Steel Wheels cover art

  Studio Album · No. 23

Steel Wheels Songwriting Credits by The Rolling Stones

1989 Rolling Stones Records / CBS Records 12 tracks 53 min

Produced by The Glimmer Twins, Chris Kimsey  ·  Engineered by Christopher Marc Potter, Michael Brauer, Chris Kimsey

Rolling Stones Records / CBS Records RockHard Rock
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 12 of 12 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 12 / 12 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether The Rolling Stones carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
12 trackswritten by The Rolling Stones 0 tracksoutside writers
The Rolling Stones's roles on this album

Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

12
Tracks
3
Lyricists
3
Producers
1989
Released
Data Insight

Steel Wheels marked the reconciliation of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards after their late-1980s feud, and every song is a Jagger/Richards composition. It was produced by Chris Kimsey with the Glimmer Twins. Richards wrote the music and most of the lyrics for the lead single 'Mixed Emotions' while on Montserrat, with Jagger finishing the words in the studio. The album launched the band's enormous Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle tour.

Released August 29, 1989, Steel Wheels marked the reunion of Jagger and Richards after their public feud and was accompanied by the massively successful Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle world tour. Co-produced with Chris Kimsey, the album includes 'Mixed Emotions,' 'Rock and a Hard Place,' and 'Almost Hear You Sigh.' It was the last album to feature Bill Wyman as bassist.

Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Sad Sad Sad
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith RichardsChris Kimsey Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
2
Mixed Emotions #5
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith RichardsChris Kimsey Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
3
Terrifying
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith RichardsChris Kimsey Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
4
Hold on to Your Hat
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith RichardsChris Kimsey Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
5
Hearts for Sale
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith RichardsChris Kimsey Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
6
Blinded by Love
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith RichardsChris Kimsey Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
7
Rock and a Hard Place
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith RichardsChris Kimsey Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
8
Can't Be Seen
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith RichardsChris Kimsey Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
9
Almost Hear You Sigh
Mick JaggerKeith RichardsSteve Jordan Michael Philip JaggerKeith RichardsSteven Jordan Michael Philip JaggerKeith RichardsChris Kimsey Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
10
Continental Drift
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith RichardsChris Kimsey Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
11
Break the Spell
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith RichardsChris Kimsey Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)
12
Slipping Away
Mick JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards Michael Philip JaggerKeith RichardsChris Kimsey Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 6 contributors

KR
Keith Richards
Writer · Producer
On this album12 written
MP
Michael Philip Jagger
Writer · Producer
On this album12 written
MJ
Mick Jagger
Writer · Vocals
On this album12 written
SJ
Steve Jordan
Writer
On this album1 written
SJ
Steven Jordan
Writer
On this album1 written
CK
Chris Kimsey
Producer
On this album12 produced

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Frequently Asked Questions Steel Wheels

Why is Steel Wheels called a reunion album?
Steel Wheels followed a public feud between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards in the late 1980s, during which both pursued solo projects. The album reunited the pair and the full band, and it kicked off the large-scale Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle tour. It was widely seen as the band's return to form.
Who wrote Mixed Emotions by The Rolling Stones?
'Mixed Emotions' was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Richards composed the music and most of the lyrics while on vacation in Montserrat, and Jagger completed the remaining lyrics in the studio. The song reached number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Who produced Steel Wheels?
Steel Wheels was produced by Chris Kimsey together with the Glimmer Twins, the studio name for Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Kimsey had a long history engineering and producing for the band. The album reached number 3 on the Billboard 200.
Are all the songs on Steel Wheels written by The Rolling Stones?
Yes. Every track is credited to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, with no outside covers on the album. The lead single 'Mixed Emotions' is a representative Jagger/Richards collaboration. The band returned to all-original material after the cover that opened Dirty Work.
What was the lead single from Steel Wheels?
The lead single was 'Mixed Emotions,' released in August 1989, which peaked at number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100. 'Rock and a Hard Place' followed and became the band's last US top-40 hit. Both singles helped drive the album to multi-platinum status.
How did Steel Wheels perform commercially?
Steel Wheels reached number 3 on the US Billboard 200 and was certified 2x Platinum in the United States and 3x Platinum in Canada. It also earned Gold certification in the United Kingdom. The accompanying tour was one of the highest-grossing of its era.

Sources

Wikipedia: Steel Wheels Wikipedia: Mixed Emotions (The Rolling Stones song) MusicBrainz release group Cover Art Archive front cover Cover Art Archive: Steel Wheels by The Rolling Stones