Comments, input and alterations are very welcome!
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The Storm
(Mick Jagger / Keith Richards)

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

Mick Jagger - lead vocals, dobro acoustic guitar, harmonica
Keith Richards - electric guitar, harmony vocals
Charlie Watts - drums
Ron Wood - acoustic guitar
Darryl Jones - bass

I must have been foolish, I must have been blind
I must have been crazy and out of my mind for so long

Minutes turn to hours and hours turn into days
The storm started howlin', I'm out of my brain, I'm out of my brain for so long

The fall turned into winter, the winter turned into rain
The storm kept on howlin', I'm out of my brain, I'm out of my brain
I'm out of my mind, for so long, so long, so long, so long, so long, yeah

Out of my mind, for so long

Felt a mighty rumble, comin' from the ground
The house it started shakin' and tumblin' down, tumblin' down, for so long, for so long

Must have been crazy, I must have been blind
Must have been foolish and out of my mind, out of my mind
For so long, so long, so long, so long, so long

So many days, so many damn days

Produced by Don Was & The Glimmer Twins

First released on:
The Rolling Stones - “Love Is Strong” CD single
(Virgin VSCDT 1503) UK, June 27, 1994

A solid track, great lyrics. It has a catchy and lazy groove.

I had to listen first couldn't remember this track....first I thought I was listing to Back Of My Hand I didn't like the mood of that song so The Storm doesn't do it for me either...

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-11-03 16:26 by NICOS.

Unfortunately The Storm ain't a threatening anymore.
The flames of the fire have been doused.
The floods have trickled away.
And the mad bull is back in his pen.
Amen.

A very good blues track; great harp from Mick, and nice backing vox from Keith!

Drew

A good song but there is a great 10 minute outtake version found on one one the Voodoo Brew/Stew boots

A nice B-side, like Fancyman Blues, Cook Cook Blues and Wish I'd Never Met You.

All good blues tracks that wouldn't necessarily have improved the albums.

A charming, catchy little blues tune. The band - well, Mick and Keith, that is - hadn't touched such traditional form of folk blues for decades, so that was a nice surprise back in 1994, even though it has the same pastishe feel like many other VOODOO LOUNGE tracks (even though not making the album). Like Silver Dagger poetically put it, the blues ain't too threatening no more (just think of last week's "Stop Breaking Down" in comparison). Despite tourist-like attitude, these guys have such a natural touch to this type of music, that they never can actually fail, is the muse haunting them or not.

- Doxa

Quote
Doxa
A charming, catchy little blues tune. The band - well, Mick and Keith, that is - hadn't touched such traditional form of folk blues for decades, so that was a nice surprise back in 1994, even though it has the same pastishe feel like many other VOODOO LOUNGE tracks (even though not making the album). Like Silver Dagger poetically put it, the blues ain't too threatening no more (just think of last week's "Stop Breaking Down" in comparison). Despite tourist-like attitude, these guys have such a natural touch to this type of music, that they never can actually fail, is the muse haunting them or not.

- Doxa

I think all of us hardcore Stones fans get a little excited when we hear that the band have written a new blues tune.

Visions of the great Brian Jones era or Mick Taylor years flash in front of our eyes and that lingering hope, that eternal hope that the band may one day return to creating another blues masterpiece momentarily present themselves.

On rare occasions, in the last 35 years, they've come close to re-capturing the blues essence of the band. Down In The Hole and Back Of My Hand are two such examples.

But too often, it just sounds that the band is going through the motions, creating a studio jam that they shine and polish until they deem it worthy for release. The Storm is one such song. The fact that it was a b-side tells us everything we need to know. It's OK but it sure ain't going to light up their stage show or even fire up an album.

Great title but just another blues knock off. They phoned this one in.

I like this tune. Good instrumentation, great vocal tone from MJ, great nod to ole timey blues. It just gets kinda boring by the end of the song.

I only wish they would have continued the build that happens in the tune. It would have been really great to hear this tune morph from the dirty acoustic blues into a loud raunchy rocking mess. peace

Never really gets started. I didn't even remember this, then saw it was a B-side to a single. I could just as easily forgotten it among some of the flotsam on Voodoo Lounge.

Soundcheck.

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Silver Dagger


I think all of us hardcore Stones fans get a little excited when we hear that the band have written a new blues tune.

Visions of the great Brian Jones era or Mick Taylor years flash in front of our eyes and that lingering hope, that eternal hope that the band may one day return to creating another blues masterpiece momentarily present themselves.

On rare occasions, in the last 35 years, they've come close to re-capturing the blues essence of the band. Down In The Hole and Back Of My Hand are two such examples.

But too often, it just sounds that the band is going through the motions, creating a studio jam that they shine and polish until they deem it worthy for release. The Storm is one such song. The fact that it was a b-side tells us everything we need to know. It's OK but it sure ain't going to light up their stage show or even fire up an album.

Solid observation, and very well put into words -
I agree wholeheartedly!

Quote
Doxa
A charming, catchy little blues tune. The band - well, Mick and Keith, that is - hadn't touched such traditional form of folk blues for decades, so that was a nice surprise back in 1994, even though it has the same pastishe feel like many other VOODOO LOUNGE tracks (even though not making the album). Like Silver Dagger poetically put it, the blues ain't too threatening no more (just think of last week's "Stop Breaking Down" in comparison). Despite tourist-like attitude, these guys have such a natural touch to this type of music, that they never can actually fail, is the muse haunting them or not.

- Doxa

You've hit on it. The 'pastishe' feel is one of the reasons I prefer Voodoo Lounge to say other post 89' albums Bridges to Babylon and A Bigger Bang.

I see no harm in the Stones trying a blues pastiche, even if no longer considered threatening.

I love it. I also often listen to the 10-minute-outtake version. Nick Kent absolutely raved about The Storm.

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Silver Dagger
The fact that it was a b-side tells us everything we need to know. It's OK but it sure ain't going to light up their stage show or even fire up an album.

Solid observation, and very well put into words -
I agree wholeheartedly![/quote]

I agree with most of this but....

Child of the Moon was a b side
You cant Always Get what you want was a b side
Bitch was a b side
Sweet Black Angel was a b side
Sway was a b side

etc...so the " the fact thats its a b side tells us everything we need to know" is plainly wrong.......

Quote
Silver Dagger

Quote
Doxa
A charming, catchy little blues tune. The band - well, Mick and Keith, that is - hadn't touched such traditional form of folk blues for decades, so that was a nice surprise back in 1994, even though it has the same pastishe feel like many other VOODOO LOUNGE tracks (even though not making the album). Like Silver Dagger poetically put it, the blues ain't too threatening no more (just think of last week's "Stop Breaking Down" in comparison). Despite tourist-like attitude, these guys have such a natural touch to this type of music, that they never can actually fail, is the muse haunting them or not.

- Doxa

I think all of us hardcore Stones fans get a little excited when we hear that the band have written a new blues tune.

Visions of the great Brian Jones era or Mick Taylor years flash in front of our eyes and that lingering hope, that eternal hope that the band may one day return to creating another blues masterpiece momentarily present themselves.

On rare occasions, in the last 35 years, they've come close to re-capturing the blues essence of the band. Down In The Hole and Back Of My Hand are two such examples.

But too often, it just sounds that the band is going through the motions, creating a studio jam that they shine and polish until they deem it worthy for release. The Storm is one such song. The fact that it was a b-side tells us everything we need to know. It's OK but it sure ain't going to light up their stage show or even fire up an album.

Yeah, there is that particular 'this is just warming up' feeling in many 'modern day' Stones blues songs. They don't sound like they are taking it very seriously, or that it has needed artistic challenge for them. The impression I got is something like 'we just play for ourselves, and its fun, but we know that this 'just' blues with no real commercial value', which sometimes offers a nice relaxed atmosphere, without a typical forced feeling many of their latter-day songs have. I think, for example, that "Fancy Man Blues" shines particularly from all STEEL WHEELS era material, even though it is nothing but a standard twelve bar thing they could come up in two minutes half-sleep. The time has been much nicer to it than to, say, "Rock A Hard Place", which seemingly is much stronger and more 'serious' effort in every way. I also think that "The Storm" is one of the songs I most enjoy listening from VOODOO LOUNGE these days. Which actually says more about the quality of the rest if about the best things are half-baked blues jams... Actually, I would give that 'merit' to any post-UNDERCOVER album (DIRTY WORK/"Had It With You"; A BIGGER BANG/"Back of My Hand"), only BRIDGES TO BABYLON being an exception...

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-11-04 11:39 by Doxa.

What do you think of Cook Cook Blues, I Wish i'd Never Met You, Jump On Top Of Me and I'm Gonna Drive, Doxa?

These are all bluesy tunes spanning from Undercover to Voodoo Lounge.

Quote
DandelionPowderman
A nice B-side, like Fancyman Blues, Cook Cook Blues and Wish I'd Never Met You.

All good blues tracks that wouldn't necessarily have improved the albums.

Hmmm.. I needed to give some thought for this one. There seems to be in every Stones album one place for a blues number. In STEEL WHEELS a place holder was "Break The Spell", which is much more original sounding song than the B-sides, so I kind of understand their decision. Pretty hard to think, say, "Fancy Man Blues" suiting to STEEL WHEELS (like it is hard to think a relaxed "Think I'm Going Mad" suiting to UNDERCOVER, even though I think the song is better than anything in the album...)

Probably "The Storm" matched with "Brand New Car" for that spot in VOODOO LOUNGE, and this time I am not sure if the better won. About the same I guess - it wouldn't have made the album album stronger or weaker had it been other way round.

As far as "Cook Cook Blues" and "Wish I'd Met You" go, those are pure single B-material at most, and, to be honest, I think the release of "Fancy Man Blues" made their releases rather pointless. Too much the same. "The Storm", by other hand, has a bit more originality.

Didn't "Cook Cook Blues", by the way, derive from UNDERCOVER sessions?

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-11-04 11:59 by Doxa.

Quote
DandelionPowderman
What do you think of Cook Cook Blues, I Wish i'd Never Met You, Jump On Top Of Me and I'm Gonna Drive, Doxa?

These are all bluesy tunes spanning from Undercover to Voodoo Lounge.

Aah.. I already kind of answered for you above... Let me just add that none of thsoe songs you listed there haven't made much impression to me. And I think all of them are more or less 'going through the motions' kind of stuff, single B-side fillers at most (but which doesn't deny that each of them having a certain charm - the Stones just can't fail when doing stuff like that). "The Storm" (for its difference as a Delta blues) and "Fancy Man Blues" (for its damn cool groove) rate higher in my book.

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-11-04 12:26 by Doxa.

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bitusa2012

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Silver Dagger
The fact that it was a b-side tells us everything we need to know. It's OK but it sure ain't going to light up their stage show or even fire up an album.

Solid observation, and very well put into words -
I agree wholeheartedly!

I agree with most of this but....

Child of the Moon was a b side
You cant Always Get what you want was a b side
Bitch was a b side
Sweet Black Angel was a b side
Sway was a b side

etc...so the " the fact thats its a b side tells us everything we need to know" is plainly wrong.......[/quote]

Modern day b-side. You can't compare the Stones now to the Stones of those classic years. The Stones from 68-72 were untouchable. The last great Stones b-side was Feel On Baby from 83. That's 31 years ago.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-11-04 12:30 by Silver Dagger.

[/quote]

Modern day b-side. You can't compare the Stones now to the Stones of those classic years. The Stones from 68-72 were untouchable. The last great Stones b-side was Feel On Baby from 83. That's 31 years ago.[/quote]



Given streets of love was the a side Ithink rough justice makes a pretty nice b side. Most rock bands would like it in their catalog I would hesitate a guess.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-11-04 12:41 by bitusa2012.

Quote
bitusa2012

Modern day b-side. You can't compare the Stones now to the Stones of those classic years. The Stones from 68-72 were untouchable. The last great Stones b-side was Feel On Baby from 83. That's 31 years ago.[/quote]



Given streets of love was the a side Ithink rough justice makes a pretty nice b side. Most rock bands would like it in their catalog I would hesitate a guess.[/quote]

Rough Justice/Streets Of Love was a double A-side.

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Silver Dagger

Quote
bitusa2012

Modern day b-side. You can't compare the Stones now to the Stones of those classic years. The Stones from 68-72 were untouchable. The last great Stones b-side was Feel On Baby from 83. That's 31 years ago.

Given streets of love was the a side Ithink rough justice makes a pretty nice b side. Most rock bands would like it in their catalog I would hesitate a guess.[/quote]

Rough Justice/Streets Of Love was a double A-side.[/quote]

Break this Spell on the back of almost hear you sigh no good?

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bitusa2012

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Silver Dagger

Quote
bitusa2012

Modern day b-side. You can't compare the Stones now to the Stones of those classic years. The Stones from 68-72 were untouchable. The last great Stones b-side was Feel On Baby from 83. That's 31 years ago.

Given streets of love was the a side Ithink rough justice makes a pretty nice b side. Most rock bands would like it in their catalog I would hesitate a guess.

Rough Justice/Streets Of Love was a double A-side.[/quote]

Break this Spell on the back of almost hear you sigh no good?[/quote]

It doesn't send my pulse racing and make the hackles on my back stand up I'm afraid. It's OK but nothing more than that. It's not a song that I'd stop everything for in order to call all my friends and say 'hey, the Stones are back on form and have made their best music since the 70s.'

I think many of us are waiting for that moment. I've not given up hope though. As Dylan once said "it's getting dark, but it ain't dark yet".

This is one of those songs I felt like I SHOULD like, but I dont'. It just doesn't do anything for me. Jagger sounds like he is singing about a lazy day sitting on the riverbank, and the song is about something super intense and dark. Take those lyrics and put a Gimme Shelter vibe behind it, and you'd have it. Instead, the song is just incredibly weak.

Plenty of other great outtakes on Voodoo though! I could listen to 5-string-riffing for hours on end!

This is one of those songs I felt like I SHOULD like, but I dont

Great statement...........that's what I feel too....it's that sounding darkness I don't like

__________________________

Quote
DandelionPowderman
A nice B-side, like Fancyman Blues, Cook Cook Blues and Wish I'd Never Met You.

All good blues tracks that wouldn't necessarily have improved the albums.

Well, I think Cook Cook would've improved DIRTY WORK tremendously (even though it's from the UNDERCOVER sessions) and Fancyman would've improved STEEL WHEELS (by replacing the horrendous Rock And A Hard Place for starters).

WINMY is not... that's tepid at best.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-11-06 18:30 by GasLightStreet.

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Doxa

Quote
DandelionPowderman
A nice B-side, like Fancyman Blues, Cook Cook Blues and Wish I'd Never Met You.

All good blues tracks that wouldn't necessarily have improved the albums.

Hmmm.. I needed to give some thought for this one. There seems to be in every Stones album one place for a blues number. In STEEL WHEELS a place holder was "Break The Spell", which is much more original sounding song than the B-sides, so I kind of understand their decision. Pretty hard to think, say, "Fancy Man Blues" suiting to STEEL WHEELS (like it is hard to think a relaxed "Think I'm Going Mad" suiting to UNDERCOVER, even though I think the song is better than anything in the album...)

Probably "The Storm" matched with "Brand New Car" for that spot in VOODOO LOUNGE, and this time I am not sure if the better won. About the same I guess - it wouldn't have made the album album stronger or weaker had it been other way round.

As far as "Cook Cook Blues" and "Wish I'd Met You" go, those are pure single B-material at most, and, to be honest, I think the release of "Fancy Man Blues" made their releases rather pointless. Too much the same. "The Storm", by other hand, has a bit more originality.

Didn't "Cook Cook Blues", by the way, derive from UNDERCOVER sessions?

- Doxa

Yep.