Music Friday: Diamonds Play Starring Role in Rolling Stones' 'Play With Fire'

Welcome to Music Friday, when we feature classic songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, we rewind to 1965 and turn up “Play With Fire,” a haunting tune by The Rolling Stones that puts diamonds front and center.

The song opens with a glittering nod to high-society indulgence with Mick Jagger singing, “Well, you’ve got your diamonds and you’ve got your pretty clothes / And the chauffeur drives your car / You let everybody know / But don’t play with me, ’cause you’re playing with fire.”

Jagger warns a privileged lover that her glamorous lifestyle should never be taken for granted. She must appreciate what she has because her social status could change in a blink — as it did for her mother — and the consequences of her pompous behavior might come back to haunt her.

Though officially credited to Nanker Phelge — a pseudonym used for Rolling Stones collaborations — “Play With Fire” was actually recorded by Jagger and Keith Richards in a late-night session at RCA Studios in early 1965.

According to SongFacts.com, they were the only band members present, with legendary producer Phil Spector stepping in on the bass and his assistant, Jack Nitzsche, playing the harpsichord.

Despite being relegated to the B-side of the single “The Last Time,” “Play With Fire” has proven to be a slow-burning classic. It peaked at just #96 on the Billboard Hot 100, but its eerie vibe and sharp social commentary helped it endure. The Stones played it live throughout the mid-60s, then resurrected it for their 1989-1990 tour, and again in 2017 — after a 27-year hiatus — thanks to guitarist Ron Wood’s suggestion.

Jagger himself reflected on the song’s power in a 1995 Rolling Stone interview: “I mean, it’s a very in-your-face kind of sound and very clearly done. You can hear all the vocal stuff on it… it’s very pretty.”

After more than 60 years of performing, The Rolling Stones continue to leave their mark on music history. With more than 250 million albums sold and a staggering 93 albums across studio, live, and compilation formats, they remain icons of rock. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, the Stones rank #4 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.”

While the Stones recently shelved plans for a 2025 European tour, a global tour is reportedly still on the books for 2026.

Please check out the vintage 1966 video of Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones performing “Play With Fire.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along.

“Play With Fire”
Written by Nanker Phelge (The Rolling Stones). Performed by The Rolling Stones.

Well, you’ve got your diamonds and you’ve got your pretty clothes
And the chauffeur drives your car
You let everybody know
But don’t play with me, ’cause you’re playing with fire

Your mother she’s an heiress, owns a block in Saint John’s Wort
And your father’d be there with her
If he only could
But don’t play with me, ’cause you’re playing with fire

Your old man took her diamonds and tiaras by the score
Now she gets her kicks in Stepney
Not in Knightsbridge anymore
So don’t play with me, ’cause you’re playing with fire

Now you’ve got some diamonds and you will have some others
But you’d better watch your step, girl
Or start living with your mother
So don’t play with me, ’cause you’re playing with fire
So don’t play with me, ’cause you’re playing with fire

Credit: Photo by Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.