I cannot believe that this song is rarely talked about on this forum, but this is a great one. This song has a raw, relentless, and rocking riff that will not stop. I can't get enough of it. Also, on the newer version sung by Keith the phrase Soul Survivor is not mentioned, not even once. Instead, he sings of a woman who beats him up and gives him black eyes and a bloody nose. Is he speaking of one of his past girlfriends or lover, or is this just another rock song with a sullen theme?

I will post the lyrics in another frame shortly.

Of course, the original version, with Mick singing, is a Stones classic.

Keno's ROLLING STONES Web Site



ROLLING STONES LYRICS

SOUL SURVIVOR

Song recorded between December 1971 and March, 1972. Released on Exile On Main Street in 1972.

Alternative take released on May 18, 2010 as a bonus track to Exile; it has different lyrics, but the same music, with Keith Richards singing the lead vocals instead of Mick Jagger.

Lead Vocal: Mick Jagger Slide Guitar: Mick Taylor Rhythm Guitar, Bass Backing Vocals: Keith Richards Drums: Charlie Watts Piano: Nicky Hopkins

SOUL SURVIVOR
(M. Jagger/K. Richards)

When the waters is rough
The sailing is tough,
I'll get drowned in your love.
You've got a cut throat crew,
I'm gonna sink under you,
I got the bell bottom blues,
It's gonna be the death of me.
It's the graveyard watch,
Running right on the rocks,
I've taken all of the knocks.
You ain't giving me no quarter.
I'd rather drink sea water,
I wish I'd never had brought you,
It's gonna be the death of me.

Soul survivor, soul survivor.
Soul survivor, soul survivor.
Soul survivor, soul survivor.
Soul survivor, soul survivor,
Gonna be the death of me,
It's gonna be the death of me.

When you're flying your flags
All my confidence sags,
You got me packing my bags.
I'll stowaway at sea,
You make me mutiny,
Where you are I won't be,
You're gonna be the death of me.

SOUL SURVIVOR(alternative take lyrics)
(M. Jagger/K. Richards)

Hey hey hey, I just drown
By the time my feet' s on the ground

I just can't stand up
No but this loving cup
I just run around
Live it up do or die

Yeah I may be a fool
Oh you had my tool
Oh you know that I do, because

I just can't go by
In my big blind eye
And my swollen nose
Every time that she walks by

Yeah, yeah
I know you can't stand
Hey, hey, yeah
Or just a memory
I got the love
Ooh
But I just have enough
But I just can't @#$%& it

Every time that she walks by
Every time that she walks by

Yeah...
Hey, hey I just @#$%& show
My loving on your knees

Well I just can't stand it
Well I just can't have it
I've got two left feet
Every time that she walks by

Oh Oh......

But I just have enough
Well I just can't @#$%& it
Yeah, well I just can't suck it
As she walks by
Every time that she walks by

Hey, hey, hey
Huh, huh, huh

[www.iorr.org]


"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"

The original lyrics are definitely Keith's lyrics to me, and I think it's almost certainly about Anita. The second version...throwaway.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-02-29 12:43 by Bliss.

Quote
flilflam
Keno's ROLLING STONES Web Site



ROLLING STONES LYRICS

SOUL SURVIVOR

Song recorded between December 1971 and March, 1972. Released on Exile On Main Street in 1972.

Alternative take released on May 18, 2010 as a bonus track to Exile; it has different lyrics, but the same music, with Keith Richards singing the lead vocals instead of Mick Jagger.

Lead Vocal: Mick Jagger Slide Guitar: Mick Taylor Rhythm Guitar, Bass Backing Vocals: Keith Richards Drums: Charlie Watts Piano: Nicky Hopkins

Another crap entry from Keno. The Alternative take has the same drums and one or two rhythm guitars as the final version, but there's several different guitar tracks, the bass is different, and there brass in the chorusses. And of course, all lead and backup vocals are missing.

Mathijs

Quote
flilflam
gives him black eyes and a bloody nose

er ... listen again: his big blind eye and his swollen nose are metaphors for another body part, right?
the "she" could be Anita, or not. it doesn't have to be about any particular woman, does it?
there was no shortage of hot babes around, and after all these aren't meant as lyrics:
it's a demo, and these are just sounds - vowel movement



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-02-27 12:08 by with sssoul.

Thanks for posting.

Totally different song with this singing.

Pictures' choice is great.

FLILFLAM - it is just a guide vocal, nothing more.

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Mathijs


Another crap entry from Keno.

Wot he said.

Not sure I care what Keno mis-quoted about this tune but it is a great listen. Bare bones soul spark stuff. Probably the original recording Mick was given to make up some more cohesive and polished lyrics AND slight melody change.

I think it's a great example of how Keith and Mick write, with Keith providing this level of writing, at best, and Mick finishing the job. And I hate to say it but 95% of the work is usually in the last 5% of the job. Get it Done, man.

Thanks for this version, I like it. peace

I think it is ONE example of how they write.
With these unfinished outtakes, do we know at what state of recording they were? Maybe Keith was just fooling around because Mick was not there, or something like that.

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elunsi
I think it is ONE example of how they write.

and only one stage of one example at that.

"Keith might be underappreciated as a lyric writer. I don't think it worries him."
- Mick Jagger, 1995, quoted on the very worthwhile [www.timeisonourside.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-02-28 22:32 by with sssoul.

I think Keith´s lyrics here are not a very good example of his lyric-writing skills

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elunsi
I think it is ONE example of how they write.

An entire disc full of songs is presented this way on Voodoo Stew. "Keith Richards' Voodoo Lounge"

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elunsi
I think Keith´s lyrics here are not a very good example of his lyric-writing skills

yeah, as people (including me) have noted it's not meant to be a lyric, just sounds.
we talked about this a bit in another recent thread ... ah here it is: [www.iorr.org]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2012-02-28 23:43 by with sssoul.

It's a nonsense guide vocal. "Vowel movements" as they call it. It's about as relevant as the lyrics to "Andrew's Blues." It's not indicative of Keith's lyrics nor is it likely relevant to anything whatsoever. It's a curio at best.

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with sssoul

Quote
flilflam
gives him black eyes and a bloody nose

er ... listen again: his big blind eye and his swollen nose are metaphors for another body part, right?
the "she" could be Anita, or not. it doesn't have to be about any particular woman, does it?
there was no shortage of hot babes around, and after all these aren't meant as lyrics:
it's a demo, and these are just sounds - vowel movement

Couldn't have said it better, on all counts.

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with sssoul

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elunsi
I think Keith´s lyrics here are not a very good example of his lyric-writing skills

yeah, as people (including me) have noted it's not meant to be a lyric, just sounds.
we talked about this a bit in another recent thread ... ah here it is: [www.iorr.org]

I didn´t want to talk about the lyrics. But you brougth up that quote.
I am interested in if we know more about the stage of that recording. How far was the progress, or was it Keith´s first demo, like everyone is assuming.
I mean is it really a guide vocal?

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Rocky Dijon
It's a nonsense guide vocal. "Vowel movements" as they call it. It's about as relevant as the lyrics to "Andrew's Blues." It's not indicative of Keith's lyrics nor is it likely relevant to anything whatsoever. It's a curio at best.

I don't thin it was worth including in the set at all. I may have listened through the whole thing only once. Why bother when you can hear the same song a real singer/lyricist?

[thepowergoats.com]

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Naturalust
I think it's a great example of how Keith and Mick write, with Keith providing this level of writing, at best, and Mick finishing the job. And I hate to say it but 95% of the work is usually in the last 5% of the job. Get it Done, man.

Exactly. The song has pretty much the same vibe as many Keith's Winos stuff. What Keith is interested is the sound, the riff, the feel of the song. He sets the whole atmsophere there. But he sounds lazy in finishing the stuff; the melodies are just some rough sketches flying around the chords. But it also could be that by then - 1971 - Richards has used to that working method that he knew Jagger will continue from where he has left the song, and doesn't feel like even try to finish the melody/lyrics section. Just offers some phrases or clues. Probably he had earlier - think of "Ruby Tuesday" - worked harder in that section too, but as the yaers had passed, he seemed to have turned more lazier and lazier in that sense, and finally couldn't much think of making songs otherwise. Jagger commented once Keith's solo album that it sounded like the typical rough song sketches what Keith offers him to finish. And if we look the way Keith describes making his recent ballads in LIFE, that is also just un-disciplined, intuitive, going along the wave kind of thing. Creates them while singing them on tape. Of course, you can hear that in results as well. It has its charm of catching the moment and feel but sometimes it get a bit annoying as well, especially in lyrics section and all those "baby, baby, baby" things, ec.

Like Naturalist hints, Jagger's contribution in finishing the song is over-looked easily. He is simply incredibly talented in finding a suitable melody hooks, the right terms, that is: both musical and lyrical stories. If we would have only get this Keef version of "Soul Survivor" first, listened it for years, and then, suddenly introduced to the final version, we all would look at it our mouths open! There is so much more in it. The step forward is actually enermous, and the charm in that section is, for example, something I found irrestible in the first place. The melody and lyrics - the story - is so rich and flows so naturally. Full of little genious ideas. One could say that the song actually is done in that Jagger's creative process. But then again, without that increcible templete Keith has already offered to him, there wouldn't have that song in the first place.

Damn those two made an incredible song-writing team in their prime!

- Doxa



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2012-02-29 12:26 by Doxa.

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Doxa

Quote
Naturalust
I think it's a great example of how Keith and Mick write, with Keith providing this level of writing, at best, and Mick finishing the job. And I hate to say it but 95% of the work is usually in the last 5% of the job. Get it Done, man.

Exactly. The song has pretty much the same vibe as many Keith's Winos stuff. What Keith is interested is the sound, the riff, the feel of the song. He sets the whole atmsophere there. But he sounds lazy in finishing the stuff; the melodies are just some rough sketches flying around the chords. But it also could be that by then - 1971 - Richards has used to that working method that he knew Jagger will continue from where he has left the song, and doesn't feel like even try to finish the melody/lyrics section. Just offers some phrases or clues. Probably he had earlier - think of "Ruby Tuesday" - worked harder in that section too, but as the yaers had passed, he seemed to have turned more lazier and lazier in that sense, and finally couldn't much think of making songs otherwise. Jagger commented once Keith's solo album that it sounded like the typical rough song sketches what Keith offers him to finish. And if we look the way Keith describes making his recent ballads in LIFE, that is also just un-disciplined, intuitive, going along the wave kind of thing. Creates them while singing them on tape. Of course, you can hear that in results as well. It has its charm of catching the moment and feel but sometimes it get a bit annoying as well, especially in lyrics section and all those "baby, baby, baby" things, ec.

Like Naturalist hints, Jagger's contribution in finishing the song is over-looked easily. He is simply incredibly talented in finding a suitable melody hooks, the right terms, that is: both musical and lyrical stories. If we would have only get this Keef version of "Soul Survivor" first, listened it for years, and then, suddenly introduced to the final version, we all would look at it our mouths open! There is so much more in it. The step forward is actually enermous, and the charm in that section is, for example, something I found irrestible in the first place. The melody and lyrics - the story - is so rich and flows so naturally. Full of little genious ideas. One could say that the song actually is done in that Jagger's creative process. But then again, without that increcible templete Keith has already offered to him, there wouldn't have that song in the first place.

Damn those two made an incredible song-writing team in their prime!

- Doxa

Is it because it's the last 5%? Or is it because it's Jagger who works on the last 5%? That reminds me of that wonderful peace of film, where Jagger plays this new tune Brown Sugar in front of the Turners. Is that 95% of Jagger? Then the 5% of Richards is as imporant as is Jagger's 5% in Soul Survivor...

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elunsi
I didn´t want to talk about the lyrics. But you brougth up that quote.

but but but the person who started the thread was the one who started about "lyrics" -
i was just agreeing with you - i think!? - that these aren't even lyrics.
i quoted that thing in reply to someone's claim that this is "Keith's level of lyric", which is just ...
just an example of what Mick was saying in that quote: Keith is often underrated as a lyric-writer.

Quote
elunsi
I am interested in if we know more about the stage of that recording. How far was the progress

that's an interesting question indeed



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-03-01 16:46 by with sssoul.

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Doxa

Quote
Naturalust
I think it's a great example of how Keith and Mick write, with Keith providing this level of writing, at best, and Mick finishing the job. And I hate to say it but 95% of the work is usually in the last 5% of the job. Get it Done, man.

Exactly. The song has pretty much the same vibe as many Keith's Winos stuff. What Keith is interested is the sound, the riff, the feel of the song. He sets the whole atmsophere there. But he sounds lazy in finishing the stuff; the melodies are just some rough sketches flying around the chords. But it also could be that by then - 1971 - Richards has used to that working method that he knew Jagger will continue from where he has left the song, and doesn't feel like even try to finish the melody/lyrics section. Just offers some phrases or clues. Probably he had earlier - think of "Ruby Tuesday" - worked harder in that section too, but as the yaers had passed, he seemed to have turned more lazier and lazier in that sense, and finally couldn't much think of making songs otherwise. Jagger commented once Keith's solo album that it sounded like the typical rough song sketches what Keith offers him to finish. And if we look the way Keith describes making his recent ballads in LIFE, that is also just un-disciplined, intuitive, going along the wave kind of thing. Creates them while singing them on tape. Of course, you can hear that in results as well. It has its charm of catching the moment and feel but sometimes it get a bit annoying as well, especially in lyrics section and all those "baby, baby, baby" things, ec.

Like Naturalist hints, Jagger's contribution in finishing the song is over-looked easily. He is simply incredibly talented in finding a suitable melody hooks, the right terms, that is: both musical and lyrical stories. If we would have only get this Keef version of "Soul Survivor" first, listened it for years, and then, suddenly introduced to the final version, we all would look at it our mouths open! There is so much more in it. The step forward is actually enermous, and the charm in that section is, for example, something I found irrestible in the first place. The melody and lyrics - the story - is so rich and flows so naturally. Full of little genious ideas. One could say that the song actually is done in that Jagger's creative process. But then again, without that increcible templete Keith has already offered to him, there wouldn't have that song in the first place.

Damn those two made an incredible song-writing team in their prime!

- Doxa

Yes, you are spot on. Gimme Shelter might be another example. The Keith-version might be charming, but it doesn't achieve the final version's overwhelming power.

Yeah Doxa, we are intuitively together on this one. Well said. Your love of their music drips out of your sentences!

Such a fragile arrangement too it would seem to collaborate in such a free and non-critical and supportive way. These guys had to leave all the Me, My, Mine crap at the kitchen door to allow it to work. A beautiful example of how lovingly supporting your partners differences and imperfect ideas leads to very strong achievment. Kudos to Mick for allowing Keith to produce these unfinished sketches and Kudos to Kieth for not owning them so much that he allows Mick to work it as he sees best. What started maybe as two insecure songwriters was made greater than either individual great songwriter was likely to be.

I also respect the fact that these guys are not scared to try a song a hundred different ways looking for something IN THE SONG that improves. That's professionalism and trust. And like relationships of the heart the trust is the key to the whole thing. I hope they can re-establish that level of trust in each other in 2012 and beyond! peace

hello,
not posted much before... so here goes,

I love this, I play it often, it is raw stones, probably trying out sounds and words etc but the results are cool, sounds better than soul survivor in my opinion, it should be appreciated for what it is, a behind the scenes trial run, sounds like they had the music sorted, were just making up some words to make it sound right. It was never meant to be heard I dont think, that is what makes it special to me, I suspect that there are loads of this type of thing kicking around in the vaults, probably some versions of some songs that sound far different from the released versions...

oh, and the woman in my mind is Anita..

Matt



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2012-03-01 02:28 by ManofKent.