It’s a history lesson, from the Gold Coast slaves to the tent show queens. The Stones wrote it to be provocative, and it was controversial, even in 1971 (recorded in 1969). With that said, it’s somewhat of a tribute to the black women in Jaggers life at the time, namely Claudia Lennear and Marsha Hunt. The latter is the mother of Jagger’s first born Karis Jagger.

It’s a tribute to black women! “Cajun”, “Creole”, “brown sugar” were common vocabulary in 1970. The Stones reverred the Mississippi Delta roots of rock music.

Dude, you masterfully defused the situation and calmed down your wife with "...you know, you never go back". Epic!

I'm 63 and white, and have heard this song since it's release. It wasn't until 12 years ago, when I really started paying attention to the lyrics, that I knew what the song was about. And after analyzing them, and google searching, it was written from the perspective of people back then. Shocked me, because I've sang every word of this my whole life, not realizing it's meaning. Great reaction guys.

As Kant said, "art can sublimate everything". The Stones made a lot of songs that told very dirty, very borderline stories, but made them beautiful and immersive with their melodies. They're geniuses.

The Rolling Stones are considered the bad boys of rock & roll. I grew up with their early stuff. My favorite era of The Rolling Stones is from the 60's British Invasion. I loved the "Flowers" album. They had a lot of great early hits such as "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", "Get Off of My Cloud", "Paint It Black", "Ruby Tuesday", "Let's Spend the Night Together", "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "Honky Tonk Women", "You Can't Always Get What You Want", "Gimme Shelter", "Tumbling Dice" & "Brown Sugar".

The Stones wrote lots of songs with controversial subject matter and lyrics - this one, Sympathy For the Devil, Midnight Rambler, Gimme Shelter and more - they wanted to engage the rock generation and culture in meaningful thought and discussions

He’s English and he’s casting a light on what happened to slaves at a time when civil rights were a big deal. His singing that he was into ‘Brown Sugar’ in the last verse it was actually very brave - he was talking about hypocrisy and mixed relations were taboo, at the time he was in a mixed relationship and he was thumbing his nose at those attitudes. Basically “You did it behind closed doors and by force so don’t act like it’s a bad thing now.” They were absolute champions of great blues acts like Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy and Howlin’ Wolf using their fame to bring attention to those men. They announced a few months back that they were no longer performing it live because of the confusion.

This reaction is a masterpiece in many ways. First the song...wow, I never really knew the full range and scope of the lyrics. And, Asia's reaction is interesting and intellectual. So is BJ's. You guys knocked it outta the park on this reaction. It could be used in a history class about actual history, or psychology, sexuality, not the least of which, the MUSIC. The Stones and Mick are amazing. So are you two. Great job.

I know... It's only Rock and Roll, but I like it! No reason to search for a deeper meaning to be offended by. It's Rock and Roll. I am sooooo glad that I wasn't raised in a time when everyone was looking for a reason to be offended and demanding apologies from others.

There is a lot of speculation that this was written about the attraction to heroin, which was called brown sugar. Several of the Stones had dabbled in that drug. Mick was also in a few relationships with black women, and in fact one of them was the mother of his first child. Some "insiders" say that it was written as a song berating the way slaves and black women in general were treated back in the day. All of Mick's exes talk of him being a great Dad. He has strong relationships with all of his kids still today.

I saw the stones preform this live in Missoula, Montana in 2006. Honestly, I'd never looked at the lyrics closely until you guys played it just now. I only know that I absolutely fell in love with the back up singer, a Nubian goddess. I was there with my ex-wife, who also fell in love with her (in a not weird way, just appreciation of absolute beauty). I can see how the lyrics are absolutely explosive. And I think it's something good that they are. "Art should disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed"

, "Brown Sugar" was primarily the work of Jagger, who wrote it in 1969.According to Marsha Hunt, Jagger's then-girlfriend and the mother of his first child Karis, he wrote the song with her in mind. Former Ikette Claudia Lennear disputes this claim, saying that it was written about her. In 2014, Lennear told The Times that she is the subject of the song because she was dating Jagger when it was written. Bill Wyman stated in his book Rolling with the Stones (2002) that the lyrics were partially inspired by Lennear.

This 1971 song was influenced by Mick’s girlfriend at the time model and actress Marsha Hunt whom they share a son. Others say it was written about Ikette (Ike and Tina Turner) Claudia Lennear whom Mick was also involved with. Jagger has stated he would never write this song today that it is “too raw.” Note one of the great saxophone solos of all time by Bobby Keyes.

I was a white Scottish teenager, just turning 20 when this record came out and I understood it immediately. It has always been an anti-racism song to me, pointing out the practices inflicted on slaves by their white owners and the references to brown sugar were the attitudes of those performing those acts. We'd already had examples of The Stones educating the masses with Gimme Shelter, Sympathy for the Devil, Street Fighting Man etc. and knew to look beneath the surface of the lyrics and rocking beats to find the message. The Stones were anti-establishment rebels and while a lot of the old attitudes were being reflected in situation comedies and the like, the youth from the mid-60s to the mid 70s, whether in music, movies or the other arts, were waking up to the realities of class and race discrimination in their history and turning away from such programming, which is one of the reasons we all embraced the blues-infused sounds that bands like the Stones and the Animals were giving us. How could we subscribe to the old attitudes when the music we loved and respected was predominately black or MOBO? (although that term didn't exist at that time). Then of course the hedonistic 80s came along and that's a whole other story and a whole other generation.

❤️❤️❤️ You all amaze me at how you grasp the meaning of the songs !! BJ was spot on !! 👍👍👍✌🏻 You both do a amazing job at breaking things down. Love you!

You got it exactly right. It's meant to be controversial.!! Yes fully intended!! You guys are awesome!

These guys did not spare words- they simply wrote songs and did it their way. Great riffs from Keith Richards on this…..🤘😎🔥❤️

This song is written as a tribute to Tina Turner who they were touring with. She taught Mick to dance. So I think his intentions were pure!

When it comes to the Stones outrage is the name of their game. “Brown Sugar” went to number one on the Billboard charts in the spring of 1971. It’s one of their best.

Okay guys, since you're in Rolling Stones territory, I expect you'd be fairly well whipped by the track (from the same album, Sticky Fingers), titled "Can't You Hear Me Knocking"! It's not controversial, in fact, it's mainly a rock/Latin jazz/blues fusion! But it's a kick butt good time 😁😂🤣

The song has a double meaning in that Brown Sugar is also slang for Heroin back in the late 60s. If the Stones had said that the song was drug related then it would of been banned on radio back then.

When people say their offended the question should be “..and your argument is?” Back in the 60”s and 70’s we all mingled, danced , flirted with all races, no one was offended and the song I believe is actually about a girl he was dating , we did not take lyrics out of context because there was nothing to take out

The Rolling Stones have a deep catalogue to explore. Brown Sugar is just a great tune. I wouldn't read too much into it. Two different African American woman claim to be the inspiration for the song Brown Sugar and both regret seeing it taken off the Stones playlist last year. They just thought it was a great rock n' roll song, no controversy for them.

Same band that said "I got some Puerto Rican girls just dying to meet ya." Yep, this was controversial even back then. But the bad boys pulled it off.

Seen the Stones 4x in concert, in Europe & America. The lyrics come from oppression, but but definitely end up expressing awe & amazement. I’m not patronizing, I’m trying to express respect.

BJ - "This song is so Upbeat." Asia "WTF?" lol I don't think the Stones were glorifying this horrific BS. More like telling a story of those sadistic old times. And perhaps educating some people in the process. Heck, we all know that kind of horrific crap went on back in the day.

Rolling Stones took this song out of rotation (concerts). For exactly the reasons you stated. Your context is right.

I never knew what this song was about because of "misheard lyrics"...ha, ha. Only been listening to it since it came out. I get your point Asia. I only heard the "brown sugar" part. This is a cool part of what reactors are doing for us old folks...lol.

I heard this song a thousand times and really never knew what they were singing about, just loving the music,

He meant it to have several meanings, and for you guys to have exactly the conversation you're having regarding the several possibilities of what the song means. it also rocks! Very intelligently written and quite bold for it's time.

I'm a fair skinned Puerto Rican. So I appreciate , approve and LIVE this song 🎵

I always felt guilty about loving this song. It's an absolute rocker but the lyrics are like, WTF? In the end, I think it's just Mick trying to call out what happened and what may not have been widely known.

Ol' White Guy here... I take the song as a compliment to Black Women. My wife of many years is Black... (sof' skin actually the color of brown sugar). We love the song and dance to it.

This song was recorded on December 2-4, 1969 and released on April 16, 1971, and it's the track 1 in the Sticky Fingers (1971). Please react Wild Horses, also performed by Rolling Stones. Keep it up guys.

Mick Jagger has had his fair share of brown sugar, caramel candy, vanilla wafers, and dark chocolate 😍The man has not been able to settle down these last 60 years, despite his marriages... Why would he, when the sweet shop is open to him 24/7? 😂

Simply one of the greatest rock and roll songs of all time. That honky tonk swagger and hip shaking groove are impossible not to get caught up to. I wouldn't put too much weight on those lyrics. Didn't Mick put them together quite quickly in the studio while the others were putting the rest of the song together? The lyrics did cause a but of controversy at the time, as did other songs on the album (STICKY FINGERS).

Congrats on your 150+ subscribers…many more to come.

They managed to get this on a radio! It had a catchy hook. That kept it in my heart. The more you hear it and reflect the more you understand what he's saying.

You should watch the live version from 1972. The Rolling Stones in their prime. The greatest rock and roll band in the world.

"Can't You Hear Mr Knocking" by The Stones is a must react to. You'll love it.

I love that song for years but I never knew what he was saying I didn't know the lyrics and I read them just the other day and my first reaction was it's just like that movie Roots

Mick said it was a pastiche of taboo subjects including slavery and drugs He said in a 1995 interview he would have censored himself with hindsight It was the track that first turned me on to the Stones it is a phenomenal recording I don’t think Mick was being deliberately cruel but I think he has a different perspective now on this subject matter and the Stones controversially dropped the song from their most recent tour

It's always been a controversial song, it would have never made it without the great backing music they wrote

i like the subversive nature of the song, it take a serious topic and tricks you into thinking about it with its catchy hook. Its like putting medicine in a dessert.

I come from Liverpool where a lot of the slave ships docked on the way to America and am not proud of our history, but it was England that put a stop to slavery she had a naval presence around the world to stop slave ships and free the slaves

"Lady of the house wonderin´when are gonna stop" was the best line lol

I have heard this song since I was a kid. The only thing I could understand was the chorus and had no idea what this song was about. As I got older, I realized this wasn't about the kind of brown sugar you put on a sandwich (I used to like brown sugar on peanut butter as a kid). Mick Jagger isn't an easy person to understand. I still don't know what half of the Rolling Stone's songs are saying. It wasn't easy to find out the lyrics to a song back then if they weren't on the album sleeve. It was only recently that I even learned what the words are and... they're weird. It's a weird song. Knowing the Rolling Stones, I don't believe it's meant the way it sounds but, it's weird. Just recently, the Rolling Stones announced that this song would be dropped from their shows.

I've heard this dozens of times over the years, but never really knew the lyrics until recently (and the first couple of dozen times I was a kid, and didn't have a clue what "brown sugar" meant). I'm going back to just loving the music and not knowing the lyrics.

It came out October 2021 on the BBC, that the Stones were going to drop this from their US tour.

Americans sometimes have difficulty getting a grasp on " English irony " - but BJ nails it first time.

Yes it was a risky & controversial subject. But keeping it real, is part of the dark side of RnR. Just like Rap. Made VH1's original top 100 songs of RnR list.

One of my favs! couple more--doo doo doo doo (heartbreaker), Wild Horses, Under My Thumb, Angie, It's Only Rock and Roll, Get Off My Cloud

That was the first song at a concert I went to, and the crowd just roared. Wow, loved that!

Music is a art form. Sometimes it's very uncomfortable. This is an example of art meets reality that reflects history. And it's bumping...it's a jam.

I've heard this song hundreds of times and never knew what most of the lyrics were!

I'm with you Asia. In all these years of grooving to this song, I never listened to the lyrics until now.

The Stones were always trying to raise awareness of bad shit They are legendary

I saw them in Seattle.1976! 17,500 people. 23.00 for Two! They played this with Billy Preston on key boards!!!! Back then!!!!!

This is from Wikipedia " According to Marsha Hunt, Jagger's then-girlfriend and the mother of his first child Karis, he wrote the song with her in mind. Former Ikette Claudia Lennear disputes this claim, saying that it was written about her. In 2014, Lennear told The Times that she is the subject of the song because she was dating Jagger when it was written. Bill Wyman stated in his book Rolling with the Stones (2002) that the lyrics were partially inspired by Lennear."

The Stones dropped this from their show. See below: Keith Richards highlights this ambiguity in his comments on the removal of the song recently from their playlist. "I don’t know. I’m trying to figure out with the sisters quite where the beef is. Didn’t they understand this was a song about the horrors of slavery?" Richards’ mildly defensive tone fuels broadcaster Piers Morgan bellicose defence of Brown Sugar as a “song aimed at defending and supporting black women”. Morgan also draws attention to what he sees as a “double standard” for rap music where racist and misogynist tropes abound.

Asia understandably had a hard time with this one. What I'll say, is when this came out in the early 70s, even "Roots" was years away from coming out. People hadn't given much thought that this had gone on, and still goes on in slave countries. I think they were bringing attention to something that's hard for our 2022 ears to hear. Just like "All in the Family"on TV, and the movie "Blazing Saddles," which ripped racism ruthlessly, but they used that racial "word" throughout it.

Keith Richards and Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones have announced that they won't be playing their 1970s hit song “Brown Sugar” on tour anymore. This news comes after concerns about the 50-year-old song's reference to the “horrors of slavery” and other controversial topics

to put these lyrics in some historical context, less than 10 years prior to this recording Van Morrison came out with the song, 'Brown eyed Girl' but the lyrics were supposed to be 'Brown skinned Girl' but the record company wouldn't put it out

I heard an explanation of this once which said the song was supposed to be about inter-racial attraction basically always being a thing (even when it was taboo). It flits from historical slave trader's attraction and the 'house boy' with the lady of the house to Jagger's relationships and personal experiences(English blood runs hot). Like you say in the context and time period that it was written (and from a British perspective with different racial tensions and history) it probably wasn't intended to be as offensive as it now seems. I know the line 'whip the women' was re-recorded and changed to 'with the women' for UK radio to take the violence aspect out of it. It's a weird on for me as a white Brit because I used to love this song without really listening to the lyrics too closely. Then my girlfriend at the time (who was jamaican) explained it from her perspective. As a song, it's great.. full of energy but let's just say the lyrics didn't age well.

This song is always tricky to deal with. Maybe it's a history lesson, but I think the music is just too damned fun to imagine that there's educational or moral lessons that you are supposed to get from this. I think it's just a raw song that will definitely get an eyebrow raise.

As a little context about the Rolling Stones, they started out as a blues band and really adored the genre (so much so they named themselves after a Muddy Waters song). They found out they were not very good as a blues group and sort of pivoted into rock and roll and the rest as they say is history. By their own admission, they learned their profession, on the road at the feet of rock and roll greats like Little Richard and Chuck Berry. Additionally, the Rolling Stones were also adamant about giving song credit (royalties) to the blues performers who's music they used or inspired their own songs (as opposed to Led Zeppelin). They also were not afraid to sing about risque or provocative subjects and do things that would spark discussion. I believe they demonstrated through words and deeds the type of people they were and to openly admit that he was "down with brown sugar" in the late 60s early 70s was a very controversial and courageous thing to say and could have easily alienated a large group of fans. I think it's a testament to how great a song is that almost 50 years later you can still have a dialogue about it.

I loved the nuanced view you presented on this song.

When mick sings the line about the house boy, I think he's talking about a boy slave having sex with the plantation owners wife. 🤔

Your reactions touched me deeply on this tune. I grew up listening to this music, worked all my life as a pro musician, was married for 20 years to a beautiful black woman... But watching Asia's reaction to this one really hit a nerve; brought back a LOT of memories, and for that I thank you. I may never hear this song the same now. And that's good...

The Rolling Stones had a concert and Tina Turner came on stage and sung this song with Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones it’s on the Internet you can find it just KZfaq Tina Turner and Mick Jagger Brown Sugar The rumor was Mick got some brown sugar from Tina

Went to their concert at Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts in 2002. It was the first ever event opening the stadium. First song…. Brown Sugar.

Ima be honest here...this song has been around my whole entire life and I only really listened to melody,beat and chorus and NEVER listened intently to the lyrics...and Im floored...wtf??!! Yeesh....

I thought this was an excellent reaction. BJ was clearly enjoying the music, and Asia was honest about her understandable discomfort with the lyrics. Nice nuanced conversation.

Great conversation about this

I agree with you Asia. I’m 60 yrs old and grew up with that song at all of our dances in the 70s. I never fully tried to figure out the lyrics, I just liked the beat. I too am offended. Its the way he talked about that history in a way like it felt it being praised almost. Its a trip to realized so many years.later. I’m with ya. Hey, I think you two.are great. Such a great couple doing a fun reaction channel..Much love

I looked up the lyrics to this one years ago, because I had the same reaction, "how did they get away with that?". But it appears that the whole thing is a question about how wrong some pieces of history have been. The statements written in first person were not the authors thoughts, but quotes from the individuals in the story. Similar to the viewpoint in Sympathy for the Devil.

The point he’s making is that the white man has ALWAYS had a taste for “brown sugar” but have lied about that and continued to commit atrocities against black women and men. All the way up until he was a teen, people still looked down on interracial relationships in the daylight, but were seeking out some “brown sugar” under the cover of darkness. What this song represents is that he spoke aloud that secret most white men did not want said at that point in history. At the time this song came out it was highly controversial, at least with white conservatives , it was only a few years after the end of segregation in the US, during the free love movement of the early 70’s.

1. He was reflecting on the way things were in the 1700's 2. This is the Stones, it was done to shock

The backup singer was Claudia Lennear. You can find out more about Claudia and also the backup singer Merry Clayton from Gimme Shelter in a documentary here call Twenty Feet from Stardom.

You think this song is controversial? I have only 2 words for you: "Some Girls". And not an edited version.

The stones loved and took black culture to their hearts in every way thru their touring the States in the early days. Their love of the blues, Keith's love/obsession for Ronnie Ronette, living in Jamaica where the rastas treated him as family etc. I agree it don't sound good now at all. I like to think the verses were trying to tell a tale of history, but the chorus was a bit offensive in that context. A lot of their blues hero's wrote songs in this manner which wasn't their place to do and is no excuse. I think it's important to know the blues legends like muddy waters, buddy guy etc loved the stones coz they spread the word in Europe about the blues and covered/endorsed their music. The blues artists went from earning twenty bucks in the US for a gig to hundreds/thousands in Europe where they were worshipped as musical genius which they thoroughly deserved. The same happened for soul legends like Otis Redding. I could never understand why. At the end of the day the stones wouldn't exist without black culture n the blues which they would happily admit.

He was writing about model and singer Mesh Hunt who had already had a song written about her by John Mayall also tittled BROWN SUGER. She recorded a good version off WALK ON GLDED SPLINTERS.

That guitar tone kills. Bobby Keys on sax. Historic references.

Asia is right to feel uncomfortable about this song. I’m a white guy and it makes me squirm. Some of you are giving Mick & Co. way more credit than they deserve. This is a vulgar song. But I still appreciate it. There are happy songs, there are sad songs, and there are angry songs. There’s thousands of them and everyone has their favorite. Then there’s songs like this, where some horrible truth is wrapped in a shiny, bouncy rhythm. Fortunate Son, Common People, Hey Ya!, All My Friends, and a hundred others that I can’t think of at the moment..

Yeah, you pretty much got it. I was literally a little kid when this song came out, it's been around my whole life. It is, in fact, one of the "great, classic" rock and roll tracks. I always thought it was one of the Stones' greatest songs. It wasn't until I was an adult (in the late 80's, early 90's) that I finally really processed what he's actually singing about. We didn't have lyric videos back in the day, so I think a lot of people were like me and didn't really know what it was about. It's hard to understand Mick Jagger a lot of the time, actually having the lyrics in front of you makes a big difference. I think if more people had actually understood the lyrics it would have been even more controversial. As someone said, the Stones have stopped playing it live. That may be for the best. I have a hard time listening to it anymore. It's uh, kind of messed up... On the other hand, it does, as you say, document a certain something about American history, so you can look at it as a historical document, I guess? If you can just ignore the lyrics, the music is great, but uh, it's hard not to hear the lyrics once you know they're there.

Bahahaha.... "hmmm yay, you never go back" BJ you had me roflmfao....

Wow! I’ve never listened to these lyrics before. I mean I’ve heard it in the background before.

It interesting to hear how this song and other songs by The Rolling Stones make people feel then and now. I’m Hispanic from the 70s and racism was not subtle and interracial relationships were seen taboo but Mick Jagger not only didn’t hide it but shouted out loud dating… black women. People who probably would never have dating a black woman in public or even Hispanic woman had the confidence to tell society at the time they were the ignorant people being left behind in the times. Check out “Some Girls”, Mick didn’t discriminate!

He also had a child to a Brazilian womanMick Jagger's first wife Bianca was Niguaruguan.

The British outlawed slavery decades before the Civil War. The Stones view is different than the American perspective! A lot of the music from the 60s and 70s was commentary that would be politically incorrect now. The Stones and many bands back then pushed the boundaries of what could be voiced. It opened the minds of the public to what had happened and was still happening, right or wrong! Music is an art that moves people and opens our eyes sometimes.

One of my favorites! Love when Tina Turner sings this w/ Mick…

ive listened to this song on the radio so many times but I have never seen the lyrics totally different to what I thought it was about

I'm at 2:22 and I'm like 😳 I've heard this song 1000 times but I ain't never HURD it like this with lyrics. Wow. Ok, gonna click play again...

Holy shit Asia's eyes focused quick and it scared the shit outa me😂❤ and I been listening to this song my whole life and I'm only 56yrs and its part history lesson not just babbling

Song first released in 1971 on the great Sticky Fingers album.

the lyrics were from an article mick read about slaving in the south over a century ago. the stones brought the old blues artists from the south on tour with them in the early sixties when they had no credibility or recognition in the states. they managed to make a few quid at least before they left us. the rolling stones from the late sixties to the early seventies are legendary.

Couldn't get away with those lyrics today. LOL

I'm 63, and remember when I first heard this song. It was at a bar with the door open, and someone dropped a quarter in the jukebox. I was just 11 or 12, but do remember that Keith Richard's guitar riff. I enjoyed y'alls opinion on this masterpiece.

great song pick! the stones are such a great band.