Mick Jagger / Keith Richards / 4:12
Musicians
Mick Jagger: vocals, piano
Keith Richards: bass (?)
Mick Taylor: lead guitar
Charlie Watts: drums
Jimmy Miller: bass drum (?)
Bobby Keys: saxophone
Rebop (?): congas
Unidentified musicians: hand claps
Recorded
Dynamic Sound Studios, Kingston, Jamaica: November 23–December 14, 1972
Island Studios, London: May 28–June 8, 1973
Olympic Sound Studios, London: July 6–9, 1973
Technical Team
Producer: Jimmy Miller
Sound engineer: Andy Johns
Assistant sound engineers: Carlton Lee, Howard Kilgour, Doug Bennett
This is a typical Rolling Stones blues that builds on the typical Rolling Stones riff of “Silver Train.” Mick Jagger composed it on the piano, in all likelihood sometime before the recording of Goats Head Soup. In The Rolling Stones Complete Recording Sessions 1962–2012, Martin Elliott101 suggests that he wrote it in the summer of 1970. What does seem certain is that Andy Johns particularly liked this invigorating piano blues, and encouraged Mick Jagger to finish it and then record it, most probably during the session at Island Studios on May 28, 1973. The story possesses the caustic humor that is so characteristic of both the blues and the Stones. A woman is reluctant to show her boyfriend her love (and even goes so far as to hide it) because he has an unfortunate tendency to drink and is incapable of controlling his recurrent melancholy.
Andy Johns is not the only one who liked this song: Mick Taylor also reveals a positive opinion of it: “Oh, yeah. I like the blues tune, ‘Hide Your Love.’” 90 Once again he is absolutely brilliant on lead guitar, delivering a succession of blues licks and solos. Keith Richards apparently accompanies him not on a 6-string but on bass, his playing resembling that of a guitarist more than that of a bass player. On the rhythm side, Charlie Watts plays economically, marking the tempo on his bass drum and making discreet use of the hi-hat and snare drum. Some people say Jimmy Miller is playing the bass drum, but there is no evidence for this, other than a slight timing problem on the track as a whole, which could be attributed to the difficulty of synchronization between him and Charlie. Playing the piano is Mick Jagger—for the very first time on a Stones disc. Obviously he lacks the experience of Ian Stewart and Nicky Hopkins, but he acquits himself pretty well. As for his vocals, a significant delay has been added to his voice in order to reinforce the blues aspect. He gives the impression of singing with the aim not of obtaining a perfect take, but of conveying the spontaneity of a live take. As with “Silver Train,” snatches of a guide vocal can be heard very recessed in the mix, but coming forward at certain points (listen between 3:28 and 3:35). Bobby Keys is on sax, but his interjections are undermixed, which is a shame. Finally, congas can be heard, particularly during Mick Taylor’s solo parts, in all likelihood played by Rebop.