who wrote wild horses
Quick Scoop: Who Wrote "Wild Horses"? The phrase "Wild Horses" points most famously to the iconic 1971 Rolling Stones ballad from their Sticky Fingers album. Officially credited to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it carries layers of rock history, collaboration rumors, and emotional storytelling that keep fans debating decades later.
The Official Story
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are listed as the songwriters. Keith Richards claims he wrote the bulk of it in 1969 while his newborn son Marlon slept nearby, capturing a tender father's vulnerability with lines like "Wild horses couldn't drag me away." He demoed the music on a 12-string guitar tuned open E, inspired by blues slide techniques, then Jagger refined the lyrics to reflect his breakup with Marianne Faithfull.
Jagger later called it a "cliché" built around the title phrase, but its raw emotion made it a standout—reworked from an earlier demo gifted to Gram Parsons.
Gram Parsons Controversy
Here's where it gets juicy: Country rock pioneer Gram Parsons, a close Stones associate during their 1970 Muscle Shoals sessions, is often rumored as co- writer or primary creator. Fans point to the song's country ballad style matching Parsons' vibe, and some claim he penned lyrics before handing it back. Mick Jagger's brother once fueled this in Uncut magazine, saying Parsons wrote it but got no credit. Parsons never disputed the Stones' claim before his 1973 death, possibly due to hazy drug-fueled origins or business deals.
"I've always thought so... Some of us who know Gram’s style of songwriting have always known it." – Fan analysis echoing forum chatter
No hard proof exists, but it's a trending topic in 2025-2026 rock forums, with Reddit threads and Stones fan sites revisiting it amid remastered Sticky Fingers reissues.
Other "Wild Horses" Works
- Dick Francis' novel (2000): A horse-racing thriller by the late jockey-turned-author, co-crafted with wife Mary. No music tie-in, but beloved in mystery circles.
- Melissa Marr's photo book (2022): A poetic tribute to Arizona's wild mustangs, blending stunning visuals with evocative prose.
- Garth Brooks song (1990): A covers-style track, not an original authorship debate.
Work| Creator(s)| Type| Key Note
---|---|---|---
Rolling Stones Ballad| Jagger/Richards (w/ Parsons rumors)| Song (1971)|
Emotional rock staple, millions of streams 4
Dick Francis Novel| Dick & Mary Francis| Book (2000)| Racing mystery
bestseller 1
Melissa Marr Book| Melissa Marr| Photo Book (2022)| Arizona wild horse ode 5
Why It Still Sparks Debate
In today's forums like Reddit's r/rollingstones and Songfacts discussions, "who wrote Wild Horses" trends with latest news on 2025 Stones tours reviving the ballad live. Parsons fans argue its cosmic country soul screams his influence; Stones loyalists cite demo tapes. Safe speculation: Collaborative jams birthed it, crediting the survivors. Picture Keith strumming in a Sussex haze, Gram adding heartbreak—rock's magic.
TL;DR : Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote the legendary Rolling Stones song, amid enduring Gram Parsons whispers—timeless tune, endless stories.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.