"Undercover" is the seventeenth studio album by the English rock band The Rolling Stones, released on November 7, 1983, by Rolling Stones Records. The album marked the end of the band's relationship with their longtime label, and they would sign with Columbia Records for their follow-up album, Dirty Work (1986). Undercover was their first all-new studio release in the 1980s, following Tattoo You (1981), which had been largely composed of outtakes from earlier sessions.
The recording of Undercover was fraught with tension between the band's principal songwriters, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Jagger wanted to adapt to contemporary musical trends, incorporating elements of reggae, worldbeat, and new wave, while Richards pushed for a return to the band’s blues rock roots. This led to a diverse album, covering a wide range of musical styles. The album also featured several guest musicians and was the last Rolling Stones album to be released during the lifetime of Ian Stewart, a former band member and frequent contributor on piano.
The album was a commercial disappointment, missing the top spot on the US charts, peaking at No. 4, and breaking a streak of eight consecutive No. 1 albums in the US. Despite this, the album did produce a top 40 hit with the single "Undercover of the Night," a politically charged song about Central America. Other singles from the album, like "She Was Hot," also received attention, but Undercover as a whole did not generate the same level of success as some of the band's earlier releases.
The making of Undercover was difficult due to increasing tensions between Jagger and Richards, which were exacerbated by Richards' recovery from his previous self-destructive lifestyle and his desire to assert more control over the band's direction. The lyrics on the album are among Jagger’s darkest, with tracks like "Tie You Up (The Pain of Love)" and "Too Much Blood" reflecting a more macabre, edgy tone, while others like "Pretty Beat Up" had a bluesier feel, written by guitarist Ronnie Wood.
The album’s production was handled by Jagger, Richards, and Chris Kimsey, marking the first time in years that the band had worked with an outside producer. Recording took place at Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris, France, in late 1982 and continued in New York City through the summer of 1983.
The cover art for Undercover was designed by Peter Corriston, who had also worked on the cover for Tattoo You. The original vinyl release featured peel-off stickers on the cover, which when removed revealed a different set of geometric shapes. The album received mixed reviews upon release, with Rolling Stone giving it 4.5 stars and calling it "rock & roll without apologies," while Robert Christgau called it "the band's worst studio album."
Over time, Undercover has been seen by some fans and critics as one of the weaker Rolling Stones albums. The album’s lack of consistency in terms of both material and style, alongside the ongoing feud between Jagger and Richards, led to it being viewed as a less cohesive release in the band’s catalog. Despite this, the album remains a notable part of the band's discography, representing a period of internal strife and artistic experimentation.
Undercover was the last album distributed in North America by Rolling Stones Records under its deal with Warner Music Group’s Atlantic Records. Following the band's move to CBS/Sony, it was reissued in 1986 and remastered several times, including in 1994, 2009, and as an SHM-SACD in 2012 by Universal Music Japan. The album's most recent reissue includes an edited version of "Wanna Hold You," which differs from the original vinyl release, with the cassette and CD versions containing an additional verse not present in earlier formats.
