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Out Of Tears
(Mick Jagger / Keith Richards)

Windmill Lane Recording Studios, Dublin, Ireland, November 3 - December 11, 1993 and
A&M Recording Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US,
January 15 - April 23, 1994

Mick Jagger - vocals, acoustic guitar
Keith Richards - electric guitar
Charlie Watts - drums
Ron Wood - electric slide guitar
Darryl Jones - bass
Chuck Leavell - piano
Benmont Tench - B-3 organ
Lenny Castro - percussion
David Campbell - strings

I can't feel, feel a thing
I can't shout, I can't scream
Breathe it out, breathe it in, all this love from within
I won't cry when you say goodbye, I'm out of tears
I won't die when you wave goodbye, I'm out of tears, out of tears

I won't drink, I won't eat
I can't hear, I won't speak
Let it out, let it in, all this pain from within
And I just can't pour my heart out to another living thing
I'm a whisper, I'm a shadow, but I'm standing up to sing
I won't cry when you say goodbye, I'm out of tears
I won't die when you wave goodbye, I'm out of tears, yes I am
I won't cry, I swear my eyes are dry, I'm out of tears, yeah
I won't cry, I'm gonna tell you why, I'm out of tears, out of tears, out of tears

Let it out from within
Some you lose, some you win
I can drift, I can dream, ‘til I float off your screen
And I just can't pour my heart out to another living thing
I'm a whisper, I'm a shadow, but I'm standing up to sing
I won't cry when you say goodbye, I'm out of tears
I won't die when you wave goodbye, I'm out of tears, out of tears
I won't cry, I swear my eyes are dry, I'm out of tears, yeah
I won't cry, I wanna tell you why, I'm out of tears, out of tears, out of tears

Produced by Don Was & The Glimmer Twins

First released on:
The Rolling Stones - “Voodoo Lounge” 2LP
(Virgin Records V 2750) UK, July 11, 1994

World Class Ballad! 10/5

2 1 2 0

A sublime, latter-day classic from the Stones. Anyone who claims the Stones lost their songwriting talents later in their career need only listen to this track as evidence to the contrary. A beautiful ode to pain, loss, and denial, Out of Tears is (IMO) one of the finest ballads the Stones have created, at least in the last 30 years.

Jagger's vocal performance is just heart-wrenching, as he pours his soul into every line. And surely this is Chuck Leavell's finest moment with the Stones; his piano reminds me of Nicky Hopkins in its pathos and tenderness. Don Was deserves a nod for an excellent production ... drums, guitars, strings, all the elements here blend perfectly.

The video is gorgeous, too.





Drew



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-09-24 00:25 by drewmaster.

A very good ballad, good vocals and a great slide solo from Ronnie Wood.

Mediocre, run of the mill ballad IMO.

It drags a bit. Nice lead break from Ronnie, though.

Keith's fills annoys me a bit..

I never been able to like this song very much. As a ballad it sounds too obvious, productionwise lots of cliche-like 'cheap' decisions (the 80's never stopped?), including Ronnie's sloppy solo (the video is a huge cliche itself). I think its melody is rather weak, and a bit annoying actually. And no matter how hard Jagger tries to sound vulnerable and everything, I don't find him that convincing.

I recall listening VOODOO LOUNGE at the time, and this song was one of those first instances I found myself being not moved by a new Stones material. And no matter how much I listen it, it won't get any better. Just 'cold' craftmanship without no real passion or inspiration. Of similar late-day efforts, I think "Following The River" works much better.

But yeah, probably one of the best Chuck Leavell contributions in record - but that fact does not help much...

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-09-23 12:17 by Doxa.

I concur with the above standing Doxa section!

Never a song that really grabbed me either, I'm afraid. I have a real problem with Voodoo Lounge in that not only was it way too long but it had the highest collection of poor songs on it of any Stones album. Yes, even Dirty Work.

While I prefer the Stones to be upbeat or at least defiant they have many truly wonderful melancholy songs such as Wild Horse and Memory Motel. Unfortunately this ain't one of them.

I don't get any respite from the pain on Out of Tears, no amazing uplifting moments like when Keith chips in 'she's got a mind of her own' in Memory Motel or the hope that comes in the 'we'll ride them one day' sign off in Wild Horses.

Perhaps this song should have been called Doom And Gloom instead.

Boyband stuff

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Silver Dagger
Never a song that really grabbed me either, I'm afraid. I have a real problem with Voodoo Lounge in that not only was it way too long but it had the highest collection of poor songs on it of any Stones album. Yes, even Dirty Work.

While I prefer the Stones to be upbeat or at least defiant they have many truly wonderful melancholy songs such as Wild Horse and Memory Motel. Unfortunately this ain't one of them.

I don't get any respite from the pain on Out of Tears, no amazing uplifting moments like when Keith chips in 'she's got a mind of her own' in Memory Motel or the hope that comes in the 'we'll ride them one day' sign off in Wild Horses.

Perhaps this song should have been called Doom And Gloom instead.

Funnily, now thinking those great examples you gave of The Stones offering melancholical sentiments, it is odd to think that Mick and Keith, just getting into their twenties, could express them so much more convincingly in their very early effort "As Tears Go By" than 30 years later with "Out of Tears", after having so much more life experience.

I think one of the most characteristic feature in Stones' music is that they are masters in expressing feelings - all kinds of them - in music (they really mastered their blues studies at the time). But when they don't succeed in it - like I think with "Out of Tears"- the results sound so easily fake-like, and no matter how great some details might be, the results are mediocre at their best. They need to have the inspiration to sound convincing.

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-09-23 13:05 by Doxa.

How can I thematic solo be sloppy, btw, Doxa? Did you hear earlier takes?

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DandelionPowderman
How can I thematic solo be sloppy, btw, Doxa? Did you hear earlier takes?

I think he plays there sloppily, or, rather roughly in places, but which, of course, can be intentional (a question of "style").. But for me it is a bit too school-like example of "okay, now we here play a little slide solo here, is everybody looking at?", which in that context - so upfront emphasized -sounds so cliche-like and dull, as I above argued. Too obvious, which irrates me. I blame more the producer, not Ronnie. There are many artistic choices in that song that I find a bit corny, and that's among them.

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-09-23 13:36 by Doxa.

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Doxa

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DandelionPowderman
How can I thematic solo be sloppy, btw, Doxa? Did you hear earlier takes?

I think he plays there sloppily, or, rather roughly in places, but which, of course, can be intentional (a question of "style").. But for me it is a bit too school-like example of "okay, now we here play a little slide solo here, is everybody looking at?", which in that context - so upfront emphasized -sounds so cliche-like and dull, as I above argued. Too obvious, which irrates me. I blame more the producer, not Ronnie. There are many artistic choices in that song that I find a bit corny, and that's among them.

- Doxa

I thought the exact opposite. That it was great with an unexpected change in the middle of a rather predictable song. However, I find his sound to be a little bit too spikey for a slide sound.

Can't find anything in there that I would say is sloppy, though.

Maybe that's to due with Ronnie's rather rough technics. But I don't find that a bad thing at all - if you get that impression. For example. Brian's slide in "No Expectations" is rather rough and sloppy, but simply outstanding and memorable. The latter unfortunately does not happen here, since Ronnie here plays like from a slide guitar text book. He does okay his little spot, but that's it.

Hmm... probably something like Brian's contribution should have needed here to express the song's sentiments in musical terms. Or what would have Mick Taylor done...

- Doxa

<Or what would have Mick Taylor done>

In those few seconds? Probably something thematic as well...

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DandelionPowderman
<Or what would have Mick Taylor done>

In those few seconds? Probably something thematic as well...

But better played? (But think of what Brian would have done it with his visionalism...)

But If they would have Taylor there, they would have used him more. Actually, Taylor is rather good in painting melancholocal stories with his guitar. Maybe an old time guitar lead throughout the whole song would have worked here... but I'm not the producer, luckily...

Okay, that's enough 'if and if' stuff.. Back to reality.><

- Doxa

Not their best ballad, but c'mon Ronnie's solo is really good!!

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Doxa

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DandelionPowderman
<Or what would have Mick Taylor done>

In those few seconds? Probably something thematic as well...

But better played? (But think of what Brian would have done it with his visionalism...)

But If they would have Taylor there, they would have used him more. Actually, Taylor is rather good in painting melancholocal stories with his guitar. Maybe an old time guitar lead throughout the whole song would have worked here... but I'm not the producer, luckily...

Okay, that's enough 'if and if' stuff.. Back to reality.><

- Doxa

"Better" is always subjective, Doxa

I think Ronnie's break was cool at the time. It still sounded good when I listened to it now. It suits the melancholy nicely, imo.

A lead throughout an album ballad? He wasn't even allowed that in his prime



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-09-23 14:09 by DandelionPowderman.

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Wild Slivovitz
Not their best ballad, but c'mon Ronnie's solo is really good!!

No it is not; it's generic and obvious, and not able to express song's sentiments, or add anything to it (plus the corny sound choice), but still is the best thing in the whole song!

- Doxa

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DandelionPowderman


A lead throughout an album ballad? He wasn't even allowed that in his prime

You haven't listened "Winter" probably...

- Doxa

Did someone mention the lead on Winter? Now that's what I call a solo. One of the most sympathetic solos to complement a song's feeling within the entire Stones' canon.

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Doxa

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DandelionPowderman


A lead throughout an album ballad? He wasn't even allowed that in his prime

You haven't listened "Winter" probably...

- Doxa

There isn't any guitar solos in Winter. Only a couple of country-ish themes, with some quasi-fusion jazz in the endings

+ some strings...

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Doxa

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Wild Slivovitz
Not their best ballad, but c'mon Ronnie's solo is really good!!

No it is not; it's generic and obvious, and not able to express song's sentiments, or add anything to it (plus the corny sound choice), but still is the best thing in the whole song!

- Doxa

Go and get him, Slivovitz! He's off the rails today

'Out Of Tears' sorts of reminds me a little of the Stones early seventies output, perhaps STICKY FINGERS or GOATS HEAD SOUP, maybe, within Jagger's vocal, and certainly i get the impression the Stones were aiming at a retro sounding ballad relating roughly to that era, although for me it comes across a little too neat and tidy, and ultimately quite clinical sounding. Unlike Doxa, i actually really liked it when i first bought VOODOO LOUNGE, but within a very short space of time, found myself not feeling inclined to listen to it at all. Maybe in the last decade i have listened to it three or four times, but it has never really held me in the way Stones ballads like 'Winter', 'Time Waits For No One', and 'Coming Down Again' have done. Yes, Ronnie's solo sounds more like it was designed to take the song from A to B, than to be a statement within itself. Although the song attempts to be a early seventies style throwback, there's something a little too structured about it, and perhaps conservative, which gives the impression that this wasn't recorded in the era of musical progression, and improvisation, but more at the time of neat corporate packaging (the video included). No, i'm afraid it leaves me rather cold. Yes, it certainly grabs me more than 'Brand New Car', 'You Got Me Rocking' or 'I Go Wild', on a first listen, but unfortunately, thereafter, the results, for me, are pretty much the same. In a way, it's the same with 'Love Is Strong' which, i believe, parallels a little 'Dancing With Mr D'. 'Dancing With Mr D' is by no means one of the Stones most convincing songs, but it possesses something, which 'Love Is Strong' just can't quite emulate. That's pretty much refective of the era from which it came.

To me it's on par with winter and time waits, this shows you how highly I rate those older songs.

A song that could have been great. Imagine it on side two of Tattoo You with less 1990s production.

Luckily, we have a brilliant ballad like The Worst on VL. IMO, The Worst is better than most of the ballads you mention, Edward, except for Coming Down Again, which is a rare masterpiece, and quite a unique song, even for the Stones.

Blinded By Rainbows is even weaker than Out Of Tears, imo.

I kinda like the humorous Brand New Car, especially when the horns kick in. It was nice as a live numer as well.

Love Is Strong grabs me way more than Dancing With Mr. D. Both are songs with a dark atmosphere, but Love Is Strong has the bridge where things excel a bit, and the tension can be released. That never happens with the chorus on Dancing With Mr. D, which is in the same key - hence the less surprising elements and lack of dynamics, imo.

Yawn.

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Doxa
But think of what Brian would have done it with his visionalism...


- Doxa

A silent protest.