Keith Richards Reveals He and Mick Jagger Often Write Similar Songs Without Realizing It
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In a recent interview with Billboard, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger discussed the unique role each member of the Rolling Stones plays during the band’s recording sessions.
Keith Richards says his songwriting partnership with Mick Jagger remains remarkably in tune, even when they’re working separately.
In a recent Billboard cover story, the longtime Rolling Stones bandmates reflected on how they collaborate in the studio following the release of their latest album, Foreign Tongues, which arrived earlier this month.
The conversation centered on the creation of the new record, which follows 2023’s Hackney Diamonds. Jagger explained that while working on the previous album, the band intentionally held back three songs because they already planned to record another project soon afterward.
Richards described Foreign Tongues as a natural continuation of Hackney Diamonds, saying the connection lies less in the songs themselves and more in the overall spirit and energy of the music.
He also revealed that he and Jagger often discover they’ve been developing remarkably similar ideas while apart. After spending time in different parts of the world, they reunite, compare what they’ve written, and frequently find that their separate compositions fit together seamlessly—as if they had unknowingly been writing the same song.
Jagger praised Richards’ creative input on the album, noting that the guitarist came up with a stronger riff for the track “Mr. Charm” than the one he had originally written. He joked that improving his ideas is simply part of Richards’ role in the band.
Richards also highlighted Ronnie Wood’s contributions during recording sessions, describing the guitarist as someone with an exceptional ear who often listens carefully before introducing ideas that perfectly enhance a song. He compared the band’s collaborative process to an ancient form of weaving, where each member adds their own unique thread, creating something greater together while keeping the creative process exciting and unpredictable.