No matter how big of a star someone is, they are not in the same class as the Stones. But I believe Taylor Swift did an excellent job dueting with the Stones on what is already a real nice song to begin with.
By the time the final notes faded into the raiters of the United Center that June
night in 2013, the audience had witnessed not just a concert, but a moment
suspended in time—where old souls met new spirits, and rock history brushed
gently against pop’s brightest star.
It was the third nignt of The Rolling Stones’ 50 & Counting Tour in Chicago, a city
already humming with the electricity of legends in motion. For fans of the
band—many of whom had grown up with Let It Bleed spinning on vinyl—each tour
date was a pilgrimage, a reunion with the gods of rock. But on June 3, 2013,
something unexpected happened.
As Mick Jagger stood center stage, the spotlight dimmed, and the opening chords
of “As Tears Go By” rang out—mournful, tender, timeless. Then, from the shadows,
emerged Taylor Swift.
At the time, Taylor Swilt was just 23 years oldq, a crossover darling who had
conquered both country radio and the pop charts. She was the voice of a new
generation—one that may have known the Rolling Stones more from t-shirts than
turntables. But on that stage in Chicago, she was more than a guest. She was a
symbol. A bridge between the heartache of the 1960s and the confessions of the
2010s.
“As Tears Go By” was one of the first songs ever penned by Mick Jagger and Keith
Richards. Originally written in 1964 and recorded by Marianne Faithfull, it was a
departure from the bluesy swagger that defined the Stones’ early sound—a soft,
string-laden ballad about innocence fading and time slipping through fingers. When the Stones finally recorded it themselves in 1965, it became a quiet anthem of melancholy youth
Fast Torward nearly five decades, and that very ballad would become the
centerpiece of a once-in-a-lifetime dvet
A Moment of Pure Musical Alchemy
Dressed in a short, shnimmering black dress, laylor walked toward Jagger with a
reverence that was palpable. She didn’t come to steal the spotlight—she came to
share it. What followed was a havntingly beavtifvl performance that seemed to float
above the crowd
Jagger, in his element, still every bit the showman, softened his swagger to match
the intimacy of the moment. Taylor, with her crystalline voice, carried the verses with
a vulnerability that added new meaning to the lyrics. She wasn’t just singing
someone else’s song—she was living it.
They didn’t overdo it. No wild vocal runs, no dramatics. Just two artists from
different worlds meeting in the middle of a song older than one of them, yet still
raw with emotion.
The avudience was stunned. Phones rose into the air, but even through the shaky
recordings, you can hear the silence—thousands holding their breath as music did
what music does best: connect souls across time.
Why It Mattered
This wasn’t the first time The Rolling Stones had invited guest stars to share their
stage during the 50 & Counting tour. Nor was it the first time Swift had shown her
admiration for the legends that came before her. But this duet was different.
It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t fast. It didn’t need fireworks or fantare.
It was gentle. It was honest. It was real.
And in a world where the music industry often pits generations against each
other—”old school” versus “new wave’—this moment whispered a simple truth
good music transcends age. It defies genre. It speaks to everyone who has ever
grown up too fast or remembered too slowly.
Legacy in a Song
Today, tans still return to the YouTube video of that nignt in Chicago, replaying it
like a favorite old movie. The performance has aged gracefully—like the Stones
themselves. It stands as a reminder that collaboration isn’t about trend-chasing or
shock value. It’s about listening, learning, and honoring the song.
“As Tears Go By” has been sung by many. But when Taylor Swift sang it with Mick
Jagger that night, it felt like a torch was being passed—not to replace the old flame,
but to keep it burning brighter.
Watch the Performance Again
It you haven’t seen it yet—or even if you have—you owe it to yourself to experience
the magic once more:
Watch The Rolling Stones & Taylor Swiit — “As Tears Go By” (Live in Chicago, 2013);
Because sometimes, the most powerful moments in music aren’t the ones that roar.
They’re the ones that weep—softly, gracefully—as tears go by.
