women being whipped, (just around midnight), isn't romantic.

[@stanb.5261]

I remember Jagger saying during an interview, "Well, I'd look pretty daft doing this when I'm forty- wouldn't I?"

[@rayerscarpensael2300]

Brown Sugar back please live.

[@mlg4035]

Great, nuanced, analysis of this song and its complicated history!

[@wilburkowitz7344]

Rock. Plain and simple. Raw, everything great about rock distilled by the Stones in Brown Sugar. The guitar work, that insane sax, Jagger personifying complete lack of inhibition. If a Supreme Court Justice said he knew pornography when he saw it, anyone who likes rock knows that's what Brown Sugar embodies arguably better than any song the Stones cut and maybe better than anything anyone ever produced. Three minutes of genius. Three minutes of anarchic fun.

[@nickfisher432]

I think people get way too upset about stupid shit and need to focus their anger on more important things than a 50-year-old song or some old comedy bit.

[@billowens8051]

The genius of this song, and Jagger's sly lyrics, is it can be about whatever you perceive it to be about. But it clearly isn't condoning racism or slavery. It's meant to make you dance your ass off, and to possibly reflect on what the hell is the 'character' in the song really singing about. Smart stuff if you ask me, and one of the greatest rock n roll songs in history. If it offends you, don't listen to it. But none of the Stones are, or were, racist.

[@senikovalyoruz3218]

The song is a metaphor. Brown Sugar is a special kind of Herxxin. It tastes so good that you can't stop and become a slave to your addiction at the same time. The whips symbolize withdrawal.

[@christo792]

The opening lines to Brown Sugar. 'Gold coast slave ship bound for cotton fields Sold in the market down in New Orleans Scarred old slaver knows he's doing alright Hear him whip the women just around midnight [Chorus] Brown sugar, how come you taste so good? Uh huh Brown sugar, just like a young girl should, uh huh, oh (Woo)' Are there any of those lyrics which aren't dubious? (Including the last line...)

[@cinematiccrisis]

Man, it's "scarred old slaver", despite what Dickinson and Richards were saying. edit: I misspelled scarred

[@hughchadderton3124]

Agree. Scarred old slaver.

[@Bluzian74]

Yeah, I agree. It ain't Skydog. That's confabulation.

[@shannonschaerer1010]

Yep - I Agree 100%!! Like You, I've heard it a million times, & there's No Way it's "Skydog" that we've heard that Many times!! Weird to even think of!!

[@neilsoulman]

Stones were always down with black culture from their seminal years, recalling how they named the band after a Muddy Waters song, how James Brown dug them when they opened for him, the music from the onset was mingled with elements of blues & r&b, and it's no secret about Jaggers love and proclivity for beautiful black women. Whether the song was a statement to inspire thought, a statement about the fetishizing, abuse and mistreatment of black woman particularly in the west, only Jagger could answer that. The rest is all conjecture & speculation. In any case, he has decided to mute the original message, classic nostalgia song now, probably time to lay it to rest, toss it in the classic rock archives

[@christopherprim1973]

It's art. It's history. If Shakespeare writes a dark play, do people wonder how power-mad, lustful and vengeful he is? No, they say wow, yeah, that's a slice of what happens when you push it hard. Sympathy for the Devil was just as controversial, but people aren't as religious these days.

[@Methilde]

Othello (Shakespeare) a black man who murder his white wife, should be cancel to ??????? :) :) :)

[@christopherprim1973]

@@Methilde Of course not. Are you trolling me, son? ;)

[@Methilde]

@@christopherprim1973 Of course not, i was jocking.

[@2050gilly]

I'd have to say that the Stones had much more controversial songs than Brown Sugar. Brown Sugar was in airplay forever yet Some Girls was gone from the airwaves within 6 months of release. Also Slave and T&A from Tattoo You were banned fairly quickly from radio. So while Brown Sugar may be getting some flack these days I think there are other Stones songs that most people have never heard that were more controversial.

[@mikeminno5956]

Star Fucker was one.

[@stevec3892]

Been listening to this song for 50 years now it’s a problem lol

[@pedrorocha9722]

Where's the controversy? It's a song. And a good song.

[@DonkeyBoyVids]

While I respect the other commenters' opinions on the song, the song is clearly making light of/fetishizing the contents of the song. Not to mention the "fun" upbeat tempo almost mocking the contents of the song, in my opinion. Not singing about it like this doesn't mean you're ignoring it. There's plenty of other songs that are about the horrible nature of slavery, and plenty of other media. I mostly agree with you on this song, Mr. Nose. In love with the production value and research done! Started with your Velvet Underground video and was surprised to see you're so small. Good job!

[@joenose5042]

Thanks! I appreciate the comment

[@ub1953]

I miss BROWN SUGAR on radio air-play; it's been culture cancelled like so many things and have to sneak a listen on YOU TUBE....loved it live when Mick split the audience with; "say ya ya ya ya "

[@huascar66]

The song has been so misinterpreted. Mick's lyrics were basically a piss-take on racism and British colonialism. It's pathetic that The Stones cannot play this song anymore because of the idiotic cancel culture mentality we have to deal with these days. Even Mick says that he couldn't write a song like Brown Sugar now, that he would self-censor.

[@jasonwiley798]

Oh come on. I hear it on the radio still

[@garnethumelsine5358]

Political correctness doesn't make you a mind reader. Controversial? Depends on YOUR OWN interpretation of the song. If the Stones wouldn't have pushed the boundaries they wouldn't be the Stones.

[@lionheartroar3104]

Brown Sugar was not a celebration of prejudice/slavery, it was a condemnation.

[@morrisjvan]

This is not a racist song, it is a song about racism (in particular slavery)It is not celebrating it ,or condoning it, but just acknowledging that time in history.

[@Briansmusic-]

He has never sang the same lyrics twice with this one and others. He has sang "young boy", young girl' "black girl" ect. Probably personal experience went into his train of thought at any given moment of performing it.

[@pdm2201]

Don’t forget Bobby Keys sax contribution to this rocker extraordinaire. The song is not morose or bleak. It’s celebratory and thats the problem some folks have with it… not to mention the cunnilinguis .

[@joenose5042]

The sax is my favorite part of the song

[@shirliestewart8122]

Wow, I learned so much about the song brown sugar, the stones are so creative, I love them

[@scottpraegitzer3252]

Intentional or accidental, some songs (lyrically) are documents in time. For me, I always heard “Scarred old slaver…, hear him with the women just around midnight.” And, “drums beat cold but his blood runs hot.” Now we can’t just keep looking at history in a current context and say, “this means something different now, it’s bad, it should be discarded and never heard again.” It’s an art form just as any literary work is, it should be appreciated for what it was when conceived. In this case, it was social commentary of the time previous and up to the time it was created. Social commentary is meant to make you consider something. In my opinion anyway. ✌️

[@pewsterbaby]

You're right. It's scarred old, not freaking skydog.

[@camdensubdivision3020]

"Controversial" lyrics aside, "Brown suguar" might be the perfect rock & roll song; Chuck Berry riff, wailing sax solo, it checks all the boxes..

[@johnjohnson3709]

I love the song mostly because of the way the guitar riffs go. Open tuning in G

[@rcjr.7725]

If they don't want to play that song I don't want to see them anymore

[@JP51ism]

@3:00, LOL re: "Mick's 2 hour attempt to grow facial hair."

[@Methilde]

Maybe the first time Jagger played Brown Suggar was backstage with Ike and Tina Turner and Tina said : not bad :)

[@mathstar4176]

Back in the day, my Mom liked the song Brown Sugar but she had a problem with that zip on the album cover Sticky Fingers. Well she didn't understand the lyrics.😊

[@denabergman6543]

Nothing really has changed over the years, except people have become more closed-minded or woke, if you will. The lyrics tells a story of a situation. That was the ‘60’s. If you start criticizing every questionable lyric line now, we’ll all be listening to instrumentals.

[@sprague49]

I think it's safe to say that the Stones are rich enough not to care. It's just one song out of 100's.

[@jacobdeloache183]

I saw it on No Filter tour and it rocked my dick off. Seen them twice since then and miss it very much. It was also the first song I ever played live.

[@cliffbungalow9373]

The Garrett Morris bit on SNL about Some Girls was beautiful. You could see it coming from a mile away but he timed it perfectly.

[@mjames4709]

A modern day American lens. Just what the world does NOT need. 👎

[@hulubangaGutenWami]

11:07 the fact that I came across this video after brown sugar's reference in the wire.

[@lovman]

Actually, the lyrics about Black Girls in Some Girls was more controversial in 1978.

[@hankwedelmusic9965]

It’s a history lesson… That you can dance to… The fact that this doc ignores Keith’s use of Open G, the groove of the drums-percussion, Keith’s backing vocals and Bobby Keyes Sax says so much about what this video missed about the song

[@josephmay2941]

Without songs like "Brown Sugar" (and all their other songs) the Rolling Stones would have been a pop band just like Herman ´ s Hermits, Led Zeppelin, Queen, or ABBA. Fortunately, we don ´ t have this American problem here in Europe/Germany.

[@Santiago-hg6hk]

So you're putting Zeppelin and Abba in the same category? 😂😂😂 To me pop music will be more like the Carpenters or Metallica.

[@mjuza7114]

Led Zeppelin is pop band?!:))) LOL....Led Zeppelin is epitome of rock band.....The Rolling Stones have tons of pop songs...nothing wrong with that, just Led Zeppelin is far from that

[@adkaiser]

Very interesting take on an essential track and one of my all-time favorites. I don’t agree with Keith’s recent claim that it was meant to shine a light on the horrors of slavery, or whatever the exact quote was. But I also don’t think it should be taken at face value as a directly racist song, either. At that point in their career (and for awhile after as well), the Stones really made a point of being provocative. They rarely delved into political or social issues directly, but I think part of their mystique at the time was being as offensive and shocking to the square establishment as often as they could. That’s what I’ve always thought Brown Sugar was about: rattling the kind of person who tends to be scandalized by depictions of raunchy (gasp!) interracial (gasp!) sex (gasp!). I don’t think Jagger was trying to get listeners to think that whipping slaves is sexy; I think he was trying to push the buttons of people who thought he was a diabolically corrupting figure by being as offensive as possible. The trouble with Brown Sugar is, he’s doing this at the expense of Black women. It’s always been my perception that in their heyday, the Stones were far more popular with Black audiences than most classic rock bands. Maybe this was because the Stones so obviously worshipped Black music, or because their stages were far more integrated than those of most of their peers. The boomers and Gen Xers of color whom I’ve known well enough to ask their opinion of Brown Sugar never seemed perturbed by it, but it’s easy to see why generations that are coming of age now, who didn’t grow up exposed to the Stones’ complex relationship with race, might be offended by Brown Sugar. It is indeed a compelling rocker, but the Stones have plenty of classics with which to fill a two-hour concert. If it’s going to alienate them from younger, diverse members of their audience, I’m fine with them dropping it from setlists and giving the audience the chance to hear something else for a change. I’ve seen them 6 times and still not heard Angie or Beast of Burden played live. Maybe now I’ll get the chance.

[@clydekimsey7503]

Im 64 and a big stones fan. Im conservative and against cancel culture. I tend to not pay attention to lyrics. I go more for the melody. I hadn't even heard of this song's controversy until a few years ago. Until I read the lyrics in this video, I just thought it was about a sexy black girl. I didn't know it was about a master having sex (rape?) with them. Now, I no longer like it.

[@johnsmith-xr1uh]

Times might change but a great song is a great song

[@newcastlejb]

Must've never heard, "Stray Cat Blues" 🤣

[@BOOMER-DAD]

The lyric “Sky dog” slaver was when Jagger heard the name “Sky dog” which they called Dwayne Allman at the studio where the stones stop to record during the 1969 tour because he was always high and Jagger liked the sound of it

[@futmasterttv]

Great vid! Very professional

[@wrayven]

Hardcore Stones fans would probably go with Cocksucker Blues as being more controversial.

[@tonytylerofficial]

Hate to be one of “those guys” my man, but I literally can’t help this one. Duane Allman was given the name SkyDog by Wilson Pickett because his slide playing and band leadership was ground breaking and absolutely created an entire genre. That’s why David Frick put him second only to Hendrix. The Muscle Shoals recordings that Duane played on is what inspired The Stones to go to Alabama and record Brown Sugar in the first place. Wouldn’t you consider that information much more interesting and actually more significant to the story of the song than you’re giving credit to? Most definitely where Jagger heard SkyDog. It’s just a shame that you decided to rag on the guy that’s a much more interesting part of the story by saying the name SkyDog came from Duane being “high all the time”. Duane took drugs, lived hard yeah…most of them did in that era. Like the video man, just wanted to share. ✌🏼

[@sidglimmer60]

Thank you for this!

[@robertross2155]

I hate to be one of those guys also but I thought the lyric is "scarred old slaver" which fits the content of the lyrics a little better than Skydog

[@jacqemmet1764]

How do you slag Brown Sugar and Duane Allman all at once ... makes me wonder why am I even watching this!

[@TimLondonGuitarist]

As a once dabbler in half-baked songwriting I would definitely have chosen skydog if it occurred to me

[@green323turbo]

The lyric is "scarred old slaver and the Stones didn't come to Muscle Shoales because of Duane Allman ... the Stones had Mick Taylor who is was every bit as good or better Slide player than Duane , imo . Duane played only played in Open E .. Mick T plays slide mostly in std tuning but also open G . Taylors vibrato and feel are just un-matched , imo , kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaale6FoasanjM0

[@MrBlack-ze6hw]

As far as SKYDOG is concerned, it has nothing to do with how high Duane Allman would get, shit, most rockers of that time were high. The word SKYDOG was given to Duane as a nickname by Wilson Pickett when both were recording at Muscle Shoals recording studio for Pickets album. Wilson Picket was amazed by Duane's guitar playing and how he made such sweet high notes that sounds like birds chirping when Duane would play slide guitar, he also admired Duane's free hippy life style. Also why would Jagger use Duane Allman a.k.a. Skydog to represent a Slave driver...it makes no sense.

[@benman1577]

I feel like 40% of this video is " who knows what the fuck Mick Jagger is saying"

[@melmc9672]

In my home club,they covered BROWN SUGAR every night at midnight

[@franktaconelli9095]

all this analyzing that goes on here on KZbin is so boring; let’s paraphrase one of the writers of this great song, Keith Richards: ‘good Rock & Roll hits your crotch before it hits your head’…it’s a product of its era and generation; all this cancel culture is such bullsh!t; grow a pair and accept the fact that no one gets out of here without a few scars; it builds character; what a concept in this world where everyone’s a winner even if you came in last…Brown Sugar is a great song delivered with great performances from the Greatest Rock & Roll band in the world

[@michaelhiggs8657]

Bill wasn't the original bass player! It was Dick Taylor who later played in the Pretty Thing!!...

[@tedparkinson6892]

Thanks for this! Great history, commentary and I totally agree about the shitty job of recording they often did. What the hell were they singing on the original Exile on Main St? Jeez. Thanks for your service, sir.

[@joenose5042]

Thanks! And ya, I used to not like the murky production of The Stones compared to other bands of the time but I've come to really love how shite a lot of it sounds

[@christpoic]

It kind of sounds like a metaphor for heroin in my opinion: Sold in the market down in New Orleans Brown sugar, how come you taste so good? Lady of the house wonderin' when it's gonna stop Ah, get on, brown sugar, how come you taste so good? Ah, got me craving the, the brown sugar

[@holyharlot5222]

It's not even in their most controversial top 10

[@kenamaro3942]

Loved it then...love it now.

[@prf76]

Controversial my backside! Far too many people these days are just looking for the next thing to pretend they’ve been offended by.

[@dincanforbes1230]

I don t know if this has been mentioned..back in the early 60s, a black blues singer asked Jagger if he could stop unnunciating the stone s lyrics, so the audience had to guess what he was singing it was deliberate

[@catmom1322]

Honestly, I was unaware of the lyrics until now. I've always loved this song forever.

[@markwaters7215]

Then you should have known the lyrics you total plonker !

[@justjoe469]

That is so funny Am 55 years old and know the song/ But never really got all the versus. I had the album. since I was in my single digit age. I just thought of it as a cool rock song. I think people just pay too much emphasis on stuff these days.

[@telekmetyk]

I always thought this song was about heroin

[@nigelralphmurphy9565]

I always thought it was about heroin! (In the 70s you could get pure heroin from Laos, uncut, and brown rather than white. It looked a lot like brown sugar. Talk about completely missing the point. I'd obviously taken too much brown sugar!)

[@wombatwilly1002]

I've heard this as well

[@scotishjohn]

Heard that never touched smack myself prefered acid

[@opengee]

I think the song lyric is actually "SCARRED OLD SLAVER..." not Skydog slaver. Skydog is a reference to either Duane Allman, or a Blackfeet animal sanctuary.

[@cliffbungalow9373]

Jimmy Johnson at Muscle Shoals said they were talking about Skydog and Jagger liked that name.

[@JamesPetroff]

The best Stones song for sure.