You know that feeling when you're driving through a flat stretch of nothingness, maybe somewhere in the armpit of Bakersfield, and the radio starts spitting out some high-lonesome pedal steel? That’s exactly where Far Away Eyes lives. It’s a strange little blip in the Rolling Stones catalog. Released in 1978 on the Some Girls album, it’s basically Mick Jagger doing a cartoonish southern drawl that makes him sound more like a preacher in a dusty tent revival than a rock star from Dartford. It’s weird. It’s funny. Honestly, it’s one of the bravest things they ever recorded.
Most people think of the Stones and they think of "Gimme Shelter" or "Paint It Black." They think of brooding, dark, leather-clad rock and roll. But Far Away Eyes is different. It’s the Stones leaning into their obsession with American country music, but doing it with a wink and a nudge. It’s not a straight tribute like "Wild Horses." No, this is something else entirely. It’s a parody that somehow manages to be a masterpiece at the same time.
The Bakersfield Sound and Mick’s Ridiculous Accent
To understand why Far Away Eyes sounds the way it does, you have to look at where the Stones were mentally in the late 70s. They were hanging out in New York City. Punk was exploding. Disco was everywhere. The band was feeling the pressure to stay relevant. So, naturally, they decided to write a song about driving through California listening to gospel radio.
Mick Jagger’s vocal delivery is the elephant in the room. He adopts this exaggerated, molasses-thick country accent. It’s borderline mocking. He talks about "ten-wheeling" and "praying to the Lord" because he’s lonely and looking for a girl with "far away eyes." Some critics back in '78 thought he was taking the piss. Maybe he was. But if you listen to the musicianship, specifically Ron Wood’s pedal steel guitar, you realize they weren't joking about the music.
Ron Wood basically saves the song from being a total joke. His playing is fluid and soulful. It grounds Mick’s theatrical performance in something real. The pedal steel is the heart of the "Bakersfield Sound"—a subgenre of country music popularized by Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. It’s twangy. It’s raw. It’s the opposite of the polished Nashville sound. By 1978, the Stones were masters of appropriation, and they nailed the vibe perfectly.
Keith Richards and the Country Connection
We can't talk about Far Away Eyes without mentioning Keith Richards. While Mick was the one doing the funny voices, Keith was the one with the deep, spiritual connection to country music. Keith was famously tight with Gram Parsons, the guy who basically invented cosmic American music. Parsons taught Keith the nuances of the genre—the "soul" of white man's blues.
🔗 Read more: Cry Havoc: Why Jack Carr Just Changed the Reece-verse Forever
In Far Away Eyes, you can hear that influence. Even though the lyrics are tongue-in-cheek, the arrangement is tight. The rhythm section of Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman keeps it simple. Charlie plays it like a classic country shuffle. He doesn't overplay. He never did. That’s the magic of the Stones; they could play anything and still sound like themselves.
The Lyrics: A Satire of the American Heartland?
"I was driving home early Sunday morning through Bakersfield..."
That opening line sets the stage. Mick isn't singing; he's narrating. He tells this story about being lonely, about the "preacher on the radio" telling him that the Lord is his shepherd and he "really should not want." It’s a brilliant bit of social commentary. It captures that specific brand of American loneliness—the kind you find in 24-hour diners and on long, dark highways.
The "far away eyes" he's looking for represent a kind of escapism. Is it about a girl? Is it about a spiritual awakening? Or is it just about finding someone who is as checked out of reality as he is? The beauty of the song is that it doesn't give you a straight answer. It stays in that hazy, satirical space.
Interestingly, the song was the B-side to "Miss You." Talk about a contrast. You have "Miss You," which is this sleek, disco-infused club hit, and then you flip the record over and get a honky-tonk parody about a guy driving a truck in California. It showed the incredible range the Stones had during the Some Girls sessions. They weren't just a rock band anymore; they were a sponge, soaking up every bit of culture they encountered in New York and across the States.
💡 You might also like: Colin Macrae Below Deck: Why the Fan-Favorite Engineer Finally Walked Away
Recording at Pathé Marconi
The Some Girls album was recorded at Pathé Marconi studios in Paris. It’s funny to think about them being in France, surrounded by wine and high culture, while trying to channel the spirit of a dusty California highway. They were reportedly quite prolific during these sessions. They recorded dozens of tracks, many of which would later surface on Tattoo You or as deluxe edition outtakes.
Far Away Eyes survived the cut because it was distinct. It provided a necessary breather on an album that was otherwise very high-energy and aggressive. Without it, Some Girls might have felt too relentless. It gives the listener a moment to laugh, to breathe, and to appreciate the band's versatility.
Why It Still Matters in 2026
You might wonder why a country-parody song from nearly fifty years ago still gets played. It’s because it feels authentic in its inauthenticity. We live in an era of "pastiche." Everyone is constantly referencing something else. The Stones were doing that back in 1978, but they did it with better gear and more drugs.
Also, Far Away Eyes is a favorite for live performances. When they play it live, Mick usually leans even harder into the accent. The audience loves it. It’s a communal moment where everyone gets to be in on the joke. It proves that the Stones never took themselves as seriously as the critics did. They knew they were just a bunch of guys from England playing around with American myths.
The Technical Side of the Twang
If you're a guitar nerd, this song is a goldmine. Ron Wood uses the pedal steel to create those weeping, sliding notes that define the track. It's notoriously hard to play. You're using both hands, both feet, and your knees to change the pitch of the strings. Wood wasn't a lifelong pedal steel player, but he had the instinct for it.
📖 Related: Cómo salvar a tu favorito: La verdad sobre la votación de La Casa de los Famosos Colombia
The piano work is also worth noting. It’s classic "floogie" style—lots of grace notes and rolling chords. It adds to that saloon-room atmosphere. The production is dry. There isn't much reverb on the vocals, which makes Mick's narration feel uncomfortably close, like he's sitting in the passenger seat of your car, smelling of cigarettes and cheap bourbon.
How to Appreciate the Song Today
If you're new to the Stones or only know the hits, give Far Away Eyes a real listen. Don't just dismiss it as a joke. Look at how it fits into the narrative of Some Girls. Look at how it reflects the band's love affair with the American South.
- Listen to the lyrics first. Really pay attention to the storytelling. It’s one of Mick’s best lyrical performances because he’s playing a character.
- Focus on the pedal steel. Try to follow Ron Wood’s lines through the whole song. They are melodic and perfectly placed.
- Compare it to "Dead Flowers." That’s their other big "country" song. You'll see that while "Dead Flowers" is a bit more cynical, Far Away Eyes is more surreal.
- Watch the music video. It’s a trip. You see the band in the studio, and Mick’s facial expressions are priceless. He knows exactly how ridiculous he looks.
The song is a reminder that rock and roll doesn't always have to be about rebellion or angst. Sometimes, it can just be about the weirdness of being alive and the strange things you hear on the radio at 3:00 AM.
Ultimately, Far Away Eyes is a testament to the Rolling Stones' curiosity. They never stopped looking at the world around them and trying to figure out how to turn it into a song. Whether it was the disco floors of Manhattan or the truck stops of Bakersfield, it was all fodder for the greatest rock and roll band in the world. They took the "far away" and made it feel very, very close.
To get the most out of this track, try listening to it on a long drive. Preferably one where the scenery is repetitive and the cell service is spotty. It makes much more sense when you're actually in the environment it describes. You'll start to see those "far away eyes" in every passing car. It’s a vibe. It’s a classic. It’s the Stones at their most playful and peculiar. Don't skip it.