In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Tattoo You, The Rolling Stones have unlocked the previously unheard track “Troubles A’ Comin.” It appears on a newly remastered deluxe edition of the 1981 album, out October 22nd via Polydor/Interscope/UMe.
“Troubles A’ Comin” was recorded by the Stones in Paris in 1979. It’s a guitar-driven cover of The Chi-Lites’ 1970 original featuring Jagger delivering passionate lyrics like “Somebody get together/ And come on, we gotta make it better/ ‘Cause troubles a’ comin’, y’all.” As usual, late drummer Charlie Watts keeps the band humming along with his steady playing. Hear it below.
In an interview with Howard Stern earlier this week (via Ultimate Classic Rock), Jagger spoke about his late bandmate’s impact on the group. Calling Watts the “heartbeat” of the Stones, Jagger also praised his steadiness and subtle playing style.
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“Charlie was the heartbeat for the band, and also a very steady personality,” explained Jagger. “He was not to be perturbed. He was a very reliable person, wasn’t a diva — that’s the last thing you want in a drummer.” The quote echoes the frontman’s description of Watts’ presence in a recent interview with Rolling Stone, which also featured memories from Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood.
The Tattoo You 40th anniversary remaster features the LP’s original 11 songs, highlighted by the signature opening track “Start Me Up.” The 5xLP or 4xCD box set also includes a brand new collection titled Lost & Found containing nine previously unreleased songs from the Tattoo You sessions and a 26-track live album, Still Life: Wembley Stadium 1982. Plus, there’s a 124-page book featuring over 200 rare photos from recording sessions and world tours, as well as interviews with producer Chris Kimsey and photographer Hubert Kretzscmar.
Tattoo You (2021 Remaster) is also available as a 2xLP or 2xCD featuring the remastered album and Lost & Found. The vinyl edition comes in clear and traditional black variants. Pre-orders are available here.
Stones fans previously heard the Lost & Found rarity “Living in the Heart of Love,” accompanied by a touching video dedicated to Watts. Currently, the surviving members of the band are touring with their longtime associate Steve Jordan, who had already been scheduled to fill in for Watts three weeks before the drummer’s death. See all the dates here and pick up tickets via Ticketmaster.
