Shattered (song)
Encyclopedia
"Shattered" is a song by The Rolling Stones
from their 1978 album Some Girls
. The song is seen as a reflection of American lifestyles and life in 1970s-era New York City, but also influences from the English punk rock
movement can be heard. It also foreshadowed the upcoming rap movement as Mick Jagger
's performance is as much narrative as it is melodic. Some consider the song to be the group's "art music" masterpiece, stylistically consistent with the early punk music scene but without being excessively vulgar or negative.
Recorded from October to December 1977, "Shattered" features lyrics by Jagger on a guitar riff by Keith Richards
. Jagger commented in a Rolling Stone
interview that he wrote the lyrics in the back of a New York cab. Most of Richards' guitar work simply features a basic rhythmic pattern strumming out the alternating tonic and dominant chords with each bar, utilising a relatively modest phaser sound effect for some added depth.
"Shattered" was released as a single in the United States with cover art by Illustrator: Hubert Kretzschmar and climbed in 1979 to #31 on the Billboard Hot 100
.
The Stones memorably performed the song live for an episode of Saturday Night Live
during which Jagger apparently licked Ronnie Wood's lips and tore his shirt off.
A live version was captured during their 1981 tour of America
and released on the 1982 live album "Still Life". A second version, captured during the band's A Bigger Bang Tour
, appears on Shine a Light. It would act as the opening song for the 1981 compilation Sucking in the Seventies
, and the Stones included it on their career retrospective, Forty Licks
, in 2002.
The 8-track tape of the Some Girls album features a shortened version of "Shattered" clocking in at 2:45, with a shortened intro and guitar break. An instrumental version circulates among collectors.
The track was featured on WKRP in Cincinnati
on the episode "Pilot: Part Two". "Weird Al" Yankovic
included this song in his Rolling Stones polka medley "The Hot Rocks Polka."
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
from their 1978 album Some Girls
Some Girls
Some Girls is the 14th British and 16th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1978 on Rolling Stones Records, catalogue COC 39108...
. The song is seen as a reflection of American lifestyles and life in 1970s-era New York City, but also influences from the English punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
movement can be heard. It also foreshadowed the upcoming rap movement as Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
's performance is as much narrative as it is melodic. Some consider the song to be the group's "art music" masterpiece, stylistically consistent with the early punk music scene but without being excessively vulgar or negative.
Recorded from October to December 1977, "Shattered" features lyrics by Jagger on a guitar riff by Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
. Jagger commented in a Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
interview that he wrote the lyrics in the back of a New York cab. Most of Richards' guitar work simply features a basic rhythmic pattern strumming out the alternating tonic and dominant chords with each bar, utilising a relatively modest phaser sound effect for some added depth.
"Shattered" was released as a single in the United States with cover art by Illustrator: Hubert Kretzschmar and climbed in 1979 to #31 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
The Stones memorably performed the song live for an episode of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
during which Jagger apparently licked Ronnie Wood's lips and tore his shirt off.
A live version was captured during their 1981 tour of America
Rolling Stones American Tour 1981
The Rolling Stones' American Tour 1981 was a concert tour of stadiums and arenas in the United States to promote the album Tattoo You. It was the largest grossing tour of 1981 with $50 million in ticket sales...
and released on the 1982 live album "Still Life". A second version, captured during the band's A Bigger Bang Tour
A Bigger Bang Tour
A Bigger Bang Tour was a worldwide concert tour by The Rolling Stones which took place between August 2005 and August 2007, in support of their album A Bigger Bang...
, appears on Shine a Light. It would act as the opening song for the 1981 compilation Sucking in the Seventies
Sucking in the Seventies
Sucking in the Seventies is the fourth official compilation album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1981. As the successor to 1975's Made in the Shade, it covers material from 1974's It's Only Rock 'n' Roll to 1980's Emotional Rescue....
, and the Stones included it on their career retrospective, Forty Licks
Forty Licks
Forty Licks is a double compilation album by The Rolling Stones. A 40-year career-spanning retrospective, Forty Licks is notable for being the first retrospective to combine the band's formative Decca/London era of the 1960s, now licensed by ABKCO Records , with their self-owned post-1970 material,...
, in 2002.
The 8-track tape of the Some Girls album features a shortened version of "Shattered" clocking in at 2:45, with a shortened intro and guitar break. An instrumental version circulates among collectors.
The track was featured on WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati is an American situation comedy that featured the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta...
on the episode "Pilot: Part Two". "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
included this song in his Rolling Stones polka medley "The Hot Rocks Polka."