This tune is all about Keith's great riff for me. Along with Bill's great bass playing it totally defines that Stones sound of that era.

As far as the rest, although I like Micks approach to the song, I think they could have turned it into a much better tune with a bit more work. Not quite sure what's missing besides Mick Taylor and Jimmy Miller...maybe more up front percussion instruments, some screamin' chick B/G vocals, more layered vocals...somethings just missing.

It's good, yes, but when listening I find myself hanging on to Keith's riff the entire song while on other great Stones songs I'm drawn away to other aspects of the mix then back to the riff, etc. I just get the feeling that it could have been a Stones masterpiece but instead it's just a good tune.

Perkins soloing is nice but I still think Taylor could have blown this one out of the water.

peace

LOVE this song. Hope to hear in live in Buffalo in a couple of months.

For me, one of Keith's best old-school rhythm guitar moments. Just play rhythm, drive the song. Perkins has a very nice solo. One of my 10 top Stones songs, from an album I dismissed when it came out originally.

B&B I never liked; it was like a disaster after It´s only R&R which I have grown to like more and more, day by day. Hand of Fate somehow sounds or feels like a sequel to If you can´t Rock me, sound and musicwise.

I was there when our lads opened their ´76 tour in Frankfurt. Hand of Fate was one of the highlights, absolutely. Ronnie Wood (never my favorite; my friends remember me tryin´to tear down the concert posters, or rather his pictures) played the solos really well and only afterwards I learned that it wasn´t him playing on the record.

These, again, are only my stupid ideas of how the world including the wheel of fortune should keep turnin´´round.

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Doxa
Hmm.. me thinks especially that Paris version sounds a bit tired and forced. Like teh guys were about fall asleep or something. I think the song with that kind of rather slow tempo is a bit hard to keep exciting. It sounds still good, but not excellent as the original.

A better solo guitarist could also help...

- Doxa

Tired and forced? rushed maybe but tired and forced? not sure I hear that as the tempo is faster then the studio version.

Also thought Ronnie did a decent job on the solo but hey to each his own. <shrugs>

In my top 10 list of the Stones 70's songs.

The 1976 and 1977 El Macombo versions were awesome, Mick still had that roaring sound in his voice which fits this song so well.

The 2003 Four Flicks Olympia version is a horrendous trainwreck I think, but there was some decent 2003 versions too, like the Cirkus (Stockholm) version.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-03-26 19:42 by EasterMan.

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oldschool

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Doxa
Hmm.. me thinks especially that Paris version sounds a bit tired and forced. Like teh guys were about fall asleep or something. I think the song with that kind of rather slow tempo is a bit hard to keep exciting. It sounds still good, but not excellent as the original.

A better solo guitarist could also help...

- Doxa

Tired and forced? rushed maybe but tired and forced? not sure I hear that as the tempo is faster then the studio version.

Also thought Ronnie did a decent job on the solo but hey to each his own. <shrugs>

It could be that the tempo is a bit faster than teh original, but still it is rather slow in general (for a 'rocker'). Which means to say that it demands rather much from teh band to keep it exciting. It is the 'groove' they nail in the original, is not happening here. I think the whole co-work between Keith, Charlie and Bill, which makes the Stones 'click', is not just having their best day. The result sound a bit tired and forced, not having that natural flow of theirs. Well, they were like a living organ back then, so I salute also the weaker moments... Namely, even though I sound critical I find the performance a good one... Lots of great things happening there, and they still had that arrogant trust on themselves that they can get away with anything, and they do...

But no bloody mercy on Woody's solos! Maybe it is the standard of the solos from then on that had made the criterion rather low within the Stones fans that that kind of stuff is accepted, if not even admired... but back in the day, when the context and reference in mind was still Taylor-high, or performances like what, for example, Perkins does in the original, that's really mediocre stuff what Woody does there...

- Doxa

In 76 Hand of Faith was played WAY faster than the studio version!

The above version was played on July the 6th. Not a bad version, but the one played two nights before was much better.

Love the Mocambo version too.

Ronnie's solos fit the song perfectly. In fact, they are great.


C

p.s. the 76 set list was fantastic!

Great song from a still underrated album

Ronnie's first solo from that 1976 video is one of my favorites. And I'll definitely take that over Perkins' solos from the studio version or any boring old thing Mick Taylor would have done.

This song is also a top contender (in my book anyway) for "greatest Rolling Stones bass lines". Bill is absolutely on fire here.

I´m enjoying Doxa going back over old Track Talks and adding his comments where he hadn´t before. Great reading, keep at it, DOxa!

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peoplewitheyes
I´m enjoying Doxa going back over old Track Talks and adding his comments where he hadn´t before. Great reading, keep at it, DOxa!

Thanks, I will! There actually are still surprisingly many tracks I haven't commented yet.

But if not anything else, I at least seemed to awake the Woodist section here...

- Doxa

Cheap tricks, my friend. Won't bite

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Doxa

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peoplewitheyes
I´m enjoying Doxa going back over old Track Talks and adding his comments where he hadn´t before. Great reading, keep at it, DOxa!

Thanks, I will! There actually are still surprisingly many tracks I haven't commented yet.

But if not anything else, I at least seemed to awake the Woodist section here...

- Doxa

All two of 'em. Joking, just joking....there is at least three.

peace

But you know, It's Only Rock'n'Roll, my friends...

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-03-26 23:29 by Doxa.

The best you can say for it is it isn't "Crazy Mama" from the same album.

The Stones mailed it in.

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EasterMan
In my top 10 list of the Stones 70's songs.

The 1976 and 1977 El Macombo versions were awesome, Mick still had that roaring sound in his voice which fits this song so well.

The 2003 Four Flicks Olympia version is a horrendous trainwreck I think, but there was some decent 2003 versions too, like the Cirkus (Stockholm) version.

I love the Orpheum theater (Boston 2002) version. Maybe it's because I was there and everytime I hear it transports me right back to that night.

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EasterMan
In my top 10 list of the Stones 70's songs.

The 1976 and 1977 El Macombo versions were awesome, Mick still had that roaring sound in his voice which fits this song so well.

The 2003 Four Flicks Olympia version is a horrendous trainwreck I think, but there was some decent 2003 versions too, like the Cirkus (Stockholm) version.

I really dig the 1976 version from the Paris broadcast and always regretted that it was not included on Love You Live. It's the best live version by far, and Ronnie's solo on this one is simply perfect.

The Licks tour live versions I personally experienced and heard from boots all sound stiff, insecure and a bit clumsy - as if the band was not really into it... there's simply not anything there that lets my neck hairs stand up, no fire, no enthusiasm, no energy, just lame and often f***ed up copies of the studio version.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-03-27 06:53 by alimente.

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alimente

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EasterMan
In my top 10 list of the Stones 70's songs.

The 1976 and 1977 El Macombo versions were awesome, Mick still had that roaring sound in his voice which fits this song so well.

The 2003 Four Flicks Olympia version is a horrendous trainwreck I think, but there was some decent 2003 versions too, like the Cirkus (Stockholm) version.

I really dig the 1976 version from the Paris broadcast and always regretted that it was not included on Love You Live. It's the best live version by far, and Ronnie's solo on this one is simply perfect.

The Licks tour live versions I personally experienced and heard from boots all sound stiff, insecure and a bit clumsy - as if the band was not really into it... there's simply not anything there that lets my neck hairs stand up, no fire, no enthusiasm, no energy, just lame and often f***ed up copies of the studio version.

Agreed!

The Stockholm Circus version from 2003 might be the closest attempt of a good latter-day version, though.

Here's the El Mocambo version:

Earl's Court

Aah, I love that El Mocambo version! Didn't remember it is that good! They really ere damn hot that night, and this time they really make the song fly - they had discovered a new perspective on it - sound like they are almost in SOME GIRLS-era arrangement and energy wise. Wow!

(Even the solo guitarist is doing alright, since they started to be in that are in that 'ancient art of weaving' mood already, and the singular solos are not any longer so isolated business, but more like just ocasionally thrown in to serve the groove. That's Woody at his best!)

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-03-27 10:41 by Doxa.

But still in the end, when comparing those Earl Court and Paris ones to El Mocambo one, it once again reveals to me how much Keith Richards leads the band and how much the greatness of the performance is in his shoulders. When he is determinate and in flames, the band just shines and music flies, but when he does not have the right feel, the whole performance sounds breathless, almost pointless, and the band and music sound like going nowhere.

- Doxa

Also my favourite from black and blue.

Lyrics evokes somehow the atmosphere you can find in Hey Joe, another great shooting song.

It should be noted that the second solo, during the funky jam part, is played by Keith,
not Ronnie (at least in the 70s).

Man, this song gets me dancing on this raining friday morning. Weekend's coming!

Just as long as the guitar plays, let it steal your heart away

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marcovandereijk
It should be noted that the second solo, during the funky jam part, is played by Keith,
not Ronnie (at least in the 70s).

Man, this song gets me dancing on this raining friday morning. Weekend's coming!

Yep, there are three solos. Weekend's coming up indeed

Hand of Fate is a great song on the last Stones Album I really enjoy(ed).

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DandelionPowderman

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marcovandereijk
It should be noted that the second solo, during the funky jam part, is played by Keith,
not Ronnie (at least in the 70s).

Man, this song gets me dancing on this raining friday morning. Weekend's coming!

Yep, there are three solos. Weekend's coming up indeed

Yep, especially the one in El Mocambo is a strong one. Keith really was going on there.

Yeah, weekend...

- Doxa

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LuxuryStones
Hand of Fate is a great song on the last Stones Album I really enjoy(ed).

What about TY?

It's a matter of taste DP, I like all the songs on B&B better, the guitar playing,
the overall mood. And good memories

76 was my big fan year with the Stones.
Was them as near as never before or ever after.

I liked the 76 tour.
I liked B. & Blue
And I very much liked Hand of fate.

The Fool to Cry single - well . .
But similar to Streets of love the live renditions mostly weren't bad.

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DandelionPowderman

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alimente

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EasterMan
In my top 10 list of the Stones 70's songs.

The 1976 and 1977 El Macombo versions were awesome, Mick still had that roaring sound in his voice which fits this song so well.

The 2003 Four Flicks Olympia version is a horrendous trainwreck I think, but there was some decent 2003 versions too, like the Cirkus (Stockholm) version.

I really dig the 1976 version from the Paris broadcast and always regretted that it was not included on Love You Live. It's the best live version by far, and Ronnie's solo on this one is simply perfect.

The Licks tour live versions I personally experienced and heard from boots all sound stiff, insecure and a bit clumsy - as if the band was not really into it... there's simply not anything there that lets my neck hairs stand up, no fire, no enthusiasm, no energy, just lame and often f***ed up copies of the studio version.

Agreed!

The Stockholm Circus version from 2003 might be the closest attempt of a good latter-day version, though.

Here's the El Mocambo version:

Yeah, nearly forgot El Mocambo (how dare I?), and it's pretty good, too - however, it has early signs of the "Ronnie searching the fretboard for the right notes-syndrom" (as I use to call it), but the overall performance and groove is breathtaking. Still, the Paris broadcast version gets my vote not just because Ronnie's solo is better there - it's the entire performance, the mood - it's one occasion where the Stones still have this "dangerous" sound and attitude... fits the theme of the song perfectly...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-03-27 20:10 by alimente.