‘Tell Me’ was the first song co-written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
At the time they were making an ok living recording covers of R&B songs, but their management knew the real money was in publishing. So the boys reluctantly kicked off what would become one of the most prolific and celebrated songwriting partnerships in music history.
The song isn’t all that special (it reminds me of that scene in This is Spinal Tap where Nigel and David remember one of their first songs and admit that it basically contained about ten words repeated over and over). But you can hear the seeds of the greatness to come.
I want your love again
I know you find it hard to reason with me
But this time it’s different, darling you’ll see
You gotta tell me you’re coming back to me
You gotta tell me you’re coming back to me
You gotta tell me you’re coming back to me
You gotta tell me you’re coming back to me
You said we’re through before
You walked out on me before
I tried to tell you, but you didn’t want to know
This time you’re different and determined to go
You gotta tell me you’re coming back to me
You gotta tell me you’re coming back to me
You gotta tell me you’re coming back to me
You gotta tell me you’re coming back to me
I wait as the days go by
I long for the nights to go by
I hear the knock on my door that never comes
I hear the telephone that hasn’t rung
You gotta tell me you’re coming back to me
You gotta tell me you’re coming back to me
You gotta tell me you’re coming back to me
You gotta tell me you’re coming back to me
Not such an auspicious start, but they certainly improved from this after.