It was the "Just Wanna See His Face" thread that made me think about this, and also a post by Silver Dagger. Isn't it just the jam that brings this song down?
The first section, the actual song is actually very pretty; maybe one of the strongest passages of the entire album. Not only is it a quite beautiful melody, but the arrangements are clever. Keith does this walking guitar line, counterpoint. Matter of fact on many of the more obscure songs of the album ('Lantern', On with the Show', 'Sing this all together') the arrangments are incredible.

I think the freakout section is cool, but I can understand that due to there being 2 freak outs already before it that yet another is probably too much for yer average Rolling Stones fan to handle.

I agree there are many fine arrangements on TSMR.

Good call Palace. I've always loved Their Satanic Majesties Request dearly and will defend it with my last dying breath. However, perhaps they could have reined in the end jamming on this track and perhaps substituted Sing This Song All Together (See What Happens) with We Love You or Dandelion.

I read somewhere that the track was inspired by a then fashionable book Marianne was reading, a Taoist classic called The Secret Of The Golden Flower which was translated by Richard Wilhelm, who also translated the I Ching.

Marianne was extremely influential to Mick Jagger at this time, introducing him to all kinds of Eastern influenced art, books and music such as Mikhail's Bulgakov's The Master And Margarita (which inspired Sympathy For The Devil) and even The Incredible String Band.

Anyway, I digress. Back to Gomper. The lyrics resonate with the chief principle of The Secret Of The Golden Flower which espouses that a state of enlightenment - the golden flower - can be achieved through meditation and it does so with poetic imagery. It's basically a book for personal development and spiritual growth.

Lines in Gomper like "By the lake with lily flowers, while away the evening hours" and "she swims to the side, the birds hover high" have a zen-like calm that sound inspired by meditational practice.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-07-06 15:18 by Silver Dagger.

Stones' psychedelic era gets a bum rap.

TSMR gets a bad rap. I like it though I seldo listen to it. Gomper is interesting. 2000 Light Years is one of my favorite songs though!

The cover is fantastic in 3D - I still have it in mint condition!

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Palace Revolution 2000
Stones' psychedelic era gets a bum rap.

Yes, could never understand why. The Stones great triumph during the psychedelic era, much like The Doors and Love, was moving away from the fey lovey-dovey and overtly hippy lyrics of their peers and imbibing most of their songs with a menace and urgency.

Simpy great song.

Still holds strong almost 50 years later too.

Thanks, might drink to it tonight...

I have always loved that song!!

Excellent english fairy tale psychedelia. It's so much Stones in it - from the love for Marocco to the raw jam. Love Brian's dulcimer and recorder and Bill also does a great job with his fretless bass. Extremely underrated song although I can understand that it's a bit much for some folks.

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Palace Revolution 2000
Stones' psychedelic era gets a bum rap.

You bet it does. Gomper is of its time, but so is "Lovely Rita, Meter Maid". I think it's gorgeous. Am I always in the mood to hear it? No, but I dig it when I do.

love this song ......

More praise for the song here: [www.iorr.org]