Recorded on 12 June, during the sessions for 'Their Satanic Majesties Request', 'We Love You' is a droning Moroccan influenced anthem of defiance. Outwardly, it was a message from the band to its fans, expressing appreciation for support in the wake of their recent drug busts. It was also an ironic, tongue in cheek slap in the faces of the police harassing them and the Stones' true feelings about it, putting on a cooperative and friendly face while inside they were seething with anger and indignation.

'We Love You' is a psychedelic collage of jail sounds, Nicky Hopkins' foreboding piano riff, and otherworldly tape-delayed vocal effects, featuring a visiting Lennon and McCartney on high harmonies. Allen Ginsberg was in London for a pro-marijuana rally in Hyde Park. He met Jagger at McCartney's house, and Jagger invited the Beat poet to that night's session with Paul and John to record uncredited backing vocals for the track. Ginsberg, waving his Shiva beads and a Tibetan oracle ring, conducted the singers from the other side of the studio glass to the tempo of the stuttering Mellotron track. "They looked like little angels," he wrote later of the Stones and the Beatles, "like Botticelli Graces singing together for the first time."

The promotional film for the single was directed by Peter Whitehead. It included footage from recording sessions along with segments that re-enacted the 1895 trial of Oscar Wilde, with Jagger, Richards and Marianne Faithfull respectively portraying Wilde, a judge and Lord Alfred Douglas.

Picture sleeves from around the world

132 editions worldwide include 'We Love You' on the 7" format.

'Dandelion', a lighthearted song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, reached # 14 in the US, and effectively became the A-side there - as the edgier 'We Love You' disappointed at # 50 on US charts. This is reflected in 'Dandelion' appearing on both the US and UK versions of 'Through The Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)' in 1969, while 'We Love You' appeared only on the UK version.

The first demo version of the song was titled 'Sometimes Happy, Sometimes Blue' and had different lyrics. It was sung and played by Keith Richards.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney are rumoured to have contributed the falsetto backing vocals for this song.


Covers

'We Love You' was covered by the following artists:

• Cock Sparrer: 1977 7" Decca - c/w 'Chip on my Shoulder'
• The Damned: 1994 CD 'Sessions Of The Damned'
• Gregorian: 2006 CD 'Masters of Chant Chapter V'
• The Mighty Lemon Drops: 1991 12" 'Too High'
• Sacred Cowboys: 1988 LP 'Trouble from Providence'
• Sakamoto, Ryuichy: 1989 CD 'Beauty' (Remix)
• Schleicher, Peter: 1979 LP 'Hart Auf Hart'
• V/A - Unknown Titles (Japan. The Ventures, Exodus, Manfred Mann, etc.) CD: We Love You.

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