I vividly remember the first time I heard HTW. My brother and I were playing a board game while listening to the radio, WLS, the ONLY station to listen to in the Chicagoland area during those days. A prerecorded woman's voice came up saying "sneak preview", and suddenly the only sound you hear is a cowbell, followed by a roar of drums and then the fire of the opening guitar chords. Before the song made it halfway to the vocals, I pronounced to my brother, "That's the Stones!" In the next few seconds Jagger's voice came through to confirm my statement. Take me back to those glory days when there were no digital downloads and songs came at you by complete surprise with no knowledge that a new record was coming at you.

Yes, WLS fm was a great channel in those days once the sun went down. WLS AM and WCFL AM were the big boys of course in the heyday of AM radio. I think I still have a few silver dollar surveys around somewhere. Those were the channels where I always heard my first new tunes from the Rolling Stones with HTW on that list.

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UnionHall
I vividly remember the first time I heard HTW. My brother and I were playing a board game while listening to the radio, WLS, the ONLY station to listen to in the Chicagoland area during those days. A prerecorded woman's voice came up saying "sneak preview", and suddenly the only sound you hear is a cowbell, followed by a roar of drums and then the fire of the opening guitar chords. Before the song made it halfway to the vocals, I pronounced to my brother, "That's the Stones!" In the next few seconds Jagger's voice came through to confirm my statement. Take me back to those glory days when there were no digital downloads and songs came at you by complete surprise with no knowledge that a new record was coming at you.

cool introduction you had to HTW UnionHall, and good point about how songs could come as a surprise.

My all time favourite. You can't not dance or run or move. I love Country Honk on Let it bleed too.

Ah, Honky Tonk Women! This recording practically redefined the Rolling Stones sound and show cased what was to become Keith's signature and unique rhythmic phrasing in a way no other recording before it had done. The song's release I believe also marks the first use of the now fabled open G tuning that was used on so many of the Stones hits that proceeded it. One could go as far to say that it marks the beginning of the Rolling Stones as they came to be known by so many. For these reasons the song is, in my view, quintessentially 'The Rolling Stones'.

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ChrisM
Ah, Honky Tonk Women! This recording practically redefined the Rolling Stones sound and show cased what was to become Keith's signature and unique rhythmic phrasing in a way no other recording before it had done. The song's release I believe also marks the first use of the now fabled open G tuning that was used on so many of the Stones hits that proceeded it. One could go as far to say that it marks the beginning of the Rolling Stones as they came to be known by so many. For these reasons the song is, in my view, quintessentially 'The Rolling Stones'.

i won't argue the point, but will question as to why either Satisfaction or JJF aren't capable of providing the blueprint as the quintessential song....the answer is prolly out there just blowin' in the wind or something....

>> The song's release I believe also marks the first use of the now fabled open G tuning that was used on so many of the Stones hits that proceeded it. <<

you mean followed it? was it the first with open G ? been wondering that too..

proceeded = followed

my bad...should have read more carefully..I read it as preceded..

thanks!

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duke richardson
my bad...should have read more carefully..I read it as preceded..

thanks!

yeah, i figured. i was being a bit of jerk there, too, but was hoping for forgiveness in the interest of proper grammar....

It's the first release featuring Keith using open G, but Brian had been using it at least since the rolling stones began.

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filstan
Yes, WLS fm was a great channel in those days once the sun went down. WLS AM and WCFL AM were the big boys of course in the heyday of AM radio. I think I still have a few silver dollar surveys around somewhere. Those were the channels where I always heard my first new tunes from the Rolling Stones with HTW on that list.

Sorry to deviate from the topic, but couldn't help myself since filstan mentioned the silver dollar survey - I still have a bunch of mine also. Also still have the WLS Personality magazine. Fond memories of Clark Webber, Ron Riley, Art Roberts, Dex Card (who played the silver dollar survey each week day), Don Phillips. Good times!

One thing that can be said about Honky Tonk Women is that it's one of Charlie Watt's best performances. That intro where he just seems to fall in is brilliant in its own simplicity and the beat that follows is precise as a heartbeat.

The previous posting of the video above reminds me that there's a little fill that Keith played nearly every time on the 75-76 versions of HTW that I've never heard him play on any other tours before or since. It's the simplest thing, but I absolutely love it.

You can hear it in this video at the 1:22 - 1:25 mark, right after Keith joins Jagger for the chorus. It's about 8 notes, and it's just a cool little fill. And most versions from 75-76 have this little fill after the chorus. At one time I recorded this little snippet (from a '75 show, I think) back-to-back, over and over, making myself about a 5-minute long tape of just this short 8-note segment over and over.

(I've done that for so many parts of so many Stones songs that people must think I'm nuts, just listening to one little bit over and over...but I like it!)

It never ceases to amaze me the stuff you can find on YouTube. (and then download!)

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His Majesty
It's the first release featuring Keith using open G, but Brian had been using it at least since the rolling stones began.

Yeah, but with six strings.

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DandelionPowderman

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His Majesty
It's the first release featuring Keith using open G, but Brian had been using it at least since the rolling stones began.

Yeah, but with six strings.

I'm not so sure Keith played it with 5 strings in Summer of 69/on HTW. Not that it makes that much difference.

At least he did in Hyde Park. I believe he did on the studio version too. There is something about the ring of the A-string there in the intro.

No, it doesn't make that much difference

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DandelionPowderman
At least he did in Hyde Park. I believe he did on the studio version too. There is something about the ring of the A-string there in the intro.

No, it doesn't make that much difference

Haven't looked at pics or watched the video of that for awhile, is that a definite?

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MileHigh
It never ceases to amaze me the stuff you can find on YouTube. (and then download!)

Best version I have heard this far..shows how they play the song at that time for real, not messed up by @#$%& studio-suckers...

2 1 2 0

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His Majesty

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DandelionPowderman
At least he did in Hyde Park. I believe he did on the studio version too. There is something about the ring of the A-string there in the intro.

No, it doesn't make that much difference

Haven't looked at pics or watched the video of that for awhile, is that a definite?

Tried to check the video now, but it's impossible to see. However, it seems he has a string, or fragments of an E-string attached in the tuning scew-hole. Might be an old piece of a string, though.

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DandelionPowderman


Tried to check the video now, but it's impossible to see. However, it seems he has a string, or fragments of an E-string attached in the tuning scew-hole. Might be an old piece of a string, though.

I looked through some pics and he has the low E string. The footage of them backstage in the caravan shows it too. I doubt he used the 5 strings set up before that time.

I have or used to have high quality pics from the gig, I recall looking for the missing string thing awhile ago and finding that he didn't do it onstage until the 1969 USA tour.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-02-25 13:28 by His Majesty.

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rocker1




The previous posting of the video above reminds me that there's a little fill that Keith played nearly every time on the 75-76 versions of HTW that I've never heard him play on any other tours before or since. It's the simplest thing, but I absolutely love it.

You can hear it in this video at the 1:22 - 1:25 mark, right after Keith joins Jagger for the chorus. It's about 8 notes, and it's just a cool little fill. And most versions from 75-76 have this little fill after the chorus. At one time I recorded this little snippet (from a '75 show, I think) back-to-back, over and over, making myself about a 5-minute long tape of just this short 8-note segment over and over.

(I've done that for so many parts of so many Stones songs that people must think I'm nuts, just listening to one little bit over and over...but I like it!)

Yeah i love it too, it's a nice little thing he uses on Dance little sister at the Mocambo as well. Easy to play and very cool. What the horn section would play.

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Mathijs
And, there's something else that never felt right: Charlie's drumming in the intro and first verse. To me, it lacks his famous swing. It's a bit butch, pounding just a tad too hard. For years I have doubt it actually is Charlie and Jimmy Miller instead. I still feel awkward about it.

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DiscoVolante
One thing that can be said about Honky Tonk Women is that it's one of Charlie Watt's best performances. That intro where he just seems to fall in is brilliant in its own simplicity and the beat that follows is precise as a heartbeat.

can someone address this conflict?

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cc

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Mathijs
And, there's something else that never felt right: Charlie's drumming in the intro and first verse. To me, it lacks his famous swing. It's a bit butch, pounding just a tad too hard. For years I have doubt it actually is Charlie and Jimmy Miller instead. I still feel awkward about it.

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DiscoVolante
One thing that can be said about Honky Tonk Women is that it's one of Charlie Watt's best performances. That intro where he just seems to fall in is brilliant in its own simplicity and the beat that follows is precise as a heartbeat.

can someone address this conflict?

Sure no conflict, just my opinion. I find the same with Jigsaw Puzzle and Let it Bleed. These tracks also have a less-than-normal swinging Watts in my opinion.

Mathijs

The early demo was certainly interesting but for my money I have to give
the studio suckers some credit for fattening it up. Sounds kind of thin
when compared to the studio single.

Kind of amazing to see everyone respond to this and from so many perspectives.
I don't remember the first time I heard it but I do remember my shock at
Brian's death and the excitment to hear that the Stones had gone back to
their roots.

I guess if I ever get to meet that alien from Starman and I could show him
one other example of something the Stones came up with besides Satisfaction,
it would have to be Honky Tonk Women.

Marv Peck

Y'all remember that rubber legged boy

Thanks for putting that demo up there... great stuff.

I love HTW and gets me going each morning alongside my coffee.

In terms of versions - I am torn between the studio version (which is amazing but has too much sax) and the hyde park version which is much grungier and keith's guitar solo is much clearer - however lacks the polish and tuning which the studio version.

By the way i have watched the hyde park in full... nice intro to stray cats and has a pretty good (half) of no expectations. Its so crazy this concert was panned at the time... this must be the stones near their peak... definitely prefer this grungy sound to the more intricate sound of the 72 tour.

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asinandalie
I love HTW and gets me going each morning alongside my coffee.

are you saying you listen to it every day? Wow...

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Mathijs

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cc

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Mathijs
And, there's something else that never felt right: Charlie's drumming in the intro and first verse. To me, it lacks his famous swing. It's a bit butch, pounding just a tad too hard. For years I have doubt it actually is Charlie and Jimmy Miller instead. I still feel awkward about it.

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DiscoVolante
One thing that can be said about Honky Tonk Women is that it's one of Charlie Watt's best performances. That intro where he just seems to fall in is brilliant in its own simplicity and the beat that follows is precise as a heartbeat.

can someone address this conflict?

Sure no conflict, just my opinion. I find the same with Jigsaw Puzzle and Let it Bleed. These tracks also have a less-than-normal swinging Watts in my opinion.

Mathijs

I think Keith mentions something about Honky Tonk Women in Life how Charlie really shines on that track. Not that it really matters when discussing taste but its worth adding that detail.

It's funny that you mention Let It Bleed, because Charlie start that track with a beat similarly to Honky Tonk Women which I absolutely love. We should start a "Charlie Watt's best drumming performance"-thread, it's worth discussing to see the differences between fans opinions in the subject.

pretty much every day along with JJF and gimme shelter. drives the wife mad!

for some reason i don't get bored of the 1968-1971 stuff. i like the 1963-67 and 72-80 stuff but i just can't listen to them every day... paint it black or satisfaction or faraway eyes get some airplay every now and again but nowhere near the amount that the let it bleed era tracks do.