Brown Sugar (track)
by The Rolling Stones
Year: 1971
From the album Sticky Fingers (track #1)
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Brown Sugar appears on the following album(s) by The Rolling Stones:
- Sticky Fingers (track #1) (this album) (1971)
- Forty Licks (track #22) (compilation) (2002)
- Hot Rocks 1964–1971 (track #20) (compilation) (1971)
- Jump Back: The Best Of The Rolling Stones (track #2) (compilation) (1993)
- Rolled Gold+: The Very Best Of The Rolling Stones (track #38) (compilation) (2007)
- Flashpoint (track #13) (1991)
- Shine A Light (track #19) (2008)
- Singles Collection: The London Years (track #52) (compilation) (1989)
- Live Licks (track #1) (2004)
- Love You Live (track #16) (1977)
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Brown Sugar ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
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Showing latest 3 ratings for this track. | Show all 624 ratings for this track.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Track ratings | Avg. track rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 07/04/2026 11:46 | Siromynian | 18,971 | 71/100 |
| ! | 06/08/2026 19:13 | blueandthemoon | 1,171 | 91/100 |
| ! | 06/05/2026 00:05 |  serpico | 3,959 | 89/100 |
Rating metrics:
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(*In practice, some tracks can have several thousand ratings)
This track is rated in the top 1% of all tracks on BestEverAlbums.com. This track has a Bayesian average rating of 89.7/100, a mean average of 88.9/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 90.0/100. The standard deviation for this track is 11.7.
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Despite the controversy and modern sensibilities around the lyrics to this song, (which I totally get by the way) it’s still one of the greatest track one, side ones of all time.
With the addition of Mick Taylor to the band this is the strongest line up that the Stones ever had. There’s a groove that runs through the whole album and this track sets the tempo for that.
This really is masterpiece with one of the greatest guitar riffs ever played. This is the Stones playing great blues and the use of the sax (more on that on later tracks as well), is inspired. The energy on the song and the whole album is, as someone described it, “gritty and groovy".
Just to address the lyrics, Keith Richards has defended the song as being about the "horrors of slavery," but others have labelled them gross and sexist. In 2021, the Rolling Stones removed "Brown Sugar" from their US tour setlist. Mick Jagger has stated he "never would write that song now" and would "probably censor [himself]" because the lyrics are so raw. (Edited)
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Such an awesome song. Very lyrically daring as well. Deals with taboo topics that no one would touch today.
StefanR10 07/18/2020 14:43 | #255766
Always thought they sing about heroin but it is more about a woman whip is black but could have be different meanings.
Brilliant analysis of interracial relationships and whether there exists an inherent power dynamic to black-white sexual relationships. Of course, Mick concedes with the realization that he doesn't actually care and will continue to fuck whoever he wants regardless of his conclusion on the issue.
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