Rolling Stones' Best Ballad: 'Wild Horses' from 'Sticky Fingers'

Most critics and fans point to “Wild Horses” as the Rolling Stones’ finest ballad. It closes out their 1971 album Sticky Fingers, a record famous for its Andy Warhol zipper cover and raw, country-tinged rock. The song was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, with Richards initially inspired by the image of wild horses as a metaphor for longing and freedom — though Jagger later said the lyrics were more about missing his then-girlfriend while on tour.

The track features a delicate acoustic guitar and a pedal steel part played by Ry Cooder, giving it that aching, lonesome feel. Its vulnerability stood out against the Stones’ usual swagger, and it’s been covered by everyone from the Flying Burrito Brothers to Susan Boyle. If you’re looking for one song that proves the Stones could do tender just as well as tough, “Wild Horses” is it.