Tattoo You is widely considered the last great album of the Rolling Stones. This reputation is well-deserved, as much of it was recorded when they were still regarded as one of the greatest bands in the world.

Before their resurgence in 1978 with Some Girls, the Stones squandered their legendary status, producing several albums in the ’70s such as Goats Head Soup, It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll, and Black and Blue.

All of these albums reached No. 1, but after a series of groundbreaking records starting with 1968’s Beggars Banquet and continuing through 1972’s Exile on Main St., their rock-star excesses began to overshadow their music. The situation was exacerbated by various band members struggling with alcohol and drug addictions, which significantly stifled their creative output.

READ MORE: Top 100 Rock Songs of All Time

Despite these challenges, the Rolling Stones produced a wealth of material during this dark period following Exile on Main St., managing to stay relatively cohesive with high-profile tours and regular album releases.

In fact, there were so many leftover songs, or at least fragments of songs, from Goats Head Soup, Black and Blue, and even Some Girls, that when it came time to create a follow-up to 1980’s Emotional Rescue (which also hit No. 1), they simply sifted through their vaults and selected 11 tracks that needed some polishing, required new vocals, or were nearly ready for release.

Watch the Rolling Stones’ Video for ‘Neighbours’

The Stones had not completely stagnated at this point. They had written some new material, but with a tour approaching, there was insufficient time to record a new album before hitting the road again.

The tour was set to take the band to the U.S. in 1981 and then to Europe the following year. Therefore, they decided to quickly enter the studio, record some new vocals and instrumental sections, integrate them into some of their best unreleased songs from 1972-79, and get a new album out in time.

Where Did the Rolling Stones Get the Songs for ‘Tattoo You’?

Two tracks date back to the sessions for Goats Head Soup: “Tops” and “Waiting on a Friend,” which featured Mick Taylor on guitar, who left the band in 1974. (Though he wasn’t initially credited for his contributions, he later received compensation.) Another pair of songs, “Slave” and “Worried About You,” were leftovers from Black and Blue.

The sessions for Some Girls produced three tracks, including two singles (and two of its standout songs), “Start Me Up” and “Hang Fire.” The remaining four tracks originated during the recording of their most recent album, Emotional Rescue. Mick Jagger recorded some new vocals here and there, jazz legend Sonny Rollins added saxophone overdubs, and on August 24, 1981, a new Rolling Stones album, Tattoo You, was released just a month before they kicked off their American tour.

Watch the Rolling Stones’ Video for ‘Waiting on a Friend’

The remarkable thing is that it’s one of the best albums by the Stones—certainly from that era—and surpasses many albums from which its songs were originally excluded. It also holds together surprisingly well—especially for an album with a recording history spanning a decade, involving at least half a dozen sessions and various changes in band personnel and collaborators. It’s arguably their toughest and most direct LP in years, even with its material divided into hard and soft sides.

The defining opening riff that launches “Start Me Up,” the frenetic energy of “Neighbours” (which was shaped during the Emotional Rescue sessions but sounds more like the punk influences explored on Some Girls), and the falsetto-driven ballad “Worried About You” (clearly rooted in Black and Blue) culminate in an impressive closing drift featuring Rollins’ sax on “Waiting on a Friend.” Tattoo You masterfully unites its diverse sources in a way that most fans were unaware they were receiving reworked songs.

Watch the Rolling Stones' Video for 'Start Me Up'

The album continued their streak of No. 1 records, remaining at the top of the charts for nine weeks—a record for them. The subsequent tour kept them on the road through the end of that year and into two months of 1982; it became one of their largest tours ever, setting records along its path. It would be another two years before they released another album and seven years until they toured again.

Was ‘Tattoo You’ the End of an Era for the Rolling Stones?

Tattoo You signified an end of an era for the Stones. They have not achieved another No. 1 album since then, nor has any single reached as high as “Start Me Up”‘s No. 2 position. Their tours became larger and more expensive over time while albums became less frequent (they have released only six albums since Tattoo You).

This record also marked the conclusion of their most creative period. Tattoo You represents the Rolling Stones’ final attempt at reclaiming their title as the world’s greatest rock band—a title they had claimed about a decade earlier. It signifies an end not only for them but also for classic rock as we knew it. A new decade dawned as older bands like Led Zeppelin and The Who began to fade away or disband, making way for newer groups with different agendas.

It seems fitting that Tattoo You would be their last great album. Its components stemmed from a past that the band would soon leave behind. After this release, they became just another rock band making noise. But for one glorious moment, they reclaimed their familiar place at the top.