The Rolling Stones vs. Alicia Keys | Head 2 Head

On the 3^rd edition of Head 2 Head (2022), The Rolling Stones and Alicia Keys contend for the best rendition of “Wild Horses.” 

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elcome to Head 2 Head ! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians singing the same song together, comparing their performances.  Then, after much deliberation, we deliver a verdict of which performance was the best, or at least, subjectively, which performance moved us more.  On the 3^rd edition of head-to-head (2022), The Rolling Stones and Alicia Keys contend for the best rendition of “Wild Horses”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

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1. The Rolling Stones, “Wild Horses”

Sticky Fingers • Promotone B.V. / Universal International Music B.V. • 1971

“Childhood living is easy to do / The things you wanted, I bought them for you.” Ah – what a sensational opening lyric! The Rolling Stones have no shortage of hits.  Hits and hits and then, more hits! Among my favorites by this legendary blues-rock band is “Wild Horses.” “Wild Horses” appears as the third track on one of the collective’s most famous albums, Sticky Fingers. Worth noting, Sticky Fingers features the incredibly controversial “Brown Sugar”.  Here, we’ll focus on this marvelous ballad.

“Wild Horses” ranks among the band’s finest ballads.  Mick Jagger sings beautifully without losing any rock credibility.  I love his tone on the verse – expressive, earthy, and authentic.  The record, however, isn’t cheery despite its brilliance.  “I watched you suffer a dull, aching pain,” Jagger sings in the second verse, adding, “No sweeping exits or offstage lines / Could make me feel bitter or treat you unkind.” Besides being heavy as opposed to light, it should be noted that “Wild Horses” has little to do with equines.  The song appears to reference Jagger’s former flame, Marianne Faithfull, though Jagger denies the song is about her. Jagger packs the most punch on the centerpiece, the chorus, which is simple yet ranks among my favorite choruses of all-time:

“Wild horses couldn’t drag me away

Wild, wild horses couldn’t drag me away.”

“Wild Horses” is special – one of those classics that speaks for itself.  I love the sound of the acoustic guitars.  Furthermore, the harmonic progression, though nothing too crazy, compels as well. The songwriting, sound, and musicianship showcased by The Stones is awesome here.  Hard to beat, right? Right!    

Also appears on :
 The Rolling Stones, “Wild Horses”: Throwback Vibez No. 5 (2022)
 Horses: 3 or 4 BOPS No. 2 (2022)

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2. Alicia Keys, “Wild Horses”

Ft. Adam Levine

Unplugged • Sony Music Entertainment • 2005

Instead of releasing a brand-new studio album in 2005, Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter Alicia Keys released Unplugged.  The album naturally featured ‘unplugged’ versions of the hits from her two previous studio albums, Songs in A Minor (2001) and The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003).  Additionally, Keys recorded some compelling covers, with The Rolling Stones classic, “Wild Horses” leading the charge.  A phenomenal song, Keys enlists a then rising Adam Levine for the assist.  The results = one of the best moments from one of Keys’ more forgettable albums.  Six minutes of glory!

Keys and Levine manage to make “Wild Horses” their own as opposed to a faithful cover of The Stones.  Of course, it’s fundamentally the same song, but there are some noteworthy contrasts. Obviously, it’s a duet, with Levine taking first blood (the first verse) and Keys taking over the reins in the second.  Both join forces, yielding some superb vocal chemistry with Keys’ powerful, soulful pipes and Levine’s colorful, distinct, and appealing tenor.  Melodically, they tweak the tune a smidge, again separating this live take from the original. The vocal harmonies are also a selling point when they sing together. Keys also ensures that “Wild Horses” has more of an R&B/ soulful pop vibe compared to the rock balladry of the Stones. Ah – the piano goes a long way in amplifying the soul factor!

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The Verdict  

The Rolling Stones or Alicia Keys?  It’s a no-brainer folks – The Stones! No disrespect to Alicia Keys and Adam Levine – they did a fine job covering this classic.  That said, this is an instance where the original is king.  Worth noting, there have been other respectable covers of “Wild Horses” by The Sundays and Susan Boyle, but those Stones – man, oh man – do they still stand tallest amongst all!

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The Rolling Stones vs. Alicia Keys: Head 2 Head No. 3 (2022) [: Brent Faulkner, Layers, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, RODNAE Productions, Sony Music Entertainment,  Valentin Tikhonov]

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