"Sleep Tonight" is a song by the Rolling Stones, from their 1986 album '' Dirty Work''. It is the second song on the ten-track album where lead vocals are performed by Keith Richards, " Too Rude" being the first. This was the first time two songs sung by Richards appeared on a Rolling Stones album. Richards wrote the song (credited as a Jagger/Richards composition) on piano in the Paris

recording studio A recording studio is a specialized facility for sound recording, mixing, and audio production of instrumental or vocal musical performances, spoken words, and other sounds. They range in size from a small in-home project studio large enoug ...

's control room. Ronnie Wood liked the developing song and they recorded it together unaccompanied. Wood played drums, since

Charlie Watts Charles Robert Watts (2 June 1941 – 24 August 2021) was an English musician who achieved international fame as the drummer of the Rolling Stones from 1963 until his death in 2021. Originally trained as a graphic artist, Watts developed an i ...

wasn't present for the session, and Watts later said "he could not have done better. Richards plays all guitars, bass and piano, as well as lead and backing vocals, aided by Bobby Womack and

Don Covay Donald James Randolph (March 24, 1936 – January 31, 2015), better known by the stage name Don Covay, was an American R&B, rock and roll, and soul singer-songwriter most active from the 1950s to the 1970s. His most successful recordings incl ...

. Richards has stated that his singing during the ''Dirty Work'' sessions "thickened up" his voice: Since Jagger was absent from the studio much of the time, Richards provided guide vocals for many tracks and learned new microphone techniques.Bosso, Joseph. "Keith! Tunings, Teles and the Cosmic Shuffle: The Rolling Stone Goes Solo". ''Guitar World''. v. 9, no.11. December 1988. His sturdy but smokey vocal presence on "Sleep Tonight" foreshadows the strong and emotive singing on his solo records and later Rolling Stones tracks.

The song

"Sleep Tonight" is a piano-driven ballad, with a restrained string arrangement (played on a synthesizer), a heavy drum beat and a gospel-like vocal arrangement. The song shows a maturing musician and songwriter, and is a bridge between the younger Richards "outlaw" songs and the soulful ballads he became known for on later Rolling Stones records like " Slipping Away" (''

Steel Wheels Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...

''), "The Worst" and "

Thru and Thru ''Thru'' is the second solo studio album by American hip hop musician Thavius Beck. It was released through Mush Records on October 3, 2006. It includes "'98", which was '' East Bay Express'' "MP3 of the Day" on November 10, 2006. Critical recept ...

" ('' Voodoo Lounge''), "How Can I Stop" (''

Bridges to Babylon ''Bridges to Babylon'' is the 21st British and 23rd American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released by Virgin Records on 29 September 1997. Released as a double album on vinyl and as a single CD, it was supported by t ...

'') and "

Losing My Touch ''Forty Licks'' is a double compilation album by the Rolling Stones. A 40-year career-spanning retrospective, ''Forty Licks'' is notable for being the first retrospective to combine their formative Decca/London era of the 1960s, now licensed b ...

" ('' Forty Licks'').

References

{{Authority control The Rolling Stones songs 1985 songs Songs written by Jagger–Richards Song recordings produced by Steve Lillywhite Song recordings produced by Jagger–Richards