Comments, input and alterations are very welcome!
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Stop Breaking Down
(Robert Johnson)

Olympic Sound Studios, London, UK, June 16, 1970 & October 17 - 31, 1970,
Sunset Sound Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US,
December 4 - 19, 1971 & January - March 1972 and
Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, California, US, March 24 & 25, 1972

Mick Jagger - vocals, electric guitar, harmonica
Charlie Watts - drums
Bill Wyman - bass
Mick Taylor - electric slide guitar
Ian Stewart - piano

Ev'ry time I'm walking all down the street
Some pretty mama start breaking down on me
Stop breaking down, baby, please, stop breaking down
Stuff is gonna bust you brains out, baby
Yeah, it’s gonna make you lose your mind

You Saturday night women, now, you just ape and clown
You don't do nothing but tear my reputation down
Stop breaking down, mama, please, stop breaking down
Stuff is gonna bust you brains out, baby
Yeah, it's gonna make you lose your mind, alright, alright

I love my baby, ninety nine degrees
But that mama got a pistol, laid it down on me
Stop breaking down, baby, please, stop breaking down
Stuff is gonna bust you brains out, baby
Yeah, it's gonna make you lose your mind

Ev'ry time I'm walking all down the street
Some pretty woman start breaking down on me
Stop breaking down, mama, please, stop breaking down
Stuff is gonna bust your brains out, baby, I’ll tell ya
It’s gonna make you lose your mind, alright, alright

Produced by Jimmy Miller

First released on:
The Rolling Stones - “Exile On Main Street” 2LP
(Rolling Stones Records COC 69100) UK, May 12, 1972

Apologies to Exile worshippers, but IMO this track just does not measure up to the Stones’ best blues covers. It is bland, repetitive, and tiresome, Charlie is buried way too deep in the mix, and Jagger’s delivery seems forced.

Drew

If you want to hear how fluid sounding the Stones were in the early 70s then just listen to the guitar interplay between Mick Taylor and Keith on this sublime track. One of Mick Taylor's finest moments? - you betcha it is.

It sounds such a joyous and happy song but get a load of those lyrics - they're telling tales from the dark side of town. And amazingly the Stones make a virtue of this Robert Johnson classic of when uptown goes downtown.

You can just imagine Keith and Mick in their early 70s bad boy prime, off to do some shady business in a downtown juke joint. The song paints a real pitcture of debauchery - guns, drugs and loose women - and does everything to enhance the Stones' bad boy image. It's perfect for Exile and this re-reading of a 30s blues song is one of their most inspired blues covers...up there with Little Red Rooster, Love In Vain and You Gotta Move.

But the playing - the way Charlie just drives the song forward, Mick's teasing, effortless vocals, and Ian Stewart's fabulous piano make it an absolute delight.

Quote
Silver Dagger
If you want to hear how fluid sounding the Stones were in the early 70s then just listen to the guitar interplay between Mick Taylor and Keith on this sublime track. One of Mick Taylor's finest moments? - you betcha it is.

It sounds such a joyous and happy song but get a load of those lyrics - they're telling tales from the dark side of town. And amazingly the Stones make a virtue of this Robert Johnson classic of when uptown goes downtown.

You can just imagine Keith and Mick in their early 70s bad boy prime, off to do some shady business in a downtown juke joint. The song paints a real pitcture of debauchery - guns, drugs and loose women - and does everything to enhance the Stones' bad boy image. It's perfect for Exile and this re-reading of a 30s blues song is one of their most inspired blues covers...up there with Little Red Rooster, Love In Vain and You Gotta Move.

But the playing - the way Charlie just drives the song forward, Mick's teasing, effortless vocals, and Ian Stewart's fabulous piano make it an absolute delight.

Mick Jagger

Quote
Silver Dagger
If you want to hear how fluid sounding the Stones were in the early 70s then just listen to the guitar interplay between Mick Taylor and Keith on this sublime track.

Quite! Except it's an interplay between the two Micks.
I have always wondered what would have become of this song if Keith would have played on it.
But that's a hypothetical question never to be answered.
Though we get a hint by listening to this version from 1995:





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

Quote
marcovandereijk

Quote
Silver Dagger
If you want to hear how fluid sounding the Stones were in the early 70s then just listen to the guitar interplay between Mick Taylor and Keith on this sublime track.

Quite! Except it's an interplay between the two Micks.
I have always wondered what would have become of this song if Keith would have played on it.
But that's a hypothetical question never to be answered.
Though we get a hint by listening to this version from 1995:

I stand corrected marco and Dandy. Sure sounds like Keith to me. A true moment of inspiration there for Mr Jagger.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-10-27 13:29 by Silver Dagger.

Quote
Silver Dagger

Quote
marcovandereijk

Quote
Silver Dagger
If you want to hear how fluid sounding the Stones were in the early 70s then just listen to the guitar interplay between Mick Taylor and Keith on this sublime track.

Quite! Except it's an interplay between the two Micks.
I have always wondered what would have become of this song if Keith would have played on it.
But that's a hypothetical question never to be answered.
Though we get a hint by listening to this version from 1995:

I stand corrected marco and Dandy. Sure sounds like Keith to me. A true moment of inspiration there for Mr Jagger.

Mick had a good teacher, as his humbleness, Keith, always says



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-10-27 13:42 by DandelionPowderman.

It rocks.... Listened to it a million times, never tire of it.....

Should always be played VERY loud><

What a drag it is gettin' old

Quote
drewmaster
Apologies to Exile worshippers, but IMO this track just does not measure up to the Stones’ best blues covers. It is bland, repetitive, and tiresome, Charlie is buried way too deep in the mix, and Jagger’s delivery seems forced.

Drew

Well, "bland, repetitive, and tiresome" is quite an exaggeration, it IS very well played and Jagger's intro is great, but you are right, it's not one of the stones' best blues songs. I'd put it in the same league of Hide your love.

Can't say exactly what's wrong with it, but for sure this is one of the easiest songs on Exile to play.

C

A filler but a good one... Stones-Classic since 25 years back...

2 1 2 0

Simple, simply exquisite.

I've no complaints...Exile would be lesser without it.

Literally and figuratively.

Great song, goes on a little too long imo. Cannot believe that's Jagger on guitar, that's Keith ?

One of the tracks in EXILE that immedeately made a huge impression for me. Being such an angry, straightforward blues number, with one of the dirtiest guitars they ever have done, it didn't need time to grew on me, unlike with many other EXILE tracks. It hit just right home, like "Rocks Off" did. I naturally assumed that it was Richards on the rhythm guitar, and I kind of thought that that's so pure and raw Richards, played with such an attitude, no other cat can do (I even started to think Keith's playing in terms of that number). So it was a huge surprise when I finally realized that it was Jagger... A similar thing that happened with "The Last Time", another 'signature Keith riff' for me at the time. You live and learn..

The careful, sublime reading and study of 30's country blues numbers, that they mastered in BEGGARS ("Prodigal Son"), LET IT BLEED ("LOve In Vain"), and to an extent still in STICKY FINGERS ("You Gotta Move") was now transformed into straight-forward 70's loud electric guitar-heavy orgy. There is not one drop of Delta left, but pure blues rock; if the Chicago cats tranformed acoustic solo numbers into electric band stuff, that so much impressed the British r&b groups of the 60's, the Stones updated the latter into 70's sound, played by the greatest rock and roll band in the world. Could be even some Johnny Winter influence there. But I guess Robert Johnson must be smiling somewhere out there, 'those devils got it, man...'

Basically, a 'modern' blues can get not much easier, text-book like, and recording it must have taken just a few minutes, and not much thinking, but shit, kids, don't try that at home... You NEVER gonna sound as bad and mean and dangerous and distinct as these guys do. The sound, man... They just were so red hot, each contributor having so much idiosyncratic color in their touch. (Unfortunately, not much, if anything, of that was left when the Stones played the song as a guest number during 1994/95. Especially Jagger's bored and boring vocals are lamer than ever.)

The passion. That's what it is.

- Doxa



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2014-10-27 16:13 by Doxa.

A blues barrel house punch out by The Stones in Exile. Amazing build up full of tension and menace. Taylor elevates the song to the blues stratosphere. How his lead crescendos against Mick's vocals and harp. Oh and that harp? WHEW! One of Jagger's best harp tracks. His interesting use of the upper end with a funky gritty rhythm. Outstanding. A late night smoker.

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LuxuryStones
Great song, goes on a little too long imo. Cannot believe that's Jagger on guitar, that's Keith ?

You need to listen more to Keith's playing

Quote
drewmaster
Apologies to Exile worshippers, but IMO this track just does not measure up to the Stones’ best blues covers. It is bland, repetitive, and tiresome, Charlie is buried way too deep in the mix, and Jagger’s delivery seems forced.

Drew

Everything you said is wrong.

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DandelionPowderman

Quote
LuxuryStones
Great song, goes on a little too long imo. Cannot believe that's Jagger on guitar, that's Keith ?

You need to listen more to Keith's playing

I knew it

Quote
LuxuryStones
Great song, goes on a little too long imo. Cannot believe that's Jagger on guitar, that's Keith ?

I think its length is part of the beauty of the song. It gives the band room to roam, the chance to put the foot on the gas and like on Midnight Rambler, take the Stonesmobile out on the road and hit overdrive. There are not many studio tracks where they do this. Stray Cat Blues is another but there's only a few.

And the sense of freedom on the track is infectious. Perhaps it's just the two Micks feeling naughty that the governer ain't there to reign them in but boy, don't those guitars just swing, sing and soar.

It's a great, great groove, and this track is one of my absolute favourites on Exile. The sound, the playing and the muddy atmosphere... With all this, repetition becomes a blessing

Fantastic gritty guitar by Jagger, as well as great harp. Stinging slide work from Taylor. The rhythm section stomps and kicks like nobody's business. The tension builds beautifully...The Stones at their blues best, and yet a few here find fault with it. Incredible.

Quote
Silver Dagger

Perhaps it's just the two Micks feeling naughty that the governer ain't there to reign them in but boy, don't those guitars just swing, sing and soar.

Funny to think just some years earlier it would've been Keith doing the Jagger thing and Brian the Taylor thing... (for example, "Still A Fool" from BEGGARS SESSIONS). But that doesn't hurt at all - even the contrary: the two Micks are sounding so swinging Rolling Stones they ever could sound.

I guess one charm of Jagger's ballsy rhythm guitar, with so much edge, is his 'amateur' no-bullshitting approach in playing the guitar. No hostages, straight to the point. Just the feel. The passion. Is he Keith's pupil or not, the master himself cannot have done it any better. Probably Keith had been even 'too good' to play so rough and mean...

- Doxa



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2014-10-27 16:54 by Doxa.

Auratic Blues only the Stones can give you!

Quote
Doxa
One of the tracks in EXILE that immedeately made a huge impression for me. Being such an angry, straightforward blues number, with one of the dirtiest guitars they ever have done, it didn't need time to grew on me, unlike with many other EXILE tracks. It hit just right home, like "Rocks Off" did. I naturally assumed that it was Richards on the rhythm guitar, and I kind of thought that that's so pure and raw Richards, played with such an attitude, no other cat can do (I even started to think Keith's playing in terms of that number). So it was a huge surprise when I finally realized that it was Jagger... A similar thing that happened with "The Last Time", another 'signature Keith riff' for me at the time. You live and learn..

The careful, sublime reading and study of 30's country blues numbers, that they mastered in BEGGARS ("Prodigal Son"), LET IT BLEED ("LOve In Vain"), and to an extent still in STICKY FINGERS ("You Gotta Move") was now transformed into straight-forward 70's loud electric guitar-heavy orgy. There is not one drop of Delta left, but pure blues rock; if the Chicago cats tranformed acoustic solo numbers into electric band stuff, that so much impressed the British r&b groups of the 60's, the Stones updated the latter into 70's sound, played by the greatest rock and roll band in the world. Could be even some Johnny Winter influence there. But I guess Robert Johnson must be smiling somewhere out there, 'those devils got it, man...'

Basically, a 'modern' blues can get not much easier, text-book like, and recording it must have taken just a few minutes, and not much thinking, but shit, kids, don't try that at home... You NEVER gonna sound as bad and mean and dangerous and distinct as these guys do. The sound, man... They just were so red hot, each contributor having so much idiosyncratic color in their touch. (Unfortunately, not much, if anything, of that was left when the Stones played the song as a guest number during 1994/95. Especially Jagger's bored and boring vocals are lamer than ever.)

The passion. That's what it is.

- Doxa

I listened to Stop Breaking Down again and I endorse every single word that you wrote. In fact you are 100% right.

I find myself forced to rethink my comment above, but I can't reach a conclusion that makes sense.

All I know is that Casino Boogie has it, Stop Breaking Down not.

C

Quote
liddas


I find myself forced to rethink my comment above, but I can't reach a conclusion that makes sense.

All I know is that Casino Boogie has it, Stop Breaking Down not.

C

Don't worry, our individual taste doesn't fool us, and we don't either it..

I think "Stop Breaking Down" is really one of those 'kids, don't try this at home' pieces that are theoretically so basic and simple, even tempting, to do, but to make them actually shine and to be distinct is a damn hard thing. But I very well understand that that for some ears the 'click' - the cliche and obvious transforms into something magical and irrestible - just doesn't happen, and the result remains to be a rather 'blues by numbers' kind of thing.

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-10-27 17:18 by Doxa.

Quote
Doxa

Quote
liddas


I find myself forced to rethink my comment above, but I can't reach a conclusion that makes sense.

All I know is that Casino Boogie has it, Stop Breaking Down not.

C

Don't worry, our individual taste doesn't fool us, and we don't either it..

I think "Stop Breaking Down" is really one of those 'kids, don't try this at home' pieces that are theoretically so basic and simple, even tempting, to do, but to make them actually shine and to be distinct is a damn hard thing. But I very well understand that that for some ears the 'click' - the cliche and obvious transforms into something magical and irrestible - just doesn't happen, and the result remains to be a rather 'blues by numbers' kind of thing.

- Doxa

For a faster version of all mentioned above, try Turd On The Run

Quote
Doxa

Quote
Silver Dagger

Perhaps it's just the two Micks feeling naughty that the governer ain't there to reign them in but boy, don't those guitars just swing, sing and soar.

...the two Micks are sounding so swinging Rolling Stones they ever could sound.

I guess one charm of Jagger's ballsy rhythm guitar, with so much edge, is his 'amateur' no-bullshitting approach in playing the guitar. No hostages, straight to the point. Just the feel. The passion. Is he Keith's pupil or not, the master himself cannot have done it any better. Probably Keith had been even 'too good' to play so rough and mean...

- Doxa

The sound of those two guitars rocking from side to side, speaker to speaker and sliding from top to bottom is nothing short of magnificent. It's a great kinetic energy and almost hypnotic in its simplicity.

Great great great

Love this tune. Not quite as good as Ventilator Blues but a good cover tune for the Stones. They made it their own. Mick's harp is outstanding on this one and it fits on Exile very well. I wonder if they played this at Nellcote? Seems like a good dirty basement tune. peace