I have been asked to do a track-by-track commentary on GHS, this to be used in a forthcoming Rolling Stones app.

My first draft an be found here:

[onlyrockanroll.wordpress.com]

I would be very grateful for any feedback from this board - it would be very helpful to know if I have got any of my facts wrong, but I would also be most interested to know whether my opinions are shared by others.

Thanks in advance

Interesting writing, and you go into nice detail.
I think I would use less 'opinion' and more unbiased ideas.

This line is absolutely false:

Not only the lowspot of Goats Head Soup, but one of the worst songs ever recorded by the Stones.

I couldn't disagree more.

You incorrectly state that Exile was recorded in Keith's basement, which is all you say, which implies the whole LP. That is wrong.

And is Dancing With Mr D really in the mould of Sympathy For The Devil or is that just a journalistic historic reference since it's convenient to say that? To me it is nothing similar to SFTD by any means at all. It's convenient for journalists to say that. Perhaps you could come up with something original that does not reference STFD.


Odd. To me 100 Years Ago is one of the best if not the best track on GHS.


For Coming Down Again it should say 'one of Keith Richards' very best songs'.


Can You Hear The Music is one of the worst songs ever recorded by the Stones? Ha ha ha hah a. You are WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY off on that one. That wouldn't happen for a while yet and hadn't happened since 1967. Again, it reads as if you're just lifting trash writing from the media over the years that by the time they got to the end of a record they were too stoned or drunk to do their job. You should really listen to the song with open ears and make up your own description of it.

To me it reads almost similar to some over the years that just can't say anything good about this album because it's not Exile. I'd love to read what you'd say about IORR and BAB!

Great, great album

100 Years Ago.

100% Stones classic.

I love that song and performance.

One of their best.

maybe he couldn't hear the music after all...it happens

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StonesTod
maybe he couldn't hear the music after all...it happens

prolly 'cuz there was ringing in his ears.

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Munichhilton
Interesting writing, and you go into nice detail.
I think I would use less 'opinion' and more unbiased ideas.

This line is absolutely false:

Not only the lowspot of Goats Head Soup, but one of the worst songs ever recorded by the Stones.

I couldn't disagree more.

I think your app-text is nicely written. But IMO the daring and interesting thing about GHS is the emphasis on the softer material. What makes GHS special is that is it is the first record not fuelled by rockers like Gimme Shelter, Sympathy or Brown Sugar. The greatness of GHS lies in the ballads. Star Star is an ironical Berry-pastiche, Dancing is a soul-funk-rock Sympathy-pastiche, both of the fine but the energy and qualities are in the non-stones territory. It is no wonder that Angie was chosen as a single. IMO the tracks chosen are well chosen. Through the lonely nights is charming, but not significant, and criss-cross is phantastic, but too similar (and slightly infirior) to Heartbreaker. And I actually like Hide Your Love - it has a improvised feeling to it, that fits the more elaborate tracks. There are two promotion-videos for Angie. One ordinary - the romantic flower version you mention - and one extraordinary, which I is one of their best videos. MJ is in white sailor suit, wearing a white hat, Keith looks gloomy. MJs way to express the scene of the songs contend is unsurpassed. And Charlies overbearing look.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2012-07-05 17:10 by GetYerAngie.

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Munichhilton
I couldn't disagree more.

but can you look yourself in the mirror and say that you have given this your best effort?

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GetYerAngie
It is no wonder that Angie was chosen as a single. IMO the tracks chosen are well chosen. Through the lonely nights is charming, but not significant, and criss-cross is phantastic, but too similar (and slightly infirior) to Heartbreaker.

It's actually Silver Train, not Heartbreaker, that Criss Cross is similar to. And Criss Cross is the better of the two songs, although I do like Silver Train just fine.

It is hugely unfortunate that Atlantic Records chose Angie as the single to promote (yet alone that it was on the album instead of Through The Lonely Nights). Although it is a brilliant song etc it is way too saccharin and schmaltzy production wise. Angie is one of the reasons GHS is deemed inferior to Exile - because how could a band that made Exile make such fluff as Angie? The Stones that made Beggars-Exile cease to exist on this album, which is fine, change was inevitable. It's still a fantastic album and one of my faves. But it does reveal a band that is heading in different directions.

LOVE 100 Years Ago. Loved Angie when I was in gradeschool and it first came out, first dances with the opposite sex to this tune.

Loved the laid back feel of the record. It helps to have some Jamacian Lambsbread in your system to really understand the music here. It's stoner music.

The intro to Heartbreaker is one of the best intros in all of Rock Music (when Billy played it anyway), and the song still rocks my world when I give it a spin.

Because of Angie, loads of kids my age were initially turned on to the Stones with this record. WeLoveToPalyTheBlues you are dead wrong about the choice to release this as the single. It was aimed at kids like me and the arrow struck very hard. You may have been too old and jaded to appreciate it and the market it was aimed at and your alternative would have been the death for the record.

I like it more and more as I get older. This album will NEVER go away for me. I love it actually, except maybe for the album art, I thought it was a bit stupid and gross, even back then.

peace



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-07-05 19:16 by Naturalust.

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WeLoveToPlayTheBlues

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GetYerAngie
It is no wonder that Angie was chosen as a single. IMO the tracks chosen are well chosen. Through the lonely nights is charming, but not significant, and criss-cross is phantastic, but too similar (and slightly infirior) to Heartbreaker.

It's actually Silver Train, not Heartbreaker, that Criss Cross is similar to. And Criss Cross is the better of the two songs, although I do like Silver Train just fine.

It is hugely unfortunate that Atlantic Records chose Angie as the single to promote (yet alone that it was on the album instead of Through The Lonely Nights). Although it is a brilliant song etc it is way too saccharin and schmaltzy production wise. Angie is one of the reasons GHS is deemed inferior to Exile - because how could a band that made Exile make such fluff as Angie? The Stones that made Beggars-Exile cease to exist on this album, which is fine, change was inevitable. It's still a fantastic album and one of my faves. But it does reveal a band that is heading in different directions.

What I love about Angie is the way it sounds like a sugary love song, and when you actually listen to the words learn, thatis beneath all that sweet talk, there is a cruelty. The "I" has from the beginning decided to leave the "you" and still evokes and declares dephts of his and their love. There is never any doubt that he will leave, but he still carries on with his fake-caring and what he loves is her tears for him. It's the seducers song to the seduced. And a warning not just to listen to the sugary surface. A seducing warning against the seducer from the seducer himself.

I love the entire album, and dearly wish it could be reissued as a deluxe double.

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tomcasagranda
I love the entire album, and dearly wish it could be reissued as a deluxe double.

+1

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GetYerAngie

But IMO the daring and interesting thing about GHS is the emphasis on the softer material. What makes GHS special is that is it is the first record not fuelled by rockers like Gimme Shelter, Sympathy or Brown Sugar. The greatness of GHS lies in the ballads.

Actually this is not true.

The first record with an emphasis on the softer material is Buttons UK.

5 songs out of 10 in Sticky Fingers are absolutely "sad songs", add a slow acoustic blues with not exactly optimistic lyrics, a mellow country song about dead flowers needles and spoons, and the great Knocking, the first 3 minutes are in the vibe of Gimme Shelter (not exactly a dance hit), 4 minutes of slow blues.

I always considered SF to be the most "dramatic" album of their career.

GHS is perceived as it is because there is no rocker in slot 1, and the single Angie was a ballad. If @#$%& was the album opener we would see GHS with different eyes.

Same goes for Fingers if Brown Sugar was in the place of Moonlight Mile, Sway the opener, and Wild Horses the single.

C

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GetYerAngie

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WeLoveToPlayTheBlues

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GetYerAngie
It is no wonder that Angie was chosen as a single. IMO the tracks chosen are well chosen. Through the lonely nights is charming, but not significant, and criss-cross is phantastic, but too similar (and slightly infirior) to Heartbreaker.

It's actually Silver Train, not Heartbreaker, that Criss Cross is similar to. And Criss Cross is the better of the two songs, although I do like Silver Train just fine.

It is hugely unfortunate that Atlantic Records chose Angie as the single to promote (yet alone that it was on the album instead of Through The Lonely Nights). Although it is a brilliant song etc it is way too saccharin and schmaltzy production wise. Angie is one of the reasons GHS is deemed inferior to Exile - because how could a band that made Exile make such fluff as Angie? The Stones that made Beggars-Exile cease to exist on this album, which is fine, change was inevitable. It's still a fantastic album and one of my faves. But it does reveal a band that is heading in different directions.

What I love about Angie is the way it sounds like a sugary love song, and when you actually listen to the words learn, thatis beneath all that sweet talk, there is a cruelty. The "I" has from the beginning decided to leave the "you" and still evokes and declares dephts of his and their love. There is never any doubt that he will leave, but he still carries on with his fake-caring and what he loves is her tears for him. It's the seducers song to the seduced. And a warning not just to listen to the sugary surface. A seducing warning against the seducer from the seducer himself.

Angie IS a masterpiece.

C

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liddas

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GetYerAngie

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WeLoveToPlayTheBlues

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GetYerAngie
It is no wonder that Angie was chosen as a single. IMO the tracks chosen are well chosen. Through the lonely nights is charming, but not significant, and criss-cross is phantastic, but too similar (and slightly infirior) to Heartbreaker.

It's actually Silver Train, not Heartbreaker, that Criss Cross is similar to. And Criss Cross is the better of the two songs, although I do like Silver Train just fine.

It is hugely unfortunate that Atlantic Records chose Angie as the single to promote (yet alone that it was on the album instead of Through The Lonely Nights). Although it is a brilliant song etc it is way too saccharin and schmaltzy production wise. Angie is one of the reasons GHS is deemed inferior to Exile - because how could a band that made Exile make such fluff as Angie? The Stones that made Beggars-Exile cease to exist on this album, which is fine, change was inevitable. It's still a fantastic album and one of my faves. But it does reveal a band that is heading in different directions.

What I love about Angie is the way it sounds like a sugary love song, and when you actually listen to the words learn, thatis beneath all that sweet talk, there is a cruelty. The "I" has from the beginning decided to leave the "you" and still evokes and declares dephts of his and their love. There is never any doubt that he will leave, but he still carries on with his fake-caring and what he loves is her tears for him. It's the seducers song to the seduced. And a warning not just to listen to the sugary surface. A seducing warning against the seducer from the seducer himself.

Angie IS a masterpiece.

C

i love you angie...sorry, honey



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-07-05 19:23 by StonesTod.

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johnnythunders
I have been asked to do a track-by-track commentary on GHS, this to be used in a forthcoming Rolling Stones app.

A RS App?

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StonesTod

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Munichhilton
I couldn't disagree more.

but can you look yourself in the mirror and say that you have given this your best effort?

No way.
My best effort is still years off

i couldnt open your link

link won't open

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pinkfloydthebarber
i couldnt open your link

i think after his balls got handed to him he probably deleted the link...hell half of the comments you guys made were written better than the article...but it might just be a kid who's doing it for his school paper...

GHS is an absolutely fine and classic Rolling Stones LP...and one of the last to have the distinction of being hearalded as a classic after at first it was pretty much panned...

sadly this hasn't happened in over 20 years...as from Steel Wheels forward it seems as if what you hear is what you get...

i wish they would "weave" some good songs these days instead of running on auto pilot...

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johnnythunders
I have been asked to do a track-by-track commentary on GHS, this to be used in a forthcoming Rolling Stones app.

My first draft an be found here:

[onlyrockanroll.wordpress.com]

I would be very grateful for any feedback from this board - it would be very helpful to know if I have got any of my facts wrong, but I would also be most interested to know whether my opinions are shared by others.

Thanks in advance

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404: Page Not Found

We are terribly sorry, but the URL you typed no longer exists. It might have been moved or deleted, or perhaps you mistyped it. We suggest searching the site:

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I love this album, it's one of my favorite Stones albums and I believe it's very underrated. Winter and 100 Years Ago are among their very best songs. I just love the hazy druggy sound and feel they had on this one, and never really got back to, it's lot of funk and soul in it. Wah-wah's snd great keyboards from Billy Preston. I think it catches the time great.

With some exceptions I was a bit disappointed when it came out....but what do you expect if they released a hand full of great albums before this one.....
Love it now, except for "can you hear the music"

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maybe it doesn't have this effect on others, but this album always makes me hungry...

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StonesTod
maybe it doesn't have this effect on others, but this album always makes me hungry...

Maybe it puts you in a stupor, so it feels like you're stoned a little bit, so you get the munchies?

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StonesTod
maybe it doesn't have this effect on others, but this album always makes me hungry...

Strange..........silver train is a coming..........



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treaclefingers

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StonesTod
maybe it doesn't have this effect on others, but this album always makes me hungry...

Maybe it puts you in a stupor, so it feels like you're stoned a little bit, so you get the munchies?

hmmm...no...being a stones fan, i'm sorta in a stupor by default, i think...

I love this album, there is such a pensive feel to it. Like many of you I am sure, I go through phases where I keep coming back to the same album for a while - GHS is the one Stones album right now I never tire of. Winter is just gorgeous, to me it sounds like Jagger channeling Van Morrison. I think it's one of the few Stones songs that you could call romantic. None of the famous Jagger irony in this one. I agree that Angie is a masterpiece, but it's the one song on the album I have to be in the mood for, it's a bit too depressing to me. I can't think of any songs on this one that I have to skip over, it is very underrated IMO.