The single of the day ★ Waiting On A Friend

'Waiting On A Friend' was released as a 7" single in the UK exactly 44 years ago on November 30, 1981, where it peaked at #50.
Its US counterpart, released at the same time, reached #13.

'Waiting On A Friend' is the second single from the 1981' album 'Tattoo You', but its recording began in late 1972 through early 1973 in Kingston, Jamaica, during the 'Goats Head Soup' sessions when the band still had Taylor as a member. His guitar piece made it to the overdubbing sessions in April 1981 when the song was selected by producer Chris Kimsey as one the band could re-work for the album.
In the liner notes to 1993's compilation album 'Jump Back', Jagger said, "We all liked it at the time but it didn't have any lyrics, so there we were... The lyric I added is very gentle and loving, about friendships in the band."... [+]

Vintage distributors' jukebox strips are popular among collectors.

About the songs
Nearly 80 songs recorded by the Rolling Stones entered either the UK or US charts since 1963, twelve of them peaking at #1 ['Satisfaction', 'Get Off Of My Cloud', 'Paint It, Black' and 'Honky Tonk Women' were #1 in both countries].

The early years also were the most prolific and, whereas most titles were not yet penned by the Jagger-Richards tandem, record labels Decca [in the UK] and London [in the US] would issue singles at a frantic pace, building the band's reputation as the Beatles' most serious threat.

However, no global marketing strategy would emerge before the 70's, and both countries cultivated their differences in their respective discographies, as would their affiliates in other parts of the world.

The richness and diversity of the Rolling Stones singles discography is mainly due to the fact that, during the 60's, Decca would consider singles an independent market from the LPs' one, whereas London would use this format as a 'lift' for album sales. Therefore, British singles would offer non-album tracks [except for compilations], and Decca England would pass on a few US releases, while the US would opt for different B-sides and be a little more productive.

US exclusive couplings and singles would however often be released on Decca in Europe, notably in Scandinavia for which UK would exclusively press 'export' singles [Denmark, Sweden and Norway also pressed their own records and imported regular UK releases].