I don't think a reshuffled or revised track listing would improve what is nonetheless a halfway decent collection of songs.

If the album could be remade via time machine, the answer would be to revise the producer so that what could emerge would be the grooves-based album that they were actually in the process of making.

Had the Don Was factor not been decisive factor in sending them off in the direction of how they used to sound, then Voodoo Lounge would have resulted in being a step forward from Steel Wheels--rather than a step backward from Tattoo You--and would now be heralded not only as a landmark latter-day Stones classic, but also as one of the best rock albums of the 90s.

If anyone listens to the 'Sparks Will Fly/Riffs & Dialogue', can you tell me what Keith is referring to with a 'rudduck' (is that even a word)?

I too had considered starting a thread on voodoo. I think it has aged well and I myself consider it one of their better albums. The length doesnt bother me at all, and there's always a song or two on most every album I own that I favor less than the others, no matter who the artist is. There is much to enjoy on this album, and musically I enjoy listening to it. Another thing I thought about today - we have the classic rock stations (thank goodness), but in 20 years do you think there will be a classic rap station, or classic hip-hop station? I think not!

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UnionHall
Another thing I thought about today - we have the classic rock stations (thank goodness), but in 20 years do you think there will be a classic rap station, or classic hip-hop station? I think not!

There already are.

I don't know why the Stones insisted on putting out these albums with 15 songs or so on them. Most of the time you don't need that many. Keep it 10-12 max. Save the others for some other time. Too much filler. Could have easily lived without, 'sweethearts together', 'blinded by rainbows','moon is up', and 'thru and thru'. put 'jump on top of me' and 'the storm' instead.

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ifyacantrockme
I don't know why the Stones insisted on putting out these albums with 15 songs or so on them. Most of the time you don't need that many. Keep it 10-12 max. Save the others for some other time. Too much filler. Could have easily lived without, 'sweethearts together', 'blinded by rainbows','moon is up', and 'thru and thru'. put 'jump on top of me' and 'the storm' instead.

The great thing about CDs and i tunes is that you can skip songs you dont like.

Believe me, had the Stones released a 10-12 song album in 1994, fans would have complained about the fact that after five years they only released 45 minutes of music when they could have filled a disc with another half hour.

"Cant agree with the OP's selection at all. I normally like the Stones' funk excursions, but 'Suck on the Jugular' is one of the worst songs theyve ever released. Could never warm to 'Mean disposition' either. The version of 'Zip Mouth Angel' thats in circulation clearly isnt finished - why do people think this sort of stuff belongs on an official album, when it basically consists of Jagger mumbling what is nothing more than a working lyric?"

It should go without saying the song - in this case the lyrics would have been completed before release. The song in essence is there and Jagger spending a few minutes with a pen could have completed them. Further to this half of the McCartney album is half arsed and would routinely be regarded as "unfinished" however it was released and irrespective of its critical or rather lack there of critical acclaim, I like it.

"Thru and thru" to me for example sounds basically jammed. When the drums kick in is when the song becomes half interesting to me. The rest is a three minute exercise in getting to that part for me. I find it to be dull and contrived as well unpleasant to the ear. Some consider it great and that's fine.

I am also aware why it is the length it is. However that's not the point of the thread. It is just about what would somebody might have preferred if this had been trimmed with lease filler.

I also get why SOTJ is dismissed by many but I like the sax, harp stuff on it and it's a good beat. Lyrics are throwaway but so was "Bye bye love" and I think that's great too. In other words a song doesn't need great lyricism for me to like it broadly speaking. YGMR is a great feel and I love that too although my six year old could have penned better lyrics.

"Never understood why some people want certain albums cut down to size. If they were cut then we would be searching endlessly for the missing songs and hoping they would end up on some other release somewhere down the road."

This is an exercise in a totally pointless discussion but as with many threads here it is for the reason of fun and nothing more. And I assure you I would not be wishing these tracks that I omitted were released down the track. I have 8 cds worth of Voodoo outtakes and but for ZMA I find most of it junk.

"Because they like New Faces etc. No taste. Or observation of quality."

It would be nice if just once a thread in this forum could be devoid of such remarks as above. It is as needless. I like "New faces" as do many others. I probably even like the "etcs" you didn't mention. Given we are both on a Rolling Stones site one might conclude we like a great deal of the same music. How's that reconcile with your final notation of "No taste. Or Observation of quality"?. Kindly keep it nice please as this is just a thread for fun. Thank you.

"If the album could be remade via time machine, the answer would be to revise the producer so that what could emerge would be the grooves-based album that they were actually in the process of making.

Had the Don Was factor not been decisive factor in sending them off in the direction of how they used to sound, then Voodoo Lounge would have resulted in being a step forward from Steel Wheels--rather than a step backward from Tattoo You--and would now be heralded not only as a landmark latter-day Stones classic, but also as one of the best rock albums of the 90s"

Yeah not really thought of if like that but I agree.

What a great album! Love it!

Voodoo was a small bit of relief....from the 3 previous disappointments.

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Rip This
Voodoo was a small bit of relief....from the 3 previous disappointments.

Voodoo was a big letdown from the last good Stones album, Steel Wheels. Love Is Strong hinted at more than what was delivered.

Darryl started out okay on bass on Voodoo. Then they used 8 different guys on Bridges to Babylon. Then Mick Jagger himself played bass on 4 tracks on A Bigger Band, while Keith Richards played bass on two cuts. They just don't get the bass guitar and its importance to their sound. Keith of all people should understand it, or he just got lucky on a few cuts years ago. Maybe they just can't be bothered and gave up trying aspire to the greatness before Wyman left.

Voodoo Lounge, what a great, great album by the mature Rolling Stones. A greatest hits album on its own. And such a creative period! All those releases, Jump on Top of Me, etc.

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NoCode0680

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Max'sKansasCity

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NoCode0680

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Max'sKansasCity
The Replacements, (starring Keanu Reeves, the great (and now retired)Gene Hackman and the very very sexy Brooke Langton) it has a lot of songs from this album well placed in the movie. I think it a nice change of pace to hear other Stones songs in a movie besides the same (GREAT) one they always use (Looking at you Marty).

That's actually the first place I heard any songs from Voodoo Lounge.

The Stones songs worked well in that movie, very well.

and ummmm Brooke Langton, a very beautiful woman,
I still think she could be a super star, that smile of hers... wow.

Yeah, she's not hard on the eyes at all. But she sort of fell off my radar after The Replacements. She's continued to work, just not in anything I've seen.

Howard Deutch also made references to the Stones in one of his other movies, "Some Kind Of Wonderful". There was a character named Amanda Jones and the song "Miss Amanda Jones" was used. And there's a female character named Watts who is a drummer.

A thread on "Some Kind Of Wonderful".

[www.iorr.org]

"No Anchovies, Please"

I love the groove of "Baby Break It Down".

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Elmo Lewis
I love the groove of "Baby Break It Down".

It's one of those songs that I never think of, never go to put on to listen to, forget maybe that it even exists, but when it's on I always like it.

Sort of an understated track but with a great groove.

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treaclefingers

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Elmo Lewis
I love the groove of "Baby Break It Down".

It's one of those songs that I never think of, never go to put on to listen to, forget maybe that it even exists, but when it's on I always like it.

Sort of an understated track but with a great groove.

My thoughts exactly!

"No Anchovies, Please"

Great Album
I remember my last days on the University while I was working on the thesis




Additionally: Keith Richards helped illustrate the vulnerability of Tony Soprano

SCC

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treaclefingers

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Elmo Lewis
I love the groove of "Baby Break It Down".

It's one of those songs that I never think of, never go to put on to listen to, forget maybe that it even exists, but when it's on I always like it.

Sort of an understated track but with a great groove.

I think they somehow mastered or started this routine in UNDERCOVER. The songs usually have a nice "groove" or something to the effect - the sound of it good and somehow unique Stonesy - but leaves no much to remember afterwards. Generally the best things I occasionally hear from albums like VOODOO LOUNGE and A BIGGER BANG has this kind of effect on me.

- Doxa

This album could have been better with Jump on top of me, The Storm, Honest man, and Zip mouth angel. This four are very good, specially Honest man, great groove.

...don't forget 'You got it made'

Always enjoyed reading your threads Doxa. And I agree with the one above. I usually play "Baby break it down" but then just as soon forget it. Bit like "Pretty beat up".

Overall I love VL anyway. Just wondered what it would have been like stripped. I think Let It Bleed (album) is a stronger album for have just the 9 tracks. It doesn't demand the attention of your ears for too long and leaves you wanting to play it again. Voodoo doesn't do that.

For some weird reason Bridges does for me. I thought VL was way better than Bridges in 1997. Now I think the latter is a modern day masterpiece that's really overlooked by critics and fans alike. Anyway I'm babbling and off topic now I guess.

Be well Doxa

I seem to be the only one that not only like, but love "Sweethearts Together" with its Mexican (?) flavours. I do like the anti-terrorist song "Blinded by Rainbows" with its wellfunctionning contrast between harsh words and beautiful music. I even think "Suck on the Jugular" is some attraction. "Through And Through" also. Best song of all though, "Love Is Strong".

VOODOO LOUNGE was an album when the band had to find their own feet so to speak, when STEEL WHEELS did not manage that. I don't quite like the sound of that album, and some rather good melodies have some feeling and appearance that leave me somewhat frustrated, even if I halfway like them. Nonetheless, "Continental Drift" is majestic, despite all other critical points.

I think VOODOO LOUNGE created a point from which the band might have continued, if they had found incentives to go on being active. (The two latest albums are even better, but so far between that one cannot talk about one period, only of separate albums.)

Could have been a really good album with fewer songs, imo.

I don't find it too retro, I think it's varied and they're trying some new, interesting stuff in there that add to their sound (Thru And Thru, The Worst and even Mean Disposition).

This is by no means a bad album but as has already been opined, could have been stronger with some selective editing.

A studio album with 4 sides has to be pretty damn special to stay interesting. Very few acts have done memorable ones, and the acts that have, Dylan, Beatles, Stones (ok, several others, fine) have generally only had one that have deserved to have 4 sides.

A double album SHOULD be like the band saying, we have SO MUCH great music this time around, we feel we must present it all. At least that's what should be happening. Instead, what is actually happening, at least with the latter day Stones releases is, well, we have SO MUCH ROOM left on the CD, that we feel the need to pack in a few extra bits that we'd otherwise have cut out so you can feel you got your money's worth.

And unfortunately that spoils all the post Steel Wheels albums.

There is a rather deep problem involved, though, with your points of view here, Dandelion and treaclefingers. Who with what taste shøuld have done that editing? For post-SOME GIRLS, it is not uncontested what is good, and what not quite as good.

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Witness
There is a rather deep problem involved, though, with your points of view here, Dandelion and treaclefingers. Who with what taste shøuld have done that editing? For post-SOME GIRLS, it is not uncontested what is good, and what not quite as good.

This is not a problem in the slightest.

It isn't for me or you to decide, but rather for the artist to decide, as they decided on all the previous albums.

Once they throw in the towel on that, they are not invested which I believe is what happens to these latter day albums. Mick blames Don Was for not going with certain material. HE'S MICK JAGGER, he decides.

Anyway, to your point you're bound to leave off material some people like, but that happened throughout stones history. WHEN WILL CRISS CROSS MIND finally get onto an album?!

That doesn't mean you don't edit though.

I thought the artists had the final word in the exixting case, too. Indeed, had they not?

"Mick blames Don Was" ...for what?

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Witness
I thought the artists had the final word in the exixting case, too. Indeed, had they not?

"Mick blames Don Was" ...for what?

Stones have a final word, yes - and I find Mick's complaining useless. Everyone else in the band was happy with the result, so..

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Witness
There is a rather deep problem involved, though, with your points of view here, Dandelion and treaclefingers. Who with what taste shøuld have done that editing? For post-SOME GIRLS, it is not uncontested what is good, and what not quite as good.

The editing here means peeling off the weakest songs (although this was the CD age, I know).

That is the producer's task, both to suggest it and to make it happen.

In this case: Don Was, Mick and Keith...

Here's my album:

Love Is Strong
Jump On Top
Brand New Car
The Worst
Baby Break It Down
Out Of Tears

I Go Wild
Blinded By Rainbows
Moon Is Up
The Storm
You Got It Made



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-10-29 18:07 by Elmo Lewis.