The 1966 Fan-Favorite Hit From the Rolling Stones That Mick Jagger Called “Weird”

The Rolling Stones have pushed the boundaries of rock plenty of times. Their creative freedom has earned them plenty of timeless hits, including their most-streamed song, “Paint It, Black”. This off-kilter song doesn’t seem like hit potential on the surface, but it has managed to exceed those expectations. The Stones turned a somber song into a generation-defying staple. Despite this song’s success, Mick Jagger found this track to be “weird.” Find out why below.

[RELATED: The Rolling Stones Might Have Never Had This No. 1 Hit if It Weren’t for Sam Cooke]

The Rolling Stones Hit That Mick Jagger Called “Weird”

“Paint It, Black” is a melancholy, dimly lit rock song about death. Not exactly what one would expect from a crowd-pleasing hit. But that’s what listeners liked about The Stones in the 1960s. They were the dark, edgy foils to the rest of the British Invasion acts. This song proved that tenfold.

“I look inside myself. And see my heart is black / I see my red door / I must have it painted black,” the lyrics read. This song has evolved to be about many things, but the overarching theme is grief. It’s a touchy subject that was in direct contrast to the optimism and psychedelia of the time.

In the decades since they made their initial mark on rock, this song has remained popular. It’s a testament to The Rolling Stones’ era-defining musicality and ability to innovate. “That was the time of lots of acid,” Mick Jagger once said. “It has sitars on it. It’s like the beginnings of miserable psychedelia.”

To this day, “Paint It, Black” is The Stones’ top-streaming song. It has loads of competition, which makes its iron grip on the top spot all the more impressive. The Stones’ frontman once discussed the idea that this song was their most popular, calling it “weird.”

“What a weird song,” Jagger once said. “Weird chord sequences, weird everything…I have no recall of what was going on in my head when I wrote the lyrics or how Keith came up with it in the first place.”

“The mood is really odd,” he continued. “I wish we could do something like that now, is what I’m trying to say. For that to be your most-streamed song… kind of weird, don’t you think?”

Because of how popular “Paint It, Black” is, many of us haven’t really thought about how unique it was for its day. But Jagger has a point. This song shouldn’t have worked as well as it did. It’s a rare gem that breaks the rules and succeeds because of it.

(Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images)

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