Sweet Virginia
"Sweet Virginia" is a song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and was the sixth song on the Rolling Stones' 1972 double album Exile on Main St. The song is a slow country-inspired composition with a saxophone solo.
| "Sweet Virginia" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Rolling Stones | |
| from the album Exile on Main St. | |
| Released | 12 May 1972 |
| Recorded | 30 June – July 1970, 7 June 1971 – March 1972 |
| Studio |
|
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:27 |
| Label | Rolling Stones Records |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) | Jimmy Miller |
This album was mostly recorded in Villa Nellcôte, France, as well as at Olympic Studios in 1970, with vocal overdubs added in early 1972 at Sunset Sound Studios. The song features a harmonica solo by Jagger and a saxophone solo by Bobby Keys. Drummer Charlie Watts plays a country shuffle rhythm. An alternate version without the backing singers was released on bootlegs. The song was also released as the B-side of the Stones' "Rocks Off" single in Japan.
The version of the song that the band re-recorded for Stripped is featured in Martin Scorsese's 1995 film Casino. The original recording is played over the closing credits of Rian Johnson's 2019 film Knives Out.