The Ultimate Rolling Stones Album Poll: Exile on Main Street
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Doctor Jimmy
- Continental Fuckwit
- Posts: 5293
- Joined: 16 Jul 2003, 14:16
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When I was fourteen the only Stones songs I knew of were Satisfaction, Angie and Jumpin' Jack Flash, all three of them were quite popular at the party's I was occasionally allowed to attend. I think I even tried to kiss a girl once while dancing like a sack of potatoes to Angie. Needless to say she just pushed me away, and it took me another two years to succeed. Different girl, though.
Anyway, that year everything seemed to be happening fast. I started babysitting to earn some extra money and at one couple's house the only point of entertainment was an old record player and a small stack of albums. The first one I played was a sixties/seventies compilation that started off with Witch Queen of New orleans followed by Pinball Wizard, which nearly struck me deaf, dumb and blind. That's the moment where that obsession of mine started. The second one was Stones Story, a fantastic early Stones compilation that also blew me away. The friendly couple gave me the album as a present and I played it days on end on my crap sounding ladybird record player (you know the ones where the wings with, oh la la, integrated speakers come off). In that same period my mum had just bought her first CD player, and with the babysitting cash I bought a few Stones albums on CD and, obviously, a Who compilation (Who's Better, Who's Best which had just been released). The first four I got, in nice price, were Sticky Fingers, Some Girls, Tattoo You and Exile. According to some articles I'd read that last one was their ultimate masterpiece but at first it didn't move me at all. Sticky Fingers was great, though. The stuff that rock 'n' roll dreams are made of.
It took me another two years, meanwhile discovering the blues and more obscure sixties and seventies albums, to find the path back to Exile, and when I did it gradually became my favourite Stones album and I played it all the time. Except when I was kissing girls.
Quite a few tracks have been my favourite throughout the years. I think Happy was the obvious first one since I always liked Keith a whole lot more than Mick. Still do, actually. Then there was Rocks Off, Tumbling Dice and Sweet Virginia and a few years later, after hearing the live version on Stripped, it was Shine a Light. Now it's Tumbling Dice again; the 'You got to roll me' and that little guitar lick at the end could go on for ever for me.
I still think this is the hardest Stones album to get into but once you do there's a whole landscape of intrigueing sounds and emotions spread out before you. Ironically I've never played the four sides in one sitting while actually sitting down and listening to it, it's still a bit much for me. And even though it's my favourite Stones album, it's the only one (pre Undercover, at least) of which I don't know all the lyrics by heart and I probably never will, no matter how many times I play it. Mrs. Jimmy, by the way, thinks it's shit, but she's a brilliant kisser.
Anyway, that year everything seemed to be happening fast. I started babysitting to earn some extra money and at one couple's house the only point of entertainment was an old record player and a small stack of albums. The first one I played was a sixties/seventies compilation that started off with Witch Queen of New orleans followed by Pinball Wizard, which nearly struck me deaf, dumb and blind. That's the moment where that obsession of mine started. The second one was Stones Story, a fantastic early Stones compilation that also blew me away. The friendly couple gave me the album as a present and I played it days on end on my crap sounding ladybird record player (you know the ones where the wings with, oh la la, integrated speakers come off). In that same period my mum had just bought her first CD player, and with the babysitting cash I bought a few Stones albums on CD and, obviously, a Who compilation (Who's Better, Who's Best which had just been released). The first four I got, in nice price, were Sticky Fingers, Some Girls, Tattoo You and Exile. According to some articles I'd read that last one was their ultimate masterpiece but at first it didn't move me at all. Sticky Fingers was great, though. The stuff that rock 'n' roll dreams are made of.
It took me another two years, meanwhile discovering the blues and more obscure sixties and seventies albums, to find the path back to Exile, and when I did it gradually became my favourite Stones album and I played it all the time. Except when I was kissing girls.
Quite a few tracks have been my favourite throughout the years. I think Happy was the obvious first one since I always liked Keith a whole lot more than Mick. Still do, actually. Then there was Rocks Off, Tumbling Dice and Sweet Virginia and a few years later, after hearing the live version on Stripped, it was Shine a Light. Now it's Tumbling Dice again; the 'You got to roll me' and that little guitar lick at the end could go on for ever for me.
I still think this is the hardest Stones album to get into but once you do there's a whole landscape of intrigueing sounds and emotions spread out before you. Ironically I've never played the four sides in one sitting while actually sitting down and listening to it, it's still a bit much for me. And even though it's my favourite Stones album, it's the only one (pre Undercover, at least) of which I don't know all the lyrics by heart and I probably never will, no matter how many times I play it. Mrs. Jimmy, by the way, thinks it's shit, but she's a brilliant kisser.
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Clay Davis
I'm a bit late for this one.... Anyway, I consider this my favourite album. I love the way it's soooo loose and downright filthy yet flows over 18 tracks from start to end. There isn't one 'weak' point on the album or one track I would consider skipping. As for favourite tracks, there have been many but I choose Loving Cup at the minute. In some warped way I look on this more as a Keith Richards album with the Stones backing (this is not detracting from any individual member as the record is perfect).
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BARON CORNY DOG
- Diamond Geezer
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nathan
- submitted for your approval
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Tactful Cactus
- Posts: 18254
- Joined: 16 Jul 2003, 14:21
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neverknows wrote:With some songs, I have trouble remembering the title when I'm hearing them. Or, give me a title, and it will be difficult for me to remember the melody. It's part of the record's muddy quality that all the songs aren't familiar yet, that it sounds like I bought it last week, not 20 years ago.
Yeah, I get that too, especially towards the end. Let It Loose, Soul Survivor & Shine A Light all congele into one in my head.