Neighbours (song)

"Neighbours" is a song by The Rolling Stones featured on their 1981 album Tattoo You.

Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, "Neighbours" was a leftover from the June–July 1979 Emotional Rescue sessions, being worked on further by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards for Tattoo You in October 1980 and April–June 1981.[1] Jagger was inspired by Richards' own run-ins with his neighbours after the guitarist was evicted from his New York City apartment after complaints that he was playing music too loudly. On the story, Richards said at the time of release, "...Patti [Hansen] (Richards' wife) and I (have been evicted from apartments in New York). Mick wrote the lyrics to that - and he never has trouble with neighbours... I have a knack of finding a whole building of very cool people, you know, but there'll be one uncool couple... 'Neighbours' is the first song I think Mick's ever really written for me. It's one I wish I'd written, that."

Neighbours, do yourself a favour, Don't you mess with my baby when I'm working all night, You know that neighbours steal off of my table, Steal off of my table, ain't doing all right.

Recording took place during the June–July 1979 Emotional Rescue sessions, between October and November 1980, and April through June 1981, at Paris' Pathé Marconi Studios and Atlantic Studios in New York City.[1] With Jagger on lead vocals, electric guitars are performed by Richards and Ronnie Wood, with Wood taking the solo. Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman perform drums and bass, respectively. Sonny Rollins also contributes saxophone, one of his three credits for the album. Ian Stewart performs the song's piano.

An elaborate music video was produced in support of the song, which featured the Stones in an apartment building setting and was a take-off on the Alfred Hitchcock film Rear Window.

"Neighbours" was performed by the Stones throughout their 1981 and 1982 tours in support of Tattoo You, and was included on the concert film Let's Spend the Night Together (1983). It re-emerged for performances on the Stones' 2002–2003 Licks Tour, with one performance being captured and released on the 2004 album Live Licks. The song was again played at Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland, on May 17, 2018 on the No Filter Tour.[2]