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Low Down
(Mick Jagger / Keith Richards)

Ocean Way Recording Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US,
March 13 - July 1997

Mick Jagger - lead vocals
Keith Richards - electric guitar, backing vocals
Charlie Watts - drums
Ron Wood - electric guitar, electric slide guitar
Waddy Wachtel - acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Blondie Chaplin - bass, maracas, backing vocals
Jim Keltner - shaker
Darrell Leonard - trumpet
Joe Sublett - saxophone
Bernard Fowler - backing vocals

Won't you give me the low down, just as quick as you can
Babe, I've been out of touch, just give me the scam
Don't give me the sports page, baby, no political news
Don't you give me the gossip, just give me the truth, just between me and you
Give me the low down if you can
Don't want a show down, I just wanna know where I stand

Don't read me the horoscope, baby, that ain't what I need
Our future will never last, but that's between you and me
I don't want the movie section, I'll see for myself
I don't want the news that fits, shove it back on the shelf
Give me the truth, just between me and you
Give me the low down if you can
Don't want a show down, I just wanna know where I stand

The headlines are screaming, they change everyday
As long as I ain't in them, I'm happy that way
I know that you won't lie to me, but you hold back the truth
Please give me the low down, I can only get it from you
Give me the truth, just between me and you
Give me the low down if you can
Don't want a show down, I just wanna know where I stand

Give me the low down as quick as you can
I don't want to hear about it, I want it straight from you
Give me the low down, come on babe, give me the truth, come on, oh yeah

Produced by Don Was & The Glimmer Twins

First released on:
The Rolling Stones - “Bridges To Babylon” CD
(Virgin Records VJCP 25333) Japan, September 26, 1997

A brainless standard rock-track by the Stones, but I love it for its groove - and especially for the little instrumental part with slide and horns

Quote
DandelionPowderman
A brainless standard rock-track by the Stones, but I love it for its groove - and especially for the little instrumental part with slide and horns

+1

Last time they did great songs great.

Great groove

Quintessential Keith riffage all the way.
I never realised Blondie is playing the bass here.

Just as long as the guitar plays, let it steal your heart away

They did a nice version og Low Down at MSG on the B2B-tour.

Always liked that track although there's nothing very memorable about it. A bit like "It won't take long".

I seem to remember reading that this was one of the tracks they worked on at the first Mick and Keith get together for the album in December of 1996 in New-York.

Anyone who says the Stones shot their load in the 70s, or after Tattoo You rolled around, is advised to look here. This @#$%& rocks and it rolls like there is no tomorrow.

The stage is set with that glorious sustained chord right at the beginning, suspended in air for a magical moment until the tension is resolved with snarling guitar-notes that Charlie answers with one of the tightest grooves known to man. And then, the magnificent bobbing and weaving between him and Keith and Ronnie; this is the very ESSENCE of the Stones sound ... the WOBBLE (a brilliant term that someone on this board recently used).

Next, Mick comes in, pleading desperately for an end to all the bullshit and for the release that only the truth can bring. His vocals, searing and impassioned, are perfectly mixed (neither too high nor too low).

Indeed, the production is superb, with those guitars right up front, battling Mick for supremacy. Kudos to Don Was for an outstanding job this time: this is how a Stones track should sound. The Stones and Was obviously put a lot of work into this one, as evidenced by several subtle but particularly wonderful moments:

** That little staccato rhythmic fill at the 7-second mark.
** Those harmonies (e.g., "don't want a showdown"...) that blend in so perfectly.
** Charlie's magnificent little fill at the 3-minute mark (while Mick is howling "I know that you won't lie tooo meeahh"...), which sends chills up and down my spine.
** And those final, nasty guitar licks at the very end of the track, a final stab at all the insincerity and vapidity that floats around us all the time.

If this ain't rock and roll of the highest order, I don't know what is.

Drew

Quote
drewmaster
Anyone who says the Stones shot their load in the 70s, or after Tattoo You rolled around, is advised to look here. This @#$%& rocks and it rolls like there is no tomorrow.

The stage is set with that glorious sustained chord right at the beginning, suspended in air for a magical moment until the tension is resolved with snarling guitar-notes that Charlie answers with one of the tightest grooves known to man. And then, the magnificent bobbing and weaving between him and Keith and Ronnie; this is the very ESSENCE of the Stones sound ... the WOBBLE (a brilliant term that someone on this board recently used).

Next, Mick comes in, pleading desperately for an end to all the bullshit and for the release that only the truth can bring. His vocals, searing and impassioned, are perfectly mixed (neither too high nor too low).

Indeed, the production is superb, with those guitars right up front, battling Mick for supremacy. Kudos to Don Was for an outstanding job this time: this is how a Stones track should sound. The Stones and Was obviously put a lot of work into this one, as evidenced by several subtle but particularly wonderful moments:

** That little staccato rhythmic fill at the 7-second mark.
** Those harmonies (e.g., "don't want a showdown"...) that blend in so perfectly.
** Charlie's magnificent little fill at the 3-minute mark (while Mick is howling "I know that you won't lie tooo meeahh"...), which sends chills up and down my spine.
** And those final, nasty guitar licks at the very end of the track, a final stab at all the insincerity and vapidity that floats around us all the time.

If this ain't rock and roll of the highest order, I don't know what is.

Drew

I like it too!

Great modern era song. Nice groove.Love it.

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness".
* John Keats

2 1 2 0

Quote
drewmaster
Anyone who says the Stones shot their load in the 70s, or after Tattoo You rolled around, is advised to look here. This @#$%& rocks and it rolls like there is no tomorrow.

The stage is set with that glorious sustained chord right at the beginning, suspended in air for a magical moment until the tension is resolved with snarling guitar-notes that Charlie answers with one of the tightest grooves known to man. And then, the magnificent bobbing and weaving between him and Keith and Ronnie; this is the very ESSENCE of the Stones sound ... the WOBBLE (a brilliant term that someone on this board recently used).

Next, Mick comes in, pleading desperately for an end to all the bullshit and for the release that only the truth can bring. His vocals, searing and impassioned, are perfectly mixed (neither too high nor too low).

Indeed, the production is superb, with those guitars right up front, battling Mick for supremacy. Kudos to Don Was for an outstanding job this time: this is how a Stones track should sound. The Stones and Was obviously put a lot of work into this one, as evidenced by several subtle but particularly wonderful moments:

** That little staccato rhythmic fill at the 7-second mark.
** Those harmonies (e.g., "don't want a showdown"...) that blend in so perfectly.
** Charlie's magnificent little fill at the 3-minute mark (while Mick is howling "I know that you won't lie tooo meeahh"...), which sends chills up and down my spine.
** And those final, nasty guitar licks at the very end of the track, a final stab at all the insincerity and vapidity that floats around us all the time.

If this ain't rock and roll of the highest order, I don't know what is.

Drew

Can't argue with any of those points, but how come it still ends up being so mediocre?

I guess this rather perfect representation of what people seem to think being 'essential' Stones groove - and for example, complain lacking in "Doom and Gloom" - (even though I think that is more like being used to by so many recent examples). And yeah, it makes the feet move. A throwaway song, but damn strong that one.

- Doxa

From a songwriting perspective Lowdown is not that impressive, but it is produced extremely well. Sound, groove plus the instrumentation with the horns make it a very good track.

Quote
DandelionPowderman
A brainless standard rock-track by the Stones, but I love it for its groove - and especially for the little instrumental part with slide and horns

A little +1

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It's a solid album cut but there is better stuff on "Bridges", way better stuff.

It sounds like Keith was trying to repeat 'Love Is Strong'. I had to go back and listen to it to even remember it. Only a handful of post-Wyman tracks matter and this ain't one of them.

My favorite Bridges To Babylon song. This is the only one I go back to with semi-regularity.