BCB 100 - The Rolling Stones

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ALBUM: Exile On Main St.
SONG: Gimme Shelter

There are twenty other songs that I could go for, but really, "Gimme Shelter" is on another level.

The other three usual LP contenders are very, very strong, of course. As are one or two of the sixties records. But Exile is above and beyond everything else. At least in my world.

It's certainly the best drinking record I've ever heard.

[kath]

album: sticky fingers
song: monkey man. there's something about that middle section of monkey man that's so... so perfect. it's not just quintessential stones... it's everything i love about 70s rock. not that i ever exaggerate.

kath
of course, it's hard to beat that beggars-thru-exile run. i'm not sure anyone has.

[king feeb]

Album- Beggar's Banquet


Song- "Citadel"

I am an elitist shit. Kootchie koo.

[meetthesonics]

Album: Between the Buttons

Yeah, I know it's the Rolling Stones do the Beatles and Kinks album. But, as much as I love Now, the debut, Beggar's and Sticky, Buttons is tops for me and came out during the coolest stage of the band's career. Even Brian was still, somewhat, among the living.
Sticky Fingers in near perfect granted, save the awful Can't You Hear Me Knocking.

Song: Ruby Tuesday, which just beats Lets Spend the Night and Get Off My Cloud. Way too many great ones though. Always had a soft spot for Tell Me, which hasn't been mentioned.

[Bungo the Mungo]

Song- "Citadel".

Fuck! Haven't heard that in a while!

Ach, great, great song.

[bixhenry]

So many things have been said about this band; definitely one of my favorites of all time; their classic singles are as powerful and wonderful as popular music gets. And while they'll never be as close to my heart as The Beatles, between Beggar's Banquet and Exile there was probably no finer band on the planet.

Interesting anecdote - I saw them one time only - in 1981, at the L.A. Coliseum, with the following opening acts: Prince, George Thorogood, and the J. Geils Band. Prince got booed off the stage, primarily by the asshole biker types I was unfortunate enough to be near, as they shouted, "Get off the stage, nigger!" Bill Graham came out and dressed the crowd down, saying something to the efeect of, "You're all a bunch of goddamn hypocrites! if it weren't for black music, none of you would be at this concert right now!" After which, Prince resumed playing a few more songs. George Thorogood - yawn. J. Geils - better, but still not killing me. Then The Stones come on, and with about a tenth of the equipment (and volume level) of the previous acts, swung like mad, and I understood why - even during a time when, even back then, people were grumbling about The Stones being past their prime - this band mattered so much; they simply rocked like fuck and swung in a way that more than made up for a lacklustre Mick Jagger.

Album - Sticky Fingers
Song - 'Monkey Man' (with an intro that rivals 'Gimme Shelter' and their most wicked groove/riff combination)

[The Modernist]

Song- "Citadel".

Fuck! Haven't heard that in a while!

Ach, great, great song.

Yeah I love that one too. There's a lot of shit on Satanic ..but the highs are up there with anything they did in their career.

[Nicky Loves Fuzz]

ALBUM: Exile On Main Street

SONG: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction


The album part was easy for me, but the song could have been one of maybe 20, or so.

[Big John Gooly]

As a new arrival on BCB, I would like to throw my hat into the ring with my favorite three RS albums: (in no particular order)

- Black and Blue
- Between the buttons
- Aftermath

I bring no self-conscious logic to this decision. Its not only about the songs - although, to those who say that B & B for example doesnt have any, I say 'you're wrong'. Memory Motel, for a start. Its the feel of those records which still gets me every time. 'Feel' is a much abused and maligned reason for liking any work of art. But these albums have it. Between the buttons (and Aftermath) has innocence and wonder, but also arrogance and the shock of the new about it. 'She smiled sweetly' is a classic for me. And as for opening an album with Paint it Black - that drum rattle at the beginning transports neck hairs aloft every time.

About the blog overall, the format is a touch confusing, but I like what I read. Greetings my fellow BCBsters! Welcome me to your hearts.

[pcqgod]

album: Sticky Fingers
song: Honky tonk women

[Foxhound]

I doubt if there's any other group/artist of their stature who generate such consistency in what people regard as their best work. Makes you believe in some cases there is such a thing as objective truth when it comes to the quality of art.

Makes me think you're full of it. Sure, those are the four albums that are the darlings of "Rolling Stone" magazine reviewers but real Stones' fans go way beyond those albums.



If I had to pick just one Stones' track, it might be "We Love You". Here though are my favourite "Forty Licks" by the Rolling Stones. They're weighted toward deeper cuts that have not been overplayed on the radio:

Fortune Teller

Tell Me

It's All Over Now

Under the Boardwalk

Down Home Girl

Off the Hook

Surprise Surprise

The Last Time

Play with Fire

Cry to Me

The Singer Not the Song

Paint It Black

Lady Jane

All Sold Out

Mother's Little Helper

Out of Time

Take It or Leave It

Backstreet Girl

We Love You

She's a Rainbow

2000 Light Years from Home

Citadel

2000 Man

Child of the Moon

Stray Cat Blues

Salt of the Earth

Gimme Shelter

Bitch

Dead Flowers

Sway

Hand of Fate

Beast of Burden

Shattered

Start Me Up

She's So Cold

Harlem Shuffle

One Hit to the Body

Mixed Emotions

Almost Hear You Sigh

Love Is Strong

[Foxhound]

Here's my own personal ranking of the Stones' albums up until the mid-nineties:

Flowers
December's Children
Rolling Stones Now
Sticky Fingers
Beggars' Banquet
Let It Bleed
Their Satanic Majesties Request
Some Girls
Dirty Work
Between the Buttons(U.S.)
Steel Wheels
Out of Our Heads
Voodoo Lounge
Tattoo You
Aftermath(U.S.)
Black and Blue
Emotional Rescue
England's Newest Hitmakers
Exile on Main Street
12 X 5
Goat's Head Soup
It's Only Rock 'n Roll
Undercover

[Foxhound]

album: Let it Bleed (any other answer is elitist shit )

Yes!

For the most part I agree, with a caveat:

Ditch the Gram-inspired "Country Honk" in favor of the single.

I agree. "Country Honk" is a pain. That and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" just about ruin the album for me.

[Foxhound]

Album: Sticky Fingers (any other answer is elitist shite)

Unless you are offended by Booby fucking Keys' endless honking.

I don't think the horns really work even on The Stones' best albums, apart from Rocks Off and Loving Cup - most especially live. They're always sloppy, timing-wise; often out of tune; generally sounding like the players are out of breath.

Or more precisely out of place.

[Foxhound]

...I do think the Stones' later stuff is underrated, and this seems to be because it is ctricised principally because it doesn't match up to their earlier stuff, not because it is not really that great.

That is correct. It seems to me that most of the people who maintain that the Stones haven't recorded anything worthwhile in decades belong to the same crew that thinks the Stones' should fade gracefully into the sunset. Well none of the old bluesmen that the Stones have sought to emulate faded gracefully into the sunset.

Worse yet, there are some who think that the Stones should act their age. Well I ask you this "How many people have told you to act your age and escaped without a good ass-kicking?" Other than your parents of course.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

You're completely insane.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

Here though are my favourite "Forty Licks" by the Rolling Stones. They're weighted toward deeper cuts that have not been overplayed on the radio:

Fortune Teller
Tell Me
Under the Boardwalk
Down Home Girl
Cry to Me
Harlem Shuffle

Sorry. These are all fucking abysmal. You can't be serious.

I hate to be an asshole like this, but have you heard Alvin Robinson's version of "Down Home Girl?"

[Nolamike]

Here though are my favourite "Forty Licks" by the Rolling Stones. They're weighted toward deeper cuts that have not been overplayed on the radio:

Fortune Teller
Tell Me
Under the Boardwalk
Down Home Girl
Cry to Me
Harlem Shuffle

Sorry. These are all fucking abysmal. You can't be serious.

I hate to be an asshole like this, but have you heard Alvin Robinson's version of "Down Home Girl?"

Yeah, we've also had the "Harlem Shuffle" conversation with Foxhound several times.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

Here though are my favourite "Forty Licks" by the Rolling Stones. They're weighted toward deeper cuts that have not been overplayed on the radio:

Fortune Teller
Tell Me
Under the Boardwalk
Down Home Girl
Cry to Me
Harlem Shuffle

Sorry. These are all fucking abysmal. You can't be serious.

I hate to be an asshole like this, but have you heard Alvin Robinson's version of "Down Home Girl?"

Yeah, we've also had the "Harlem Shuffle" conversation with Foxhound several times.

Oh, so he or she won't hear the truth. I won't bother in the future, then!

But really . . . is this a joke? At least the Stones took that one on when they were capable of playing. But why would even the mature Stones take on a record that is so obviously impossible to cover without killing it (in a bad way)? Gimme a break! The Bob & Earl record slays! I don't have any problem with people doing incompetent covers, but some records are untouchable. "Down Home Girl" and "Harlem Shuffle" are two.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

I doubt if there's any other group/artist of their stature who generate such consistency in what people regard as their best work. Makes you believe in some cases there is such a thing as objective truth when it comes to the quality of art.

Makes me think you're full of it. Sure, those are the four albums that are the darlings of "Rolling Stone" magazine reviewers but real Stones' fans go way beyond those albums.

Congratulations on bucking Rolling Stone convention.
Free thinking really is to be encouraged. Except when the "free thinker" is so patently, outrageously wrong. Which is what appears to have happened here.