Monkeygripglue wrote:

Back to Zero - the first time i heard this i was wondering 'what the hell is this crap?" and expected the guys from Cameo to sing along on the chorus..

Yeah! Makes one being thankful they didn't tour Dirty Work. Could you stand the torture of that crap being played on every show? (as they did with the great YGMR from VL). Very Milli-Vanillish, indeed.

A Mick solo number.

Its in the top 5 worst in my view with Suck on Jugular, Hold Back, Hold Onto Your Hat, Sing all together (see What happens), On with the Show, & 2or so off Meatamorphis Try Harder I think & another. I'd probably put it like 3rd worst.

Biggest problem is it sounds like new wave The Fixx or something. It has a semblence of a tune but couple of these others are absolutely tuneless at their cores. James

sing this song together makes me do the bozo grand march. It's horrid!

I disagree.

it s a strong funk number with a good hook. what's to dislike? I suspect chuck's writing credit is your problem. Sounds like the stones to me, not Cameo (although 'Word Up' was a great record)

one of the better tracks on dirty work, an album that otherwise gave me a headache but not many tunes to whistle


juiced up and sloppy

it's funny!
and i don't know of too many other anti-arms-race dance tunes.

I love it. I'm a little sad for you. Open your ears, please. And hold back is just fantastic. It's a good thing the Rolling Stones play what they want.

Haven't heard Satanic Majesties, then? Clearly half a dozen worse songs right there!!! And a few classics too like Rainbow and 2000LY, just to show us "what could have been" had they only been half hammered instead of fully gone !!!

Rgds
Rod

I'm not comparing it to anything. The song imo simply sucks.

I hear no hook at all and the production is horrid. I don't care who wrote or co wrote it either. A dud is a dud.

DW is a better album than I remember from first buying it however.

As for Satanics, I could happily ditch the second "Sing this altogether" and "The lantern" perhaps and replace them with "Dandelion" and "We love you".
That would have been anb excellent lp me finks.

kyle m

Have you ever lent somebody $20 and never seen them again? It was probably worth it.

It's a terrible song, but I can place the sound and feel to it in the time, the eighties. Songs as Sweethearts Together are much worse IMO.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-01-31 13:06 by mr edward.

Yes, this is the worst song.
Only stones

Worst song ever? Like by anobody you mean? Hope not.

I'm just smiling when I hear Back to Zero. Same with Cherry oh Baby, just can't help it. Or Sweethearts Together... This is not what you expect from the Stones, but once in a while, I enjoy it. Like - it's from the same boys who wrote/sang Wild Horses etc. It's just a funny thought, that's all.
They've done so much great music that I don't feel like complaining about some interesting, disputable tracks at all.
Right, Shezeebos - "It's a good thing the Rolling Stones play what they want."

Over the years here on IORR, it has been a general consensus that Back to Zero might just be their worst song. Can you imagine an extended Back to Zero Remix???

Worst Song Indeed

they should play it at the Superbowl

I prefer Back To Zero rather than:

Congratulations
I'd Much Rather Be With The Boys
(Walkin' Through The) Sleepy City
Gomper
Indian Girl

BUT: The song sucks! The only good thing on BTS is Keith excellent rhythm guitars.

Adrian-L Wrote:
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> they should play it at the Superbowl

LOL!! A good way to atract new fans!!


[There'll be no wedding today...]

Someday I ought to pull together a Stones CDR of their worst stuff. Maybe I'll call it "Stone Stinkers". I'd start with Back to Zero and keep on from there. Had it With You, Too Rude and DW would also make the cut...and all from one album. Wow.

I like the song Dirty Work. Great guitars, great vocals. Had It With You is OK as well.

INFAMY is worse

ahh you poor tykes ... Dirty Work's a fine album - the guitars! the guitars! the guitars!
and Infamy is a trip of great joy. and yeah: thank all that is praiseworthy that the Rolling Stones play what they want! :E

Losing My Touch would be there too. Ironically I have a Chinese version of 40 Licks. Losing My Touch is listed as being on it but in actual fact, it's not there. Censorship? I think they just figured it sucked so bad that it shouldn't be on the album. :-)

Back To Zero is among their worst but,it doesn't top the list.A few of the songs on TSMR sound like they are trying to make the worst song ever.Then I would throw in I'd Much Rather....,Dear Doctor,Losing My Touch,& Who's Been Sleeping Here for starters.How can you listen to the weaving on Dirty Work the track and name it on this thread?Infamy & Had It With You are decent as well.

Back To Zero has nothing to do with the power of "Dirty Work" album. Most of that album rides on twin guitar attack, and the general hostility among the band, and Charlie's little Heroin picnic..
But Zero is not a part of that crew. Weak synth gulps, and that groovy "Worldmusic" percussion - yeech! As Akroyd used to say: "Truly bad."

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

Whenever I stumble across Back To Zero, I'm paralyzed for 4 minutes - I can't turn away. It's like a car crash. Or that weird clip of William Shatner singing Rocket Man back in the '70s. Or the Let's Work video.

Worst song on the worst album. Dirty Work should be erased from existence and Mick should be beaten for bringing that cheesy'80s production at the last minute to Keith and Ronnie's guitar fest.

Saving graces: Had It With You (could have been on Exile)
and Too Rude

At least "Back to Zero" is amusing. I can picture mick on a treadmill, dressed in bright sweats and "glancin' back" with a worried look. The more recent crap songs, from Steel Wheels on, are just dull.

Yes It's horrible.

But Sweethearts Together? Its one of the best songs they've written in the last 25 years.

Tops Wrote:
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> Yes It's horrible.
>
> But Sweethearts Together? Its one of the best
> songs they've written in the last 25 years.


ouch. See the VL thread.

Listened to it again today. God, what the hell where they thinking of! And don't get me wrong, DW is a good album. Always loved Harlem Shuffle, Had it With You, Fight, etc. But this seems like Mick guest singing in a Prince's Sign O' The Times Outtake, or in a Culture Club album. Bloody eighties. This shows Chuck is the enemy, those silly synths are all his.