Comments, input and alterations are very welcome!
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Saint Of Me
(Mick Jagger / Keith Richards)

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

Mick Jagger - lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards
Charlie Watts - drums
Ron Wood - electric guitar
MeShell Ndegeocello - bass
Pierre De Beauport - bass six-string
Billy Preston - Hammond B-3 organ
Waddy Wachtel - electric guitar
Jamie Muhoberac - keyboards
Blondie Chaplin - backing vocals
Bernard Fowler - backing vocals

Saint Paul the Persecutor was a cruel and sinful man
Jesus hit him with a blinding light and then his life began, I said yes, I said yeah
Augustin knew temptation, he loved women, wine and song
And all the special pleasures of doing something wrong, I said yes, I said yeah
I said yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, you'll never make a saint of me
Oh yeah, oh yeah, you'll never make a saint of me, yeah

And could you stand the torture and could you stand the pain
Could you put your faith in Jesus when you're burning in the flames, I said yes
I do believe in miracles and I want to save my soul
And I know that I'm a sinner, I'm gonna die here in the cold, I said yes, I said yeah
I said yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, you'll never make a saint of me
Oh yeah, oh yeah, you'll never make a saint of me
Oh yeah, oh yeah, you'll never make a saint of me
Oh yeah, oh yeah, you'll never make a saint of me
I thought I heard an angel cry, I thought I saw a teardrop falling from his eye

John the Baptist was a martyr, but he stirred up Herod's hate
And Salome got her wish to have him served up on a plate, I said yes, I said yeah
I said yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, you'll never make a saint of me
Oh yeah, oh yeah, you'll never make a saint of me
Oh yeah, oh yeah, you'll never make a saint of me
Oh yeah, oh yeah, you'll never make a saint of me
I thought I heard an angel cry, I thought I saw a teardrop falling from his eye
I thought I saw an angel cry

You'll never make a saint of me, you'll never make a saint of me…

Produced by The Dust Brothers & The Glimmer Twins

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

Awesome song. It works pretty fine live

One of the better 90s tracks released by the Stones. I didn't know Keith wasn't on it. It sounds like it could have been a Mick solo track left over from Wandering Spirit. It's got that same punchy groove that was all over that album.

Great trackcomplemented by some fantastic guitar work by Waddy Wachtel.

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IORR Links : Essential Studio Outtakes CDs : Audio - History of Rarest Outtakes : Audio

ROCKMAN

One of their better songs from their latter days. Musically doesn't even try to widen up their horizons, and relies on their trademark tricks and mannerisms, but still sounds surprisingly fresh. Compared to VOODOO LOUNGE material, Jagger sounds like having found an inspiration again, especially in lyrics department. Was it because it was first done a solo album in mind - so he needed to get serious again and work his ass off again?

BRIDGES TO BABYLON is constructed oddly and is very uneven, but its highlights are really good songs, and this is one of them.

- Doxa

Hmmm.. never heard of that 13 minute "Deep Dish Grunge Garage Remix". Now, that's a description...

- Doxa

A very nice latter day Jagger solo tune. Worked well live.

The vinyl 45 is the worst-sounding vinyl release I own, btw.

I'm pretty sure I have that Maxi CD Single somewhere, the remixes were underwhelming though, actually I can't think of an interesting Stones remix...well except for "Winning Ugly" and "Feel on Baby" I suppose. The YGMR remixes were particularly bad!

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IORR Links : Essential Studio Outtakes CDs : Audio - History of Rarest Outtakes : Audio

This song along with Out of Control and Doom and Gloom are my favourite three tracks of the "modern" (90s onwards) Stones catalog to see live. Add in Rock and a Hard Place to that too. For some reason I'm not sure much of ABB worked well live and although VL was great at the time, I'd much rather see these ones live. Mind you, if they could produce a whole album as good as D&G now I'd much rather have a few very new songs...

Overall, B2B was my favourite album of recent years.

Good song

Great song and video



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A brilliant, latter-day Stones classic … every moment of it, that is, except the bridge. Those warm opening guitar strums are absolutely captivating; the reverie is heightened by those wonderful Hammond B3 notes from Billy Preston, creating a lush, gospel feel. Church is in session, and I am already in heaven before our preacher, Pastor Michael Philip Jagger, even begins his sermon!

And then begin it he does, entrancing the listener with a softly-told story about St Paul the Persecutor. Gradually the intensity builds, lifting the listener higher and higher. Charlie is right there with him throughout, with a propulsive beat that dazzles the senses.

And those lyrics, man … classic Stones bad-boy attitude, saying fvck you to all the self-righteous hypocrite jerk-offs out there, with some wonderful Biblical references that give it heft and bite.

Unfortunately, the bridge (specifically the guitar-work that accompanies “I thought I heard an angel cry / I thought I saw a teardrop falling from his eye”), is relatively weak the first time around, and simply awful the second go-round. But each time, Charlie rescues us with some wonderful drumming.

The most ecstatic point of the track, at least for me, is the verse about John the Baptist, when Jagger positively spits out the lyrics, and the chorus that follows. This passage of the song is a shining example of why Mick Jagger is the greatest front-man in rock and roll history … he is totally possessed by the music, and we are simply mesmerized.

Glorious, marvelous stuff. If only they could have taken the time to fix that damn bridge…

Drew

What's wrong with it?

Don't know. But I just don't like it.

Maybe one day ...

C

Quote
Doxa
Hmmm.. never heard of that 13 minute "Deep Dish Grunge Garage Remix". Now, that's a description...

- Doxa

I found only Part 1 on YouTube. It's only 7 minutes long, but as far as I remember the other part wasn't that much different.

Well, at least Keith appears on the live versions. The live version sounds much heavier. There was a lot of damping down of overall sound for the studio version--two bass players?

A rock classic with a throwaway bridge. Should have become a warhorse.

I agree..their best in a long time!
Top song.

Quote
drewmaster
A brilliant, latter-day Stones classic … every moment of it, that is, except the bridge. Those warm opening guitar strums are absolutely captivating; the reverie is heightened by those wonderful Hammond B3 notes from Billy Preston, creating a lush, gospel feel. Church is in session, and I am already in heaven before our preacher, Pastor Michael Philip Jagger, even begins his sermon!

And then begin it he does, entrancing the listener with a softly-told story about St Paul the Persecutor. Gradually the intensity builds, lifting the listener higher and higher. Charlie is right there with him throughout, with a propulsive beat that dazzles the senses.

And those lyrics, man … classic Stones bad-boy attitude, saying fvck you to all the self-righteous hypocrite jerk-offs out there, with some wonderful Biblical references that give it heft and bite.

Unfortunately, the bridge (specifically the guitar-work that accompanies “I thought I heard an angel cry / I thought I saw a teardrop falling from his eye”), is relatively weak the first time around, and simply awful the second go-round. But each time, Charlie rescues us with some wonderful drumming.

The most ecstatic point of the track, at least for me, is the verse about John the Baptist, when Jagger positively spits out the lyrics, and the chorus that follows. This passage of the song is a shining example of why Mick Jagger is the greatest front-man in rock and roll history … he is totally possessed by the music, and we are simply mesmerized.

Glorious, marvelous stuff. If only they could have taken the time to fix that damn bridge…

Drew

Drew, great review. You've made me want to rush home and listen to it again.

Quote
Silver Dagger
Drew, great review. You've made me want to rush home and listen to it again.

Hey thanks Mike! And you make a great point about it having the punchy groove of the WS album.

Drew

One of their absolute best songs from the later era.

One of the best songs of the later era. Jagger is obviously into it live. With the lineup of musicians who recorded it - was it originally a Stones session of something Jagger was trying solo?

Quote
stonehearted
Well, at least Keith appears on the live versions. The live version sounds much heavier. There was a lot of damping down of overall sound for the studio version--two bass players?

Just had a listen to this great live-track

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Silver Dagger

Quote
drewmaster
A brilliant, latter-day Stones classic … every moment of it, that is, except the bridge. Those warm opening guitar strums are absolutely captivating; the reverie is heightened by those wonderful Hammond B3 notes from Billy Preston, creating a lush, gospel feel. Church is in session, and I am already in heaven before our preacher, Pastor Michael Philip Jagger, even begins his sermon!

And then begin it he does, entrancing the listener with a softly-told story about St Paul the Persecutor. Gradually the intensity builds, lifting the listener higher and higher. Charlie is right there with him throughout, with a propulsive beat that dazzles the senses.

And those lyrics, man … classic Stones bad-boy attitude, saying fvck you to all the self-righteous hypocrite jerk-offs out there, with some wonderful Biblical references that give it heft and bite.

Unfortunately, the bridge (specifically the guitar-work that accompanies “I thought I heard an angel cry / I thought I saw a teardrop falling from his eye”), is relatively weak the first time around, and simply awful the second go-round. But each time, Charlie rescues us with some wonderful drumming.

The most ecstatic point of the track, at least for me, is the verse about John the Baptist, when Jagger positively spits out the lyrics, and the chorus that follows. This passage of the song is a shining example of why Mick Jagger is the greatest front-man in rock and roll history … he is totally possessed by the music, and we are simply mesmerized.

Glorious, marvelous stuff. If only they could have taken the time to fix that damn bridge…

Drew

Drew, great review. You've made me want to rush home and listen to it again.

Thats how i felt as well.

Quote
odean73

Quote
Silver Dagger

Quote
drewmaster
A brilliant, latter-day Stones classic … every moment of it, that is, except the bridge. Those warm opening guitar strums are absolutely captivating; the reverie is heightened by those wonderful Hammond B3 notes from Billy Preston, creating a lush, gospel feel. Church is in session, and I am already in heaven before our preacher, Pastor Michael Philip Jagger, even begins his sermon!

And then begin it he does, entrancing the listener with a softly-told story about St Paul the Persecutor. Gradually the intensity builds, lifting the listener higher and higher. Charlie is right there with him throughout, with a propulsive beat that dazzles the senses.

And those lyrics, man … classic Stones bad-boy attitude, saying fvck you to all the self-righteous hypocrite jerk-offs out there, with some wonderful Biblical references that give it heft and bite.

Unfortunately, the bridge (specifically the guitar-work that accompanies “I thought I heard an angel cry / I thought I saw a teardrop falling from his eye”), is relatively weak the first time around, and simply awful the second go-round. But each time, Charlie rescues us with some wonderful drumming.

The most ecstatic point of the track, at least for me, is the verse about John the Baptist, when Jagger positively spits out the lyrics, and the chorus that follows. This passage of the song is a shining example of why Mick Jagger is the greatest front-man in rock and roll history … he is totally possessed by the music, and we are simply mesmerized.

Glorious, marvelous stuff. If only they could have taken the time to fix that damn bridge…

Drew

Drew, great review. You've made me want to rush home and listen to it again.

Thats how i felt as well.

Same here!

- Doxa

They should be playing this live!

I agree with many of you (especially drewmaster) that it's one of the very best things they've done post-break-up.

It's also the last Rolling Stones song that inspired me to call someone and say "Hey! Did you hear the new Stones' single?"

Quote
Doxa

Quote
odean73

Quote
Silver Dagger

Quote
drewmaster
A brilliant, latter-day Stones classic … every moment of it, that is, except the bridge. Those warm opening guitar strums are absolutely captivating; the reverie is heightened by those wonderful Hammond B3 notes from Billy Preston, creating a lush, gospel feel. Church is in session, and I am already in heaven before our preacher, Pastor Michael Philip Jagger, even begins his sermon!

And then begin it he does, entrancing the listener with a softly-told story about St Paul the Persecutor. Gradually the intensity builds, lifting the listener higher and higher. Charlie is right there with him throughout, with a propulsive beat that dazzles the senses.

And those lyrics, man … classic Stones bad-boy attitude, saying fvck you to all the self-righteous hypocrite jerk-offs out there, with some wonderful Biblical references that give it heft and bite.

Unfortunately, the bridge (specifically the guitar-work that accompanies “I thought I heard an angel cry / I thought I saw a teardrop falling from his eye”), is relatively weak the first time around, and simply awful the second go-round. But each time, Charlie rescues us with some wonderful drumming.

The most ecstatic point of the track, at least for me, is the verse about John the Baptist, when Jagger positively spits out the lyrics, and the chorus that follows. This passage of the song is a shining example of why Mick Jagger is the greatest front-man in rock and roll history … he is totally possessed by the music, and we are simply mesmerized.

Glorious, marvelous stuff. If only they could have taken the time to fix that damn bridge…

Drew

Drew, great review. You've made me want to rush home and listen to it again.

Thats how i felt as well.

Same here!

- Doxa

OK then - all back to mine. I got some beers, who's bringing the Jack?

I'll never forget when they did this song in Utrecht 2003. The song ended, the crowd kept singing, then the band went back to it.

Stand away best song on Bridges and latter day classic. Probably their best song of the 90s.

Should be the warhorse that for some reason YGMR's become anointed as.

I should also note, for me, this is the last time they put out a video that I really liked.