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"Respectable" is a song by The Rolling Stones from their 1978 album Some Girls. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
In the liner notes to the 1993 compilation album Jump Back: The Best of The Rolling Stones (on which it was included), Jagger said, "It's important to be somewhat influenced by what's going on around you and on the Some Girls album I think we definitely became more aggressive because of the punk thing…" The lyrics are said to be about Mick Jagger's wife at the time, Bianca Jagger.
Recorded from October through December 1977, "Respectable" was originally written by Mick Jagger to be a slower song, but guitarist Richards saw the advantages of speeding up the tempo and crafting a rocker out of the song. Jagger continued in the liner notes, "On 'Respectable' I was banging out three chords incredibly loud on the electric guitar, which isn't always a wonderful idea but was fun here. This is a punk meets Chuck Berry number…" This resulted in Jagger and Richards having arguments over the song's tempo.
"Respectable" is one of the songs on Some Girls famed for its use of the core Stones members, all five then-members of the band playing their respective instruments, plus Jagger on guitar. On Jagger's inclusion, Richards said in the Jump Back liner notes, "This was one of the first times we allowed him to join in on guitar. He's a really good rhythm player, man; but then, he's had a good teacher."
"Respectable" was released as a single in the UK on September 15, 1978, where it peaked at #23 on the UK Singles Chart. A memorable music video,which was directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, was made for the single, featuring a more "punk" Stones on display. A still from this video—with departed bassist Wyman edited out—was used as the cover for the band's 2005 compilation album Rarities 1971–2003.
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