Peak
24
Weeks
10
Score
1,176
Chart Year
1964
This was the first Mick Jagger/Keith Richards composition. They wrote it when their manager, Andrew Oldham, locked them in his kitchen and told them to write some songs. At the time, The Stones were content to interpret songs written by other artists. This helped give Mick and Keith the confidence that they could be songwriters as well as performers. A Pop ballad, this was a big departure from the Blues songs The Stones were covering at the time. This was released as a single only in the US. It was their first Top 40 hit in America. Keith Richards said in 1971: "'Tell Me,' which was pulled out as a single in America, was a dub. Half those records were dubs on that first album, that Mick and I and Charlie and I'd put a bass on or maybe Bill was there and he'd put a bass on Let's put it down while we remember it and the next thing we know is, Oh look, track 8 is that dub we did a couple months ago. That's how little control we had." Mick Jagger explained in a 1995 promotional interview: "Keith was playing 12-string and singing harmonies into the same microphone as the 12-string. We recorded it in this tiny studio in the West End of London called Regent Sound, which was a demo studio. I think the whole of that album was recorded in there. But it's very different from doing those R&B covers or Marvin Gaye covers and all that. There's a definite feel about it. It's a very POP song, as opposed to all the blues covers and the Motown covers, which everyone did at the time."
I want you back again I want your love again I know you find it hard to reason with me But this time it's different, darling you'll see You gotta tell me you're coming back to me You gotta tell me you're coming back to me You gotta tell me you're coming back to me You gotta tell me you're coming back to me You said we're through before You walked out on me before I tried to tell you, but you didn't want to know This time you're different and determined to go You gotta tell me you're coming back to me You gotta tell me you're coming back to me You gotta tell me you're coming back to me You gotta tell me you're coming back to me I wait as the days go by I long for the nights to go by I hear the knock on my door that never comes I hear the telephone that hasn't rung You gotta tell me you're coming back to me You gotta tell me you're coming back to me You gotta tell me you're coming back to me You gotta tell me you're coming back to me
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 4, 1964 | 81 | 45 |
| 2 | Jul 11, 1964 | 70 | 56 |
| 3 | Jul 18, 1964 | 62 | 64 |
| 4 | Jul 25, 1964 | 49 | 77 |
| 5 | Aug 1, 1964 | 36 | 90 |
| 6 | Aug 8, 1964 | 24 | 102 |
| 7 | Aug 15, 1964 | 24 | 102 |
| 8 | Aug 22, 1964 | 27 | 99 |
| 9 | Aug 29, 1964 | 38 | 88 |
| 10 | Sep 5, 1964 | 50 | 76 |