About The Song

Mick Jagger penned this song as an expression of his apprehension regarding the threat of a nuclear war.

Notably, “Back To Zero” is the only Rolling Stones composition that features Chuck Leavell receiving a writing credit. Chuck Leavell, formerly a member of the Allman Brothers Band, contributed his keyboard skills to The Stones throughout the 1980s.

In addition to “Winning Ugly,” “Back To Zero” was one of two tracks written by Mick Jagger for the Dirty Work album. During this period, Jagger’s focus shifted away from The Rolling Stones, marking the first time in his career that the band wasn’t his primary priority. He had become disillusioned with the group and was concentrating on promoting his solo album, “She’s The Boss,” released in 1985.

Video

Lyrics

Back to zero
So you wanna blow us all to pieces
Go meet your maker, head hung down
And give him all your explanations
Go ahead, throw down
Back to zero, back to nothing
Straight to meltdown, back to zero
That’s where we’re heading

It’s a monkey living on my back
I can feel my spine begin to crack
I’m looking to the future
I keep on glancing back
I prefer to rot
I don’t want to pop

I think I’ll head back to the jungle, alright
Don’t want to see no big bad rumble, too fright
Back to zero, that’s where we’re going
Back to nothing, right now, right now
No heroes? No more heroes
Back to meltdown
That’s where I’m going, back to zero

My whole life is hanging on a thread
I’m the fly inside the spider’s web
I’m looking to the future
I keep on glancing back
I prefer to rot
I don’t want to pop

I worry about my great grandchildren
Living ten miles beneath the ground
I worry about their whole existence
The whole damn thing’s in doubt
Back to zero, that’s where we’re going
Back to nothing, that’s where we’re heading
Straight to meltdown, that’s where we’re going
Back to zero, right now, right now

We’re going nowhere
Right now, right now
Back to zero, that’s where we’re heading
Back to zero

See also  The Tremeloes – Silence Is Golden