"Beast of Burden" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, featured on their 1978 album Some Girls.

In the liner notes to the 1993 compilation disc Jump Back, Richards said "Beast of Burden" "was another one where Mick (Jagger) just filled in the verses.

Although some of the original lyrics were written before the Stones entered the studio, a lot of the verses were improvised by Jagger during the sessions to match the smooth guitar riffs created by Richards and Ronnie Wood.

By then, they had made a habit of slipping in and out of playing lead and rhythm, resulting in a cohesive sound greater than the sum of its parts.

[2] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci said of Charlie Watts' drumming that "he locks into a groove immediately after the great opening guitar riff, giving the mid-tempo song a worthy backbeat to carry it through to the end," also saying that it is a "typically subtle, but absolutely brilliant, performance.

The single edit of "Beast of Burden" was included on the compilation albums Sucking in the Seventies, Rewind (1971–1984), Jump Back, Forty Licks and GRRR!

Cash Box said that "Midler appropriately switches from sensitive to sassy vocal delivery" and that "the production is faithful to the original.

It started with Bette Midler and Mick Jagger having a conversation in her dressing room before they both came out and performed the song together on stage.