4 of The Rolling Stones’ Favorite Original Songs, According to The Rolling Stones

Keith Richards is a fan of “Please Please Me” by The Beatles, and Mick Jagger loves “Desolation Row” by Bob Dylan. But what about their own material? Let’s take a look at The Rolling Stones’ favorite original songs from their own career!

1. “Mother’s Little Helper”

Keith Richards has said that he is particularly fond of the song “Mother’s Little Helper” from the Stones’ 1966 album Aftermath. Richards’ guitar-playing prowess is on another level on this track, and he even said his contribution to the song was a surprise to him more than anyone.

“It was just one of those things where somebody walked in with it and we went, ‘Look, it’s an electric 12-string,’” said Richards of “Mother’s Little Helper”. “It was just some gashed-up job. God knows where it came from or where it went, but I put it together with a bottleneck and we had a riff that tied the whole song together.”

2. “Street Fighting Man”

Another song that is one of Richards’ favorites is “Street Fighting Man” from 1968. The song marked an important turn for the Stones as a band. In an attempt to move away from performing covers, they put together this track. And it changed everything for them. It makes sense why Richards listens to “Street Fighting Man” with a sense of fondness.

“You had this very electric sound, but at the same time, you had that curious and beautiful ring that only an acoustic guitar can give you,” said Richards of the song.

3. “I Can’t Get No (Satisfaction)”

When it comes to The Rolling Stones’ favorite songs, this entry isn’t surprising. It’s one of their biggest hits, after all. The late Charlie Watts, who was The Rolling Stones’ drummer until his death in 2021, had a lot of love for “I Can’t Get No (Satisfaction)” from 1965.

“It was just the first really big record we ever made,” said Watts of the song. “It’s an iconic riff. It just sums up the whole period, really.”

4. “Gimme Shelter”

Mick Jagger is quite a big fan of “Gimme Shelter”, decades after it was released in 1969. It’s a rock anthem for the ages, and many fans consider it the very best track in The Rolling Stones’ discography. Jagger said that he loves how it sounds live, in particular.

“It was a very moody piece about the world closing in on you a bit,” said Jagger of the iconic tune. “When it was recorded, early ’69 or something, it was a time of war and tension, so that’s reflected in this tune.”

Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.