VIDEO | The Rolling Stones

Home ‣My Favorite Music ‣Artists that Begin with "T"

BAND | The Rolling Stones

"Start Me Up"

Last updated 📅 2025-04-19

Start it up! Feel the electrifying power of The Rolling Stones' iconic 1981 hard rock anthem, "Start Me Up." Kicking off with Keith Richards' legendary guitar riff, this massive hit from Tattoo You became one of their most recognizable and enduring signature songs globally.

TITLE: Start Me Up
BAND: The Rolling Stones
GENRE: Hard Rock
OTHER: Cruisin Classic
RELEASEDAY: August 14
YEAR: 1981

Released as the lead single from their chart-topping 1981 album Tattoo You, "Start Me Up" revitalized The Rolling Stones' sound for the 80s. Originating from earlier sessions, its transformation into a driving hard rock powerhouse, fueled by that unforgettable riff and Mick Jagger's energetic vocals, proved irresistible.

Built on one of rock's greatest guitar hooks and propelled by Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman's solid groove, "Start Me Up" is pure rock and roll energy. This 1981 hard rock classic, boosted by early MTV play, remains a stadium-shaking anthem and a cornerstone of the Stones' vast catalog.

SONG MEANING: The song uses automotive metaphors ("Start me up," "Spread out the oil," "Lubricate") as thinly veiled double entendres for sexual arousal and intercourse. The lyrics express intense physical desire and boastful confidence ("You make a grown man cry," "You make a dead man come"), celebrating raw sexual energy.

Band

"The Rolling Stones"

Often called "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band," these legendary British icons have defined rock music for decades. Anchored by an iconic frontman/guitarist duo, their blues-drenched sound, rebellious attitude, and electrifying live shows cemented their unparalleled status and influence.

TITLE: The Rolling Stones
ACTIVE: 1962–present (1962)
BAND: The Rolling Stones

Active continuously since the early sixties, their remarkable career includes groundbreaking experimental phases. Around nineteen sixty-six, they released major international hits near the seventh day of May that incorporated unique world music instrumentation and dark textures, masterfully blending pioneering psychedelic and raga styles with their foundational rock and roll power, alongside countless other blues, rock, and disco-influenced classics throughout their history...

THE ROLLING STONES: Start Me Up, One Hit (to the Body), (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, Miss You, Honky Tonk Women, Brown Sugar, Gimme Shelter, Jumpin' Jack Flash, Beast of Burden, Paint It, Black

Go to "The Rolling Stones" Page

BAND | The Rolling Stones

"One Hit (to the Body)"

Feel the impact of The Rolling Stones' hard-hitting 1986 rock track, "One Hit (to the Body)"! The powerful opener from Dirty Work, this song features intense guitar interplay, including a contribution from Jimmy Page, delivering a raw, aggressive hard rock statement.