Adjective Noun: Brown Sugar

The Rolling Stones: Brown Sugar

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With one of the most unmistakable guitar intros from 70’s Rock N Roll, Brown Sugar has become a live mainstay for both The Stones and those that they inspired. On the surface, the song seems to simply praise the love of a black woman. Rumor has it that Mick fancied a certain dark-skinned dancer from their tour and based the song on his lust for her. Many believe that behind those obvious references lies an ode to the ‘other’ brown sugar: Heroin. While The Stones are masters at masking their true lyrical intentions, either way you cut it, the song is pure joy. Two of my favorite contemporaries have been known to include the song in their live sets.

Ryan Adams: Brown Sugar (live)
Mike McClure: Brown Sugar (live)



ZZ Top: Brown Sugar

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Another version of Brown Sugar comes from ZZ Top and their 1971 debut. Their take on the phrase leaves much less to the imagination. Some may say that the song itself embodies the heroin experience: A smooth, bluesy intro that leads into a rockin’ wild ride before fading out. The bearded rockers got one thing right – “it’s just gonna change your life.”
The first time I heard this song was from the electric blues days of Matt Powell.

Matt Powell: Brown Sugar (live)