I brought up the "Wandering Spirit" 20th Anniversary a couple of weeks back on this forum after I listend to it a lot... Clearly his best solo album in my opinion... And There was a lot of people on this forum that are really into this album... Which kind of surprised me.. Mick Jagger solo career has been very criticized by Stones fans... After playing "Wandering Spirit" A LOT... I thought maybe there is a little more to go back and re-examine in his solo career.

I never got into "Goddess in the Doorway" although I liked some of the songs but it seemed it was quite an uneven and not very concise album - in hindsight the production is a bit "all over the place"... ANYWAYS the "Alfie" soundtrack is a whole other matter - great songs and GREAT production... so a mix of those two maybe could be an OK album? Also the two b-sides from the "Goddess" period are quite strong "Blue" and "If Things Could Be Different" on top of that I must admit that the song "Charmed Life" has... well it's been a bit of a guilty pleasure lately it has the "Sweet Thing" flavour - the dance groove - I'm still not to keen on Ashley Beedle's production and remix on "the Very Best of Mick Jagger" BUT a compilation from 2001 and onwards needed more uptempo songs in the mix - there are many great ballads in this period... and some folks have talked about the great side two on Stones "Tattoo You" the five "ballads" with a more "mature" lyric setting... In general Mick Jagger kind of leaves that kind of lyric writing for his solo albums which is sad in a way - but with that "more mature" lyric writing in mind this playlist is not comparable to "Tattoo You" but it's a really strong effort and his vocals are really strong on these songs...

So after trying out a lot of different tracklists on the ipod this really did the trick... the "theme" of the compilation is the "Alfie" soundtrack songs "Old Habits Die Hard" and "Blind Leading The Blind" and that whole "problems with relationships" kind of lyrics - starting with the "one-two punch and here we go" uptempo songs about Mr. Jagger's lyrically looking back "God Gave Me Everything (I want)" and "Charmed Life" (Watch out for the husband) - and it goes into the (like I mentioned before concerning "Tattoo You" side 2) more complex dealings with relationships in general especially the more "blue" side of things although as Mr. Jagger sneers in the song "Blue" "Blue is not my Coloooor"...

I could go on and on and it's just ramblings... but I must say that this playlist would have been a solid strong solo album for Mr. Jagger... in my book anyways...Lots of heart, good hooks, good lyrics, great singing, a good mix of genre's reasonably blending into the each other kind of like "Wandering Spirit"... it could have used another rocker like "God Gave Me Everything" BUT "Joy" actually provides a good opening on "side 2"..

It's 12 songs with a bonus... BUT maybe "Hideaway" should be left out... I'm not totally 100 % on that one... Also I must admit I have only recently found the "sensual" remix of "Vision of Paradise" and I think it's A LOT better than the album version - moody - less AOR and fits nicely after "Blue"... All you "Wandering Spirit" fans should give this playlist a spin... or make you're own of the material there is some GREAT stuff...

God Gave Me Everything (Goddess)
Charmed Life (The Very Best Of)
Old Habits Die Hard (Alfie)
Let's Make It Up (Alfie)
If Things Could Be Different (B-side Visions Of Paradise)
Don't Call Me Up (Goddess)

Joy (Goddess)
Blind Leading The Blind (Alfie)
Blue (B-side God Gave Me Everything)
Visions Of Paradise (Sensual Mix) (B-side Visions Of Paradise)
Hide Away (Goddess)
Brand New Set Of Rules (Goddess)

Bonus: Blind Leading The Blind (piano version)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2014-01-17 18:46 by njet.

I agree with including the B-sides, but there are two pretty good songs from GITD which you have left out ; Dancing In The Starlight and Too Far Gone. I would have kicked out Let's Make It Up and Joy or Hide Away. Anyway, I think GITD is actually pretty good as it is.

What of Jagger's earlier solo efforts? I know a lot of people knock it, but I still like his first (OK at least certain tracks).

mick solo music is good but stones fans want even give it a chance,i would rather have mick jagger solo music then no music atall.

Why not add "Miracle Worker"....

...Misbred Grey Executive...