Winning Ugly

Composers: Mick Jagger & Keith Richards
Recording date: July-December 1985        Recording locations: RPM Studios & Right Track Studios, New York City, USA
Producers: Steve Lillywhite & The Glimmer Twins        Chief engineer: Dave Jerden
Never performed onstage


Probable line-up:

Drums: Charlie Watts
Bass: John Regan
Electric guitars: Keith Richards & Ron Wood
Lead vocal: Mick Jagger
Background vocals: Mick Jagger, Janice Pendarvis & Dollette McDonald
Synthesizer: Chuck Leavell
 

I want to be on top, forever on the up
And damn the competition
I never play it fair, I never turn a hair
Just like the politicians

I wrap my conscience up, I want to win that cup
And get my money baby
But back in the dressing room
The other side is weeping

And we're winning, winning ugly
And we're winning, winning ugly

And we're heading for the heartbreak
Heading for the blues - yeah
And we're heading for the heartbreak
Heading for the blues

And we're winning, winning ugly

I will not act unkind
I will not be so blind

I will not walk so proud
Come down from off my cloud


How can I live my life this way?
Beauty is staring me in the face
Ain't that the truth?
Ain't that the truth?

Hold on
Come on girl
Come on girl

Look out for number one, my country right or wrong
Let the devil take the hindmost
I was brought up to cheat so long as the referee
Wasn't looking

I'm never wrong at all, I always fight the call
I don't admit it
But back in the dressing room
The other side is screaming

And we're winning, winning ugly - yeah
And we're winning, winning ugly

And we're heading for the heartbreak
Heading for the blues - yeah
And we're heading for the heartbreak
Heading for the blues - yes

And we're winning, winning ugly

I will not act unkind
I will not be so blind

I will not walk so proud
Come down from off my cloud


How can I live my life this way?
Beauty is staring me in the face
Ain't that the truth?
Ain't that the truth?

Come on, baby
Come on, girl
A little bit louder
Walk a little bit prouder

Pretty, pretty, pretty
Yes

And we're winning, winning ugly - that's all right
Winning, winning, winning ugly - come on girl
Watch me sinning, winning, winning ugly
And we're winning, winning, winning ugly - winning ugly
Come on, stay on it, stay on it girl, stay on it girl  (winning, winning ugly)
Come on, it's all right, it's all right  (winning, winning ugly)
 
 
 

TrackTalk

That was cut pretty fast.

- Dave Jerden


The original track had two guitars, Woody and me, and then I think we put another couple on there that we used in and out. Then there's that lick: everybody keeps asking me to show them how to play it. I feel like I could make a living off teaching guitar players how to play that lick (laughs). But it's dead simple, just a slightly elongated version of Tumbling Dice - to me, at least. It's the same shapes, the same fingerings, just sort of drawn out a bit... That riff reminds me of an early Motown thing, a Marvin Gaye thing like Stubborn Kind of Fellow or You're a Wonderful One or Can I Get a Witness. It's a basic Motown riff, really; we've just jazzed it up with some technology.

- Keith Richards, 1985


(The upstroke guitar playing section) comes from Ronnie and me hanging around for a while in Mexico, 'cause we started to learn all those fandangos, where you pull back on the strings from the top down.

- Keith Richards, 1985


Keith used Ronnie's blonde '57 Strat through a Boogie (amp) and came up with that great lick which flows through the song.

- Alan Rogan, guitar technician


I mean, I'll go for almost anything in a song if I think it's good - 'cause I'll write it from the standpoint of someone else. Then I can show the subject in its bad light. There are uncomfortable subjects, but you don't have to imply that you're endorsing it. You have to be able to write around it, from the point of view of someone else. There were certain songs on Dirty Work that were done that way.

- Mick Jagger, 1987



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