Studio Album · No. 1
The Rolling Stones Songwriting Credits by The Rolling Stones
Produced by Andrew Loog Oldham, Eric Easton · Engineered by Bill Farley
Decca Records
Rhythm and BluesBritish BluesRock and Roll
25%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 3 of 12 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 3 / 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.
3 trackswritten by The Rolling Stones
9 tracksoutside writers
The Rolling Stones's roles on this album
Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
Lyricist25%
Composer25%
Producer0%
Performer100%
By the Numbers
12
Tracks
17
Lyricists
2
Producers
1964
Released
Data Insight
The Rolling Stones' UK debut is dominated by covers of American blues and R&B, recorded with producers Andrew Loog Oldham and Eric Easton at Regent Sound Studios. The band reworks material by Chuck Berry ('Carol'), Willie Dixon ('I Just Want to Make Love to You'), Bo Diddley ('Mona'), Jimmy Reed ('Honest I Do'), Slim Harpo ('I'm a King Bee') and Rufus Thomas ('Walking the Dog'), among others. Only 'Tell Me (You're Coming Back)' is a Jagger/Richards original, with 'Now I've Got a Witness' and 'Little by Little' credited to the band pseudonym Nanker Phelge.
The Rolling Stones' debut studio album, released April 16, 1964 on Decca in the UK. Almost entirely composed of covers (Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon, Marvin Gaye, and others), the album captures the band as a raw British Invasion blues outfit. The sole original, 'Tell Me (You're Coming Back),' was the band's first Jagger-Richards composition to appear on an LP. 'Now I've Got a Witness' and 'Little by Little' are credited to the Nanker Phelge band pseudonym. The US release was titled 'England's Newest Hit Makers.'
Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks
Written by the artist
Written by outside writers
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Route 66
|
Bobby Troup | Robert William Troup Jr. | Andrew Loog OldhamEric Easton | Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
I Just Want to Make Love to You
|
Willie Dixon | William James Dixon | Andrew Loog OldhamEric Easton | Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
Honest I Do
|
Jimmy Reed | Mathis James Reed | Andrew Loog OldhamEric Easton | Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
Mona (I Need You Baby)
|
Bo Diddley | Ellas McDaniel | Andrew Loog OldhamEric Easton | Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
Now I've Got a Witness (Like Uncle Phil and Uncle Gene)
|
Mick JaggerKeith RichardsBrian JonesBill WymanCharlie Watts | Michael Philip JaggerKeith RichardsLewis Brian Hopkin JonesWilliam George Perks Jr.Charles Robert Watts | Andrew Loog OldhamEric Easton | Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
Little by Little
|
Mick JaggerKeith RichardsBrian JonesBill WymanCharlie WattsPhil Spector | Michael Philip JaggerKeith RichardsLewis Brian Hopkin JonesWilliam George Perks Jr.Charles Robert WattsHarvey Philip Spector | Andrew Loog OldhamEric Easton | Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
I'm a King Bee
|
Slim Harpo | James Isaac Moore | Andrew Loog OldhamEric Easton | Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
Carol
|
Chuck Berry | Charles Edward Anderson Berry | Andrew Loog OldhamEric Easton | Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
Tell Me (You're Coming Back)
|
Mick JaggerKeith Richards | Michael Philip JaggerKeith Richards | Andrew Loog OldhamEric Easton | Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
Can I Get a Witness
|
Eddie HollandLamont DozierBrian Holland | Edward Holland Jr.Lamont Herbert DozierBrian Douglas Holland | Andrew Loog OldhamEric Easton | Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals) |
| 11 |
You Can Make It If You Try
|
Ted Jarrett | Ted Jarrett | Andrew Loog OldhamEric Easton | Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals) |
| 12 |
Walking the Dog
|
Rufus Thomas | Rufus Thomas Jr. | Andrew Loog OldhamEric Easton | Mick Jagger (Lead Vocals) |
Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 34 contributors
KR
Keith Richards
Writer
MP
Michael Philip Jagger
Writer
MJ
Mick Jagger
Writer · Vocals
BW
Bill Wyman
Writer
BJ
Brian Jones
Writer
CR
Charles Robert Watts
Writer
CW
Charlie Watts
Writer
LB
Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones
Writer
WG
William George Perks Jr.
Writer
BD
Bo Diddley
Writer
BT
Bobby Troup
Writer
BD
Brian Douglas Holland
Writer
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92%
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100%
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0%
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Frequently Asked Questions The Rolling Stones
Did the Rolling Stones write their debut album The Rolling Stones themselves?
Mostly no. The 1964 debut is dominated by covers of American R&B and blues songs by writers such as Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon, Bo Diddley and Jimmy Reed. The only band-written tracks are the Jagger/Richards original 'Tell Me (You're Coming Back)' and two instrumentals credited to the group pseudonym Nanker Phelge.
Who produced The Rolling Stones debut album?
Andrew Loog Oldham and Eric Easton produced the album. It was recorded at Regent Sound Studios in London between January and February 1964, with Bill Farley as recording engineer.
Who originally wrote I Just Want to Make Love to You on The Rolling Stones?
Willie Dixon wrote 'I Just Want to Make Love to You,' which was first a hit for Muddy Waters. The Rolling Stones covered it on their debut album as part of a track list built largely from Chicago blues and R&B material.
Is Carol on The Rolling Stones a cover?
Yes. 'Carol' was written and originally recorded by Chuck Berry. The Rolling Stones' version on their debut reflects how heavily Berry's rock and roll shaped the band's early repertoire.
How did The Rolling Stones debut album perform on the charts?
The album reached number 1 on the UK Albums Chart and stayed at the top for twelve weeks. In the United States it was issued as England's Newest Hit Makers and peaked at number 11 on the Billboard 200.
What single came from The Rolling Stones debut era?
'Not Fade Away,' a cover of the Buddy Holly song, reached number 3 on the UK Singles Chart. 'Tell Me (You're Coming Back),' a Jagger/Richards original, was also released as a single, charting in the US rather than the UK.
What is Nanker Phelge on The Rolling Stones album?
Nanker Phelge was a pseudonym the Rolling Stones used for songs credited to the whole band. On the debut it appears on the instrumentals 'Now I've Got a Witness' and 'Little by Little,' the latter co-credited to Phil Spector.