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Swayed1967Quote
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Swayed1967
Hmmm, I suppose there are no right and wrong answers when talking about ‘favorites’ but my wife’s favorite Stones track is ‘Heaven’ and I have a friend who declares everything on Sticky Fingers to be unlistenable crap except ‘You Gotta Move.’ Threads like this lend validity to my wife’s and friend’s outrageous opinions and thus I feel I have to rationally identify the ‘best’ Stones songs and criticize the rest.
Midnight Rambler – Nope. Works live but a few minutes should’ve been slashed off the studio version. A drug attachment might help as I start to fall into a trance after about 4 minutes.
Let It Loose – It starts off well but then begins to meander and eventually goes nowhere. It might’ve been a great song if they had bothered to complete it but the ‘letting loose’ in the second half of the song is unsatisfying. Interesting experiment or laziness? Whatever, this song does not belong on top (unless you invent a category like ‘best vocal performance in a half-baked song’).
Jigsaw Puzzle – Worst song on Beggars (who even mentioned this song?). Should’ve been replaced by The Lantern or 2000 Man (Satanics should never have been released).
Memory Motel – This was probably my favorite song at one time, sappy though it is, but since Keith doesn’t play guitar on it it would be blasphemy to consider it the ‘best.’ Plus no song written after 1973 even belongs in the top ten.
Honky Tonk Women – OK, this song is a solid candidate and John Lennon even admired it but if this is a 10 Brown Sugar (which is really Honky Tonk Women 2) is an 11.
Beast of Burden – Again, if you wanna invent categories like lushest opening riff or best weaving then, yeah, this song merits consideration. But the lyrics are pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty grrrr...
Moonlight Mile – This is a masterpiece, no question, but if you’re a Stones fan you prefer Sway, Bitch, Brown Sugar and etc. I’m sorry but that’s just the way it is.
HYSYM,B,SITS – Impossible to dislike this surprisingly catchy, manic tune but the lyrics are too inaccessible (or ‘Orwellian’ if you like.) Besides, the Stones aren’t a grunge band.
She’s So Cold – Great guitar play, tossed off lyrics. I’ll stop here lest I start repeating myself: post 1973 lyrics are barf.
SO THE WINNER OF THE BEST EVER ROLLING STONES SONG IS: JJF or GS or SFTD or BS. Honorable mention to most of the songs on Exile and Ruby Tuesday. You may want to quibble a little but basically every sane and true Stones fan should agree with me.
i agree and i find your analysis of the other songs to be quite excellent.
Thanks. I love talking about Stones songs almost as much as I love listening to them. I guess that goes for just about all of us...
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Stones50
Gomper or Indian Girl
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mr edward
Best track: Jumping Jack Flash!
It's got the mighty intro, the riff, the attitude and the raw energy. Jumping Jack Flash is the greatest rock 'n roll song of all times.
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keefriffhardsQuote
mr edward
Best track: Jumping Jack Flash!
It's got the mighty intro, the riff, the attitude and the raw energy. Jumping Jack Flash is the greatest rock 'n roll song of all times.
When its played live it is
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Turner68Quote
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mr edward
Best track: Jumping Jack Flash!
It's got the mighty intro, the riff, the attitude and the raw energy. Jumping Jack Flash is the greatest rock 'n roll song of all times.
When its played live it is
what's wrong with the studio version?
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keefriffhardsQuote
mr edward
Best track: Jumping Jack Flash!
It's got the mighty intro, the riff, the attitude and the raw energy. Jumping Jack Flash is the greatest rock 'n roll song of all times.
When its played live it is
what's wrong with the studio version?
Nothing. But live its the added performance of the greatest R & R band in the word.
The way Keith smashes that intro and blasts those cords to the point of braking, with Mick strutting his stuff and barking out like a hurricane. Nothing tops it in my not so humble opionion
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Stones50
Gomper or Indian Girl
Sweet neo con
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jahisnotdead
Tough question! I'm going to try to answer, then go back and read the thread and see what everyone else has said.
I think "Gimmie Shelter" is probably their best track, beating "Satisfaction" by a hair.
"Satisfaction" is an amazing rock and roll song, but I don't think "Gimmie Shelter" is only rock and roll. I think it kind of transcends the rock genre, with those delicate opening transitioning to this deeply soulful and furious duet that ebbs and flows with terrible beauty.
"Satisfaction" reflects the teenage mind, while "Gimmie Shelter" captures the conflicted and murderous spirit of a movement. "Gimmie Shelter" is a photograph of a moment in time, but it also timeless, since the lyrics aren't bogged down in cliches. You listen to it right now, and it still seems immediate and vital, I believe.
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mickschix
My man SWAYED1967, I beg to differ with your review of " Let It Loose". I think it NEVER fizzles, it simply elevates most who hear it right out of their shoes. The simple guitar intro that leads into a passionate yet subdued vocal by Mick builds and the crescendo, musically and vocally are unbeatable. Mick's finest vocal by far and the perfectly timed climax does not disappoint. When EXLIE first came out, I would play just that track, over& over & over until my parents wanted to scream for mercy! " I ain't in love...I ain't in LUCK!"!!! WHAT A lyric! Points scored for lyrics should be added in.
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mickschix
My man SWAYED1967, I beg to differ with your review of " Let It Loose". I think it NEVER fizzles, it simply elevates most who hear it right out of their shoes. The simple guitar intro that leads into a passionate yet subdued vocal by Mick builds and the crescendo, musically and vocally are unbeatable. Mick's finest vocal by far and the perfectly timed climax does not disappoint. When EXLIE first came out, I would play just that track, over& over & over until my parents wanted to scream for mercy! " I ain't in love...I ain't in LUCK!"!!! WHAT A lyric! Points scored for lyrics should be added in.
Indeed. Let it Loose doesn't go anywhere? It's got one of the most passionate and amazing builds of any Stones tune ever recorded, imo. Especially vocally. Mick is worked into a frenzy by the end and the background vocals "Let It Loose" punctuate the build with exclamations straight from the soul. Mick is so into it he even kind of mixes up where the last verses start and it just becomes this amazing expression of musical bliss that never fails to move me.
I think the amazing build and finale is one of the reasons they've never tried this tune out live. It's one of those things they could never really recreate. A moment of perfection that any further attempts could only detract from. The guitar part it a beautifully constructed circular phrase that is both original and well recorded with the leslie speaker.
Mick said of the tune "I didn't really understand what it was about, after the event." Of course not Mick, you were channeling something truly special that day. Lost in the heart and soul of the experience, and thank God for that.
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HTW
Beast Of Burden
Tumbling Dice
JJF
Brown Sugar
might be their most perfect recordings
BUT:
Moonlight Mile is their best song. Superb songwriting, superb delivery
I'm going to tell Keith you said that!! ><
Maybe he'll write some more oriental stuff if you tell him
That track Moonlight mileQuote
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DandelionPowderman
HTW
Beast Of Burden
Tumbling Dice
JJF
Brown Sugar
might be their most perfect recordings
BUT:
Moonlight Mile is their best song. Superb songwriting, superb delivery
I'm going to tell Keith you said that!! ><
Maybe he'll write some more oriental stuff if you tell him
I think he wasn't involved in that tracks. ..
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HMS
Jumpin´ Jack Flash. Why? It´s simply the best rock song ever written. Perfect from start to finish.
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mickschix
I'm so glad I had back-up on my " review" of " Let It Loose"...it is undeniably other-worldly!!! Channeling for sure! And I agree, that's why they never attempted it LIVE! Great responses Naturalust & Longbeacharena!
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mickschix
I'm so glad I had back-up on my " review" of " Let It Loose"...it is undeniably other-worldly!!! Channeling for sure! And I agree, that's why they never attempted it LIVE! Great responses Naturalust & Longbeacharena!
As we know, Sir Michael has become expert at "saving his voice," in order to allow him to perform for 2+ hrs twice a week in his 70's. More power to him.
But I wonder, if he were to warm up, sing some scales, run in place, and then walk on stage to sing "Let it Loose," under the conditions that it was the only song he had to sing that night and that he could rest for a month afterwards ... could he do it? Would he still have the chops to at least make a reasonable attempt? Or might it suck anyhow due to no Nicky and no Taylor?