Miss You

The harmonic genius of 'Miss You' lies in its restraint. The verse is essentially a one-chord vamp over Am, with all the harmonic interest generated by Wyman's iconic descending bass riff. This minimalist approach draws from both blues tradition and disco practice, where groove and rhythm take precedence over harmonic complexity. The chorus introduces basic minor-key movement (iv-i-V-i) that feels like a release after the verse's hypnotic stasis. The blues influence is evident in the vocal delivery and the use of the major V chord resolving to the minor tonic.

The song originated from a jam session between Mick Jagger and keyboardist Billy Preston during rehearsals for the Rolling Stones' March 1977 El Mocambo club gigs in Toronto. What started as a loose groove evolved into one of the band's most commercially successful singles. Keith Richards received co-writing credit as per the standard Jagger/Richards partnership agreement for all Rolling Stones originals.

Released in May 1978 as the lead single from Some Girls, 'Miss You' saw the Rolling Stones embrace disco-era grooves without abandoning their rock and blues roots. Built around Bill Wyman's iconic bass riff and driven by Charlie Watts' four-on-the-floor beat, the track became the band's eighth US number-one single and remains one of their most enduring crossover hits.