One of my favorite intros to any song. Billy Preston did a funky clavinet intro that sounds dark and huge. Mick Taylor’s solo on this song is perfect…without Mick Taylor they would have made those stretch of albums in the late sixties and early seventies but they would have sounded different. When Mick Taylor quit…they lost their sound from this period.
The song peaked at #15 in the Billboard 100 in 1974. It was on the great album Goats Head Soup which peaked at #1 in 1973.
From Songfacts
This tells two stories, a young man shot by police in a case of mistaken identity, and a 10-year girl who dies in an alley of a drug overdose. Neither is based on a true story, but is a commentary on urban America.
The horns were arranged by trumpet player Jim Price, who along with Bobby Keys on sax, provided the brass on records and tours for The Stones in the early ’70s. This was the last time Price recorded with The Stones. He went on to produce other artists, including Joe Cocker.
Keith Richards played bass and shared lead guitar duties with Mick Taylor.
Billy Preston played the piano.
The Stones played this on their 1973 European tour, even though it describes events in America.
Chuck Findley played trumpet on this. Other artists he worked for include George Harrison, Quincy Jones, Diana Ross, the Carpenters, Julio Iglesias, Rod Stewart, Robert Palmer and Madonna.
Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Heartbreaker
The police in New York City
They chased a boy right through the park
And in a case of mistaken identity
The put a bullet through his heart
Heart breakers with your forty four
I want to tear your world apart
You heart breaker with your forty four
I want to tear your world a part
A ten year old girl on a street corner
Sticking needles in her arm
She died in the dirt of an alleyway
Her mother said she had no chance, no chance!
Heart breaker, heart breaker
She stuck the pins right in her heart
Heart breaker, pain maker
Stole the love right out of you heart
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Want to tear your world apart
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Want to tear your world apart
Heart breaker, heart breaker
You stole the love right out of my heart
Heart breaker, heart breaker
I want to tear that world
I want to tear that world
I want to tear that world apart
Heart breaker, heart breaker
Stone love, stone love
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Heartbreaker, heartbreaker
Want to tear that world apart
Doo, doo doo doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo
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