Mick Jagger / Keith Richards / 5:29
Musicians
Mick Jagger: vocals, rhythm guitar
Mick Taylor: lead guitar
Bill Wyman: bass
Charlie Watts: drums
Nicky Hopkins: piano
Nicky Harrison: string arrangement
Recorded
Dynamic Sound Studios, Kingston, Jamaica: November 23–December 14, 1972
Island Studios, London: May 28–June 8, 1973
Olympic Sound Studios, London: May 7–17, July 6–9, 1973
Technical Team
Producer: Jimmy Miller
Sound engineer: Andy Johns
Assistant sound engineers: Carlton Lee, Howard Kilgour, Doug Bennett
The “Winter” lyricist was Mick Jagger. He draws a parallel between a cold, cold winter and the absence of his loved one, and hopes that with the fine days of summer, love will come. There is a sentimental aspect that is not exactly at home in the Stones world. Is the song an expression of nostalgia, under Jamaica’s constant sunshine, for England and in particular the Christmas season?
Although “Winter” is credited to Jagger-Richards, the music was born mainly of a collaboration between the Stones singer and Mick Taylor (following the example of “Moonlight Mile” on Sticky Fingers), both of whom are playing guitar. This was the first song on Goats Head Soup to have been recorded at Dynamic Sound Studios in Kingston.
It is quite likely that Keith had no hand at all in this track, so little does the musical atmosphere resemble his style. Indeed he has confirmed as much himself: “‘Winter’ had nothing to do with me.”28 It is probably Mick Jagger on guitar in the intro, playing a rhythm part through a Leslie speaker with vibrato. Mick Taylor answers him with some very good licks on lead, again with that highly lyrical mix of blues and rock that is his trademark. For the second time on the album, Bill Wyman is back in his role as bassist, one his fellow guitarists were perhaps a little too inclined to take away from him. Charlie Watts delivers a superb drum part, making ample use of his ride cymbal. At the piano, Nicky Hopkins contributes to the melancholy atmosphere of “Winter” with his own highly lyrical playing, and with the help of Nicky Harrison’s very good string arrangements, the song begins to take on a flavor similar to that of “Moonlight Mile.” Mick Taylor distinguishes himself once again with excellent solos reminiscent of Santana in his Caravanserai (1972) period. His playing is brilliant, and his presence almost forces the Stones to adopt a richer style with jazz-rock inflections. As for Mick Jagger, the lead vocalist seems to drop his rock star mask, assuming a more sensitive and fragile tone than usual. Andy Johns would come to regard “Winter” as one of the band’s best numbers.