Shattered

The Rolling Stones

About Shattered

"Shattered" is a song by The Rolling Stones from their 1978 album Some Girls. The song is a reflection of American lifestyles and life in 1970s-era New York City, but also influences from the English punk rock movement can be heard. Recorded from October to December 1977, "Shattered" features lyrics sung in sprechgesang by Jagger on a guitar riff by Keith Richards. Jagger commented in a Rolling Stone interview that he wrote the lyrics in the back of a New York cab. Most of Richards' guitar work is a basic rhythmic pattern strumming out the alternating tonic and dominant chords with each bar, utilising a relatively modest phaser sound effect for some added depth. Due to the absence of bassist Bill Wyman, the bass track is played by Ronnie Wood. "Shattered" was released as a single in the United States with cover art by illustrator Hubert Kretzschmar and in 1979 climbed to number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Rolling Stones performed the song live for an episode of Saturday Night Live. 


Year:
1978
3:46
1,928 

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Uh huh shattered, uh huh shattered
Love and hope and sex and dreams
Are still surviving on the street
Look at me, I'm in tatters!
I'm a shattered
Shattered

Friends are so alarming
My lover's never charming
Life's just a cocktail party on the street
Big Apple
People dressed in plastic bags
Directing traffic
Some kind of fashion
Shattered

Laughter, joy, and loneliness and sex and sex and sex and sex
Look at me, I'm in tatters
I'm a shattered
Shattered

All this chitter-chatter, chitter-chatter, chitter-chatter 'bout
Shmatta, shmatta, shmatta, I can't give it away on 7th Avenue
This town's been wearing tatters (shattered, sha ooobie shattered)

Work and work for love and sex
Ain't you hungry for success, success, success, success
Does it matter? (shattered)
Does it matter?

Ah look at me
I'm shattered
I'm shattered 0
Look at me, I'm a shattered, yeah (shattered)

Pride and joy and greed and sex
That's what makes our town the best
Pride and joy and dirty dreams and still surviving on the street
And look at me, I'm in tatters, yeah
I've been battered, what does it matter
Does it matter, uh-huh
Does it matter, uh-huh, I'm a shattered

Mmm, I'm shattered, unh
Sha oobie, shattered, unh
Sha oobie, shattered
Sha oobie, shattered, shattered

Don't you know the crime rate is going up, up, up, up, up
To live in this town you must be tough, tough, tough, tough, tough!
You got rats on the West Side
Bed bugs uptown
What a mess this town's in tatters, I've been shattered
My brain's been battered, splattered all over Manhattan

Sha oobie, shattered, shattered, what say
Sha oobie, shattered
Sha oobie, shattered
Sha oobie, shattered

Uh-huh, this town's full of money grabbers
Go ahead, bite the Big Apple, don't mind the maggots, huh
Sha oobie, my brain's been battered
My friends they come around they
Flatter, flatter, flatter, flatter, flatter, flatter, flatter
Pile it up, pile it up, pile high on the platter

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The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in Dartford in 1962. The earliest settled line-up consisted of Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Ian Stewart (keyboards, piano), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass) and Charlie Watts (drums). Since Wyman's retirement in 1993, the band's full members have been Jagger, Richards, Watts and guitarist Ronnie Wood who joined in 1975. Darryl Jones (bassist) and Chuck Leavell (keyboardist) are regular contributors but not full band members. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted the Rolling Stones in 1989, noting that "critical acclaim and popular consensus has accorded them the title of the “World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band.”Rolling Stone magazine ranked them 4… more »

26 fans

Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Release and Album
"Shattered" is a song by English rock band the Rolling Stones from their 1978 album "Some Girls."
Chart Performance
The song peaked at number 31 in the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1979.
Songwriting Credits
Like most of the Rolling Stones' songs, "Shattered" is credited to the songwriting partnership of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
Lyrics and Themes
The song is a reflection of American lifestyle and culture, especially focusing on life in New York City.
First Live Performance
The first live performance of the song by the band was on July 1, 1978, in Lakeland, Florida, a month before the release of the Some Girls album.
Music Video
The official music video for "Shattered" features a live performance of the band in Fort Worth, Texas.
Unofficial Theme
Many consider the song to be an unofficial theme for the city of New York due to its lyrical content.
Song Style
The song is known for its driving beat and main riff, which is played by Keith Richards, while Mick Jagger sings in a rapid-fire, near rap-like fashion.
Rolling Stones' Experimentation
"Shattered" is one of the tracks from the period when The Rolling Stones were experimenting with genres like disco and punk.
Song Legacy
Despite not reaching the top of the charts, "Shattered" remains a fan favorite and is frequently included in the band's live performances.
Remix Version
A remix version of "Shattered" was included in the 2005 compilation album "Rarities 1971-2003".
Co-vocalist
Keith Richards also serves as a co-vocalist in this track, providing multi-vocals and backing vocals with Mick Jagger.

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    Shattered

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1979

    Billboard #31


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