“So Beautifully Simple”: The Story Behind “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (but I Like It)” by The Rolling Stones

In 1973, Ron Wood was recording his debut solo album at his home studio in Southwest London. Many musicians, including George Harrison and Rod Stewart, dropped in during the sessions. One night, as the tape rolled, Mick Jagger sang lead, David Bowie provided backing vocals, session musician Willie Weeks played bass, and Kenney Jones of The Faces was on drums. Keith Richards took the basic track and added guitar parts. The Rolling Stones album It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll was produced by Jagger and Richards as “The Glimmer Twins.” The title track was the lead single. Let’s take a look at the story behind “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (but I Like It)” by The Rolling Stones.

If I could stick my hand in my heart
And spill it all over the stage
Would it satisfy ya, would it slide on by ya
Would you think the boy is strange? Ain’t he strange?

Imitating Someone Else’s Style

Explained Jagger: “The title has been used a lot by journalists. The phrase has become a big thing. That version that’s on there is the original version, which was recorded half in Ron Wood’s basement, if I remember rightly. It was a demo. It’s a very Chuck Berry song, but it’s got a different feeling to it than a Chuck Berry song. You can’t really do proper imitations of people. You always have to start out by imitating somebody. In painting, some famous artist always starts out by being an impressionist. And then they become the most famous abstract artist. Or an actor starts out by imitating someone else’s style. And then you develop your own.”

If I could win ya if I could sing ya
A love song, so divine
Would it be enough for your cheating heart
If I broke down and cried? If I cried?

A New Amalgam

Jagger continued, “I think that’s what happened with this band and all the musicians that have played in it. You start off with one thing, and then you mutate into another, but you still acknowledge the fact that these influences came from here and here and here. Because not everyone knows that. But you make this new amalgam. And out of all this different music, all out these blues, out of all this country music, out of all this jazz and dance music and reggae music, you know, you make something that’s your own.”

I said I know it’s only rock’ n roll, but I like it
I know it’s only rock’ n roll, but I like it, like it, yes, I do
Oh, well, I like it, I like it, I like it
I said can’t you see that this old boy has been a lonely?

“So Beautifully Simple”

Richards wrote in his 2010 memoir, Life, “It’s Mick’s song, and he’d cut it with [David] Bowie as a dub. Mick had gotten this idea, and they started to rock on it. It was damn good. S–t, Mick, what are you doing it with Bowie for? Come on, we’ve got to steal that motherf–ker back. And we did, without too much difficulty. Just the title by itself was so beautifully simple, even if it hadn’t been a great song in its own right. I mean, come on. ‘It’s only rock and roll, but I like it.’”

If I could stick a knife in my heart
Suicide right on stage
Would it be enough for your teenage lust
Would it help to ease the pain? Ease your brain?

Taylor Leaves the Stones

Richards continued, “That was when Mick Taylor dropped his bombshell on us, telling us he was leaving the band and that he had other furrows to plow, which none of us could believe. We were just then planning our U.S. tour of 1975, and he kind of left us in the lurch. Mick could never explain why he left. He doesn’t know why. I always asked him, ‘Why did you leave?’ He said, ‘I don’t know.’ He knew how I felt. I always want to keep a band together.”

If I could dig down deep in my heart
Feelings would flood on the page
Would it satisfy ya, would it slide on by ya
Would ya think the boy’s insane? He’s insane

Wood Joins

In 1975, Ronnie Wood toured with The Rolling Stones even though he was still a member of Faces. In 1976, he officially became a Rolling Stone.

I said I know it’s only rock’ n roll, but I like it
I know it’s only rock’ n roll, but I like it, like it, yes, I do
Oh, well, I like it, yeah, I like it, I like it
I said can’t you see that this old boy has been a lonely?

Music Video

Michael Lindsay-Hogg directed the promotional film for the song with the band in sailor suits, performing the song in a tent that eventually fills with bubbles. Though he did not play on the song, Mick Taylor mimed guitar in the video before he left the band. Wood does not appear in the film. The idea for the sailor suits was to avoid the bubbles harming the band’s wardrobe. The process was lengthy, and the fear of electrocution was great as the bubbles enveloped the lights and cameras. Drummer Charlie Watts, who also did not appear on the recording, nearly drowned as he was the only band member who was sitting.

And do ya think that you’re the only girl around?
I bet you think that you’re the only woman in town
I said, I know it’s only rock’ n roll, but I like it
I said, I know it’s only rock’ n roll, but I like it
I know it’s only rock’ n roll, but I like it
I know it’s only rock’ n roll, but I like it, like it, yes, I do
Oh, well, I like it, I like it, I like it, I like it, I like it, I like it
It’s only rock’ n roll, but I like it
It’s only rock’ n roll, but I like it
It’s only rock’ n roll, but I like it
It’s only rock’ n roll, but I like it

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Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images