Dancing With Mr. D.

The song Dancing With Mr. D. opens the album Goats Head Soup by the Rolling Stones, released in 1973. This track stands out for its hypnotic riff, which repeats throughout the piece and sets a dark and enigmatic atmosphere. The lyrics, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, suggest an interaction with a figure that could be a succubus or even Death itself, adding a layer of depth and personal reflection to the narrative, in contrast to the demonic imagery Jagger had previously explored in Sympathy for the Devil.

The recording of Dancing With Mr. D. took place in several studios, beginning at Dynamic Sounds in Kingston, Jamaica, and continuing at Village Recorders in Los Angeles and at Island Recording Studios in London. This recording process occurred during a period when the Rolling Stones were established as tax exiles, leading them to create their music outside the United Kingdom. Producer Jimmy Miller was instrumental in shaping the band’s characteristic sound during this time. On the track, Billy Preston’s contribution on clavinet, along with Nicky Hopkins’s piano arrangements and the percussion of Rebop Kwaku Baah and Pascal, enrich the sonic texture. Additionally, Mick Taylor adds his electric slide guitar, while Charlie Watts handles the drums, all of which contribute to a sound that foreshadows the direction the Rolling Stones would take in their later works.