Rolling Stones Honky Tonk Women

"Honky Tonk Women" is a 1969 hit song by the Rolling Stones. Released as a single on 4 July 1969 in the United Kingdom and a week later in the United States, it topped the charts in both nations.



The song was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards while on holiday in Brazil from late December 1968 to early January 1969, inspired by Brazilian gauchos at the ranch where Jagger and Richards were staying in Matão, São Paulo.



Two versions of the song were recorded by the band: the familiar hit which appeared on the 45 single and their collection of late 1960s singles, Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2); and a honky-tonk version entitled "Country Honk" with slightly different lyrics, which appeared on Let It Bleed.



The concert rendition of the song featured on Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! differs from both the hit version and the country version, with a markedly different guitar introduction and an entirely different second verse, but is much closer to the single version than the album version.



Thematically, a "honky tonk woman" refers to a dancing girl in a western bar who may work as a prostitute; the setting for the narrative in the first verse of the blues version is Memphis, while "Country Honk" sets the first verse in Jackson.



The single was released in the UK the day after the death of founder member Brian Jones where it remained on the charts for 5 weeks peaking at No. 1. You Can't Always Get What You Want was the single's B-side. The song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks from 23 August 1969.It was later released on the compilation album Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2) in September. "Honky Tonk Women" was ranked No. 116 on the list of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004.

Rolling Stones Honky Tonk Woman Lyrics

I met a gin soaked, bar-room queen in memphis,

She tried to take me upstairs for a ride.

She had to heave me right across her shoulder

Cause I just can't seem to drink you off my mind.

Its the honky tonk women

Gimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk blues.

I laid a divorcee in new york city,

I had to put up some kind of a fight.

The lady then she covered me with roses,

She blew my nose and then she blew my mind.

Its the honky tonk women

Gimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk blues.

(yeah!) it's the honky tonk women.

Gimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk blues.

(yeah!) it's the honky tonk women.

Gimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk blues