Keith Richards isn’t just a human riff machine. Honestly, people get so caught up in the "Keef" persona—the cigarette, the bandana, the legendary constitution—that they forget he's one of the most soul-baring songwriters in rock history. Most casual fans know him for the opening of "Satisfaction" or "Start Me Up," but those are just the hooks. The real magic happens when he steps to the mic.
He’s the "Human Riff." But he’s also a country-loving, blues-obsessed romantic.
When you look at songs by Keith Richards, you have to divide them into two camps. There are the ones he wrote for Mick Jagger to swagger through, and then there are the ones he kept for himself. The latter are usually where the vulnerability hides. They’re dusty, slightly out of tune, and completely authentic.
The Night He Became a Lead Singer
For a long time, Keith was content just being the guy behind the guy. He’d do some backing vocals, sure. But lead? Not his thing. That changed in 1969.
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The Rolling Stones were recording Let It Bleed. Mick Jagger wasn't in the studio one night, and Keith decided to lay down a vocal for a track called "You Got the Silver." It was supposed to be a guide track for Mick. But the producer heard it and realized something. Mick’s version (which does exist in the vaults) sounded like a rock star trying to sing the blues. Keith’s version was the blues. It was desperate. Gritty. It stayed on the album.
That moment opened the floodgates. Suddenly, a Rolling Stones album wasn't complete without a "Keith track." These songs became the emotional centerpieces of some of the greatest records ever made.
The Exile on Main St. Breakthrough
By 1972, the Stones were tax exiles in the South of France. They were recording in a humid basement at Nellcôte. It was chaotic. But out of that chaos came "Happy."
Keith wrote it in about four minutes. Bobby Keys was on sax, Jimmy Miller was on drums, and Keith handled the rest. It’s a lightning bolt of a song. It’s also one of the few times a Keith-led song became a genuine radio hit. It perfectly captures his philosophy: as long as you’ve got love and a guitar, the rest is just noise.
Beyond the Stones: The Solo Years
When the "World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band" started falling apart in the mid-80s (the "World War III" era, as Keith calls it), he finally went solo. He didn't really want to. He was forced into it because Mick was busy being a solo pop star.
But it was the best thing that could have happened to his songwriting.
Keith formed the X-Pensive Winos with Steve Jordan. If you haven't listened to Talk Is Cheap (1988), you're missing the purest distillation of Keith’s musical soul. Tracks like "Take It So Hard" and "How I Wish" have a swing that the Stones were starting to lose at the time.
The Forgotten Ballads
We need to talk about "Slipping Away." It’s the closing track on Steel Wheels, and it might be the most beautiful thing he's ever written. It’s not a rocker. It’s a meditation on aging and loss.
"Just another song, and it's slip, slip, slipping away."
It’s heavy.
Then there’s "All About You" from Emotional Rescue. It’s a bitter, slow-burning goodbye. Some say it was about Anita Pallenberg; others think it was a message to Mick. Either way, the delivery is devastating. You can hear the weariness in his voice. It's not "pretty" singing, but it's true singing.
Why These Songs Still Matter in 2026
Rock and roll has become very polished. Everything is gridded and pitch-corrected now. Keith Richards’ songs are the opposite of that. They breathe. They've got "the roll" in rock and roll.
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When you listen to "Before They Make Me Run," you’re hearing a guy who just survived a massive heroin bust in Toronto. He’s not apologizing. He’s just moving on. That kind of honesty is rare. It’s why his solo stuff, like 2015’s Crosseyed Heart, still feels relevant. He’s not trying to compete with 20-year-olds on the charts. He’s just being Keith.
A Quick Guide to the Keith Essentials
If you're looking to build a playlist of the best songs by Keith Richards, don't just stick to the hits. You need the deep cuts.
- "Coming Down Again" – A hazy, druggy ballad from Goats Head Soup. It’s slow and beautiful.
- "Little T&A" – Pure Chuck Berry energy. High octane and slightly scandalous.
- "Thru and Thru" – A six-minute epic from Voodoo Lounge. Wait for the drums to kick in at the two-minute mark. It’s a religious experience.
- "Wicked as It Seems" – The standout track from his second solo album, Main Offender. That riff is lethal.
Final Insights
To really understand Keith Richards, you have to look past the guitar. Listen to the lyrics. He often writes about being a "thief in the night" or a guy "losing his touch." There’s a lot of self-reflection there that people miss because they’re too busy looking at his ring collection.
Actionable Next Steps:
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- Listen to the "Keith Sets": Next time you put on a Stones live album, skip to the middle where Mick takes a break. Listen to Keith do "Happy" and "Before They Make Me Run" back-to-back.
- Explore the Winos: Find a copy of Live at the Hollywood Palladium. It’s arguably better than any Stones live record from the same era because the band is so tight.
- Watch the Documentary: Check out Under the Influence on Netflix. It shows him in the studio and explains his obsession with the roots of American music.
The man isn't just a survivor. He’s a songwriter of the highest order.