Talk:Brown Sugar (Rolling Stones song)

Marsha Hunt
"Marsha Hunt is the inspiration of the Stones' hit "Brown Sugar".

This is a sentence taken from the article on Marsha Hunt (singer and novelist). The article on "Brown Sugar" is rather long, but this fact is not mentioned anywhere. Is it true? &lt;KF&gt; 20:11, 28 July 2006 (UTC) No, it's clearly stated elsewhere what the inspiration of Brown Sugar is (see Jaggar's interview in Rolling Stone magazine. But hey, why not include a little whimsy in this section and keep Marsha Hunt mentioned?

Wow, the girl must have been like putty in his hands after he wrote this song about her. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.65.137.32 (talk) 17:26, 4 August 2011 (UTC)

Subject matter
I'm aware that this is pretty trivial, but I removed the use of "brown sugar" as a slang for heroin. Brown sugar is also slang for an attractive black woman, and that definition fits in with the rest of the stated topic matter of the song. However, I've also heard that the entire song is about heroin with slavery as a metaphor (although why would there be so much detail about the sexual aspects?). Maybe someone could clear this up and even cite a source for it... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.107.60.65 (talk • contribs) 6:51 3 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Brown sugar was slang for heroin. Jagger says this in the "Jagger Remembers" interview. Use of the term to describe an attractive black person may have been popularized by this song. / edg ☺ ☭ 13:18, 18 March 2008 (UTC)

I made the additions, because I thought that Jaggar's direct quotes from the "Jaggar Remembers" interview in Rolling Stone illuminates his view of the song, why its successful and really, the state of mind of the period which was essential in creating the song. In other words, Jaggar said that he would have never written "Brown Sugar" in the 1990s. However, in a less politically-correct era, "Brown Sugar" was composed and released to the general public! I also understand that the inspiration/success of the song is stated twice in 2 different quotations, I don't believe that really takes away from the article. The Rolling Stone article better explains what Jaggar thought made the song successful than the 1993 article, but I didn't feel it was necessary to delete the previous quote. V Schauf (talk) 21:38, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

Where in the All Music article does the reviewer talk about cunnilingus? I'm with you all on heroin and sadomasochism but where is the lost virginity and the cunnilingus? I guess my point is maybe we should get out of the business of interpreting songs ourselves. I'm not saying it's not there, I just don't see where it's coming from. Atrivedi (talk) 22:29, 2 March 2011 (UTC)

It's in the part about "How come you taste so good" —Preceding unsigned comment added by Bugsguy (talk • contribs) 19:03, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:Brown sugar.JPG
Image:Brown sugar.JPG is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in Wikipedia articles constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

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Fair use rationale for Image:BrownSugaruk45.jpg
Image:BrownSugaruk45.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

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BetacommandBot 10:21, 5 November 2007 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar.ogg
Image:The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar.ogg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

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Open G tuning on the guitar riff by Keith Richards
Can someone maybe mention that this song is one of the first couple of songs Keith put out with the Open G tuning? I believe Honky Tonk Women came out first, but, I think this was the 2nd one? 70.197.206.202 (talk) 19:36, 31 December 2008 (UTC)

The Nashville tuning is obviously interesting and should be included, I think, but I'm not sure the sort of general necessity. On the other hand, I see it on a lot of other songs. I'll see if I can dig it up, unless I'm missing it's inclusion already. Atrivedi (talk) 22:32, 2 March 2011 (UTC)

I think more about that is needed, generally. I've always been puzzled by the notion that Jagger "wrote" the song. While he may well have written the lyrics, the song is very much defined by the guitar part which is quintessentially Richards. That is what made it an international hit, even in the many non-English speaking countries. Venqax (talk) 18:32, 3 August 2023 (UTC)

Recording Date: Primary Source?
The radio program The World reported today that Brown Sugar was recorded on December 3, 1969 and not over three days. Does anyone have a primary source for the recording date(s)? —Preceding unsigned comment added by TheMightyHercules (talk • contribs) 22:30, 3 December 2009 (UTC)

Quality of the article
Also, I think this article is slightly better in "start class" and deserves to be one step above "start class". I say that because a vast majority of the article is well referenced. However, I don't want to single-handedly change it's classification. Can someone else do this?? V Schauf (talk) 21:46, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

The 1998 Pepsi Ad
Does anyone remember whether the fly is singing the song in a sped-up "chipmunk" voice, as is seen on most available versions of the ad?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KqUBB0T4Ro

Originally, I claim to remember the fly character's voice sounding akin to Barry White than Alvin & the Chipmunks. Can anyone else clarify this? May this lead me to believe there are two ads (one with the fly doing the Barry White vocals and the other with the Chipmunk vocals)?

WikiPro1981X (talk) 11:07, 6 January 2012 (UTC)

"Hear him whip the women" or "Hear him with the women" ?
The article mentions the lyric as "whip" but both external lyrics sites have it as "with". Googling shows both versions are common on lyrics sites, and in casual discussions on the internet it is a subject of debate. If an authoritative site cannot be found, perhaps a note should be added saying it's uncertain. Marteau (talk) 00:07, 11 March 2013 (UTC): Keith Richards book 'Life' Page 276 Jim Dickinson says 'So if I have a footnote to rock-and-roll history, that's it, because by God "hear him whip the women" is in there because of me' Betty Butt (talk)

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Move discussion in progress
There is a move discussion in progress on Talk:Aftermath (The Rolling Stones album) which affects this page. Please participate on that page and not in this talk page section. Thank you. —RMCD bot 10:15, 23 April 2017 (UTC)
 * This issue was resolved in November 2020 by moving page "Brown Sugar (The Rolling Stones song)" to "Brown Sugar (Rolling Stones song)". — CuriousEric 15:04, 7 October 2021 (UTC)

Mick Taylor
Does Mick Taylor actually play on the song or was he removed from the final mix, as suggested by some source? I know he is credited with playing on the song as per the original liner notes, but according to Bill Wyman, Mick Jagger didn't always get the credits correct, hence that he says that he pointed out many errors in the credits after being given an advance copy of Exile on Main St..

As I said the credits mention Taylor, but whoever suggested that he was removed from the final master has obviously had their edit corrected or reverted, and to be honest, I don't see the point in people spreading unfounded rumours without any evidence or proof to verify them. I highly doubt that they would've been routinely erasing his guitar parts at this stage, because he had only recently replaced Brian Jones at the time.

60.240.8.249 (talk) 01:03, 18 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Without commenting on whether or not Taylor actually appears in the final mix, by this point he was a fully-integrated member of the band. The transition happened in Febuary-June 1969, during the recording of Let It Bleed; on many songs, Richards is the only guitarist, with Jones (on earlier recorded tracks) and Taylor (on later recorded tracks) only appearing sporadically.  However, tracks used on Sticky Fingers, including this one, were recorded starting in December 1969, by which time Taylor was clearly a full member of the band, and would have been present at (most) recording sessions.  Again, whether or not that means he was in the final mix may be up for debate, but in December 1969 he was a full Stone, and was participating fully in all band activities.  -- Jayron 32 18:28, 29 January 2019 (UTC)

Genre
It isn‘t hard rock! Roooooon (talk) 11:45, 14 August 2018 (UTC)

Skydog slaver
This bit of lyrics is frequently misunderstood as "scarred old slaver" (including one of the linked sources) but Keith Richards explains they inserted that word, which was a nickname for Duane Allman. Maybe this bit of trivia should be mentioned? Jules TH 16 (talk) 21:16, 1 May 2021 (UTC)

To add to article
To add to this article: the fact that Mick Jagger had originally wanted to title this song "Black Pussy." How could such an important piece of information have been left out of this article? 173.88.246.138 (talk) 03:33, 14 October 2021 (UTC)
 * Where's your source? Martinevans123 (talk) 16:54, 3 November 2021 (UTC)

The Rolling Stones have "retired" this song, should this be in the article?
The Rolling Stones have retired their song "Brown Sugar" due to its controversial lyrics about Black women. It begins with the lyrics, “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.”

Isn't this worth mentioning in this article? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Magnabonzo (talk • contribs) 16:48, 3 November 2021 (UTC)


 * Certainly, if you have a good source. Martinevans123 (talk) 16:54, 3 November 2021 (UTC)