When I got this album in '73' I was disappointed. First there is the cover photo with Mick looking like he's inside an Easter basket. (not a good omen I thought at the time) Then the back photo with Keith looking like he's half dead. (Keith don't go!). And then when I put the album on the turn table and out came Dancing With Mr. D I thought, "Where's the fire? Something's wrong here. I kept waiting to hear the Stones and all I got where 'phased' guitars and keyboards. Where's the shake your ass rocker? Only in the form of Star Star does that appear, Hide Your love is a nice little boogie number too. But overall The Stones had changed, become something different.

Anyway, I just bought the cd and have been listening to it for the past couple of days and quite enjoy it, it's different, but it's still The Stones.

Any comments on what took place with the band between Exile and GHS?

You can't keep going up and up forever; at some point you have to come down. Beggar's, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile are probably the best four albums in a row ANY band has ever produced. A letdown was inevitable. Never cared for Goat's Head beyond a few songs. It's Only Rock 'N' Roll was much better.

That's my next purchase, I'm filling in the holes of my cd (I have my original vinyl copy) collection. Haven't listened to that one in years either.

I ain't stupid, I'm just guitarded.

Love 100 Years Ago, Coming Down Again, Angie, Silver Train, Hide Your Love, Winter, and Star Star with Silver Train being the underrated rocker...

Silver Train is grerat, but, it must be the production that makes it sound empty, too loose, (if that's possible with the Stones) it just doesn't have that killer punch. I do like the song though.

I ain't stupid, I'm just guitarded.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2005-10-21 05:37 by RankOutsider.

I loved GHS. Dancing with Mr. D is one of my favorite stones' songs.

Josh

RankOutsider Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
it must be the
> production that makes it sound empty, too loose,
> (if that's possible with the Stones) it just
> doesn't have that killer punch.

I agree...GHS needs some remixing or something....under it's bad production/sound quality is a great album, but not up there in the top 10.

Top 9 - Aftermath, Beggar's Banquet , Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, EOMS, Some Girls, Tattoo You, VL, ABB...and either IORR or Black and Blue to round it out.

You might just be right 4tylix.

I ain't stupid, I'm just guitarded.

About the mix, you're right. It seems shallow on the highs. But I do remember going to the show in Charlotte in '99 and someone was blaring the album from their hatch-door-opened SUV...it sounded great, really great loud and outside like that....

most every rock 'n' roll song I've ever heard sounds better loud! LOL

I ain't stupid, I'm just guitarded.

It was the first Stones album I bought (I was 14) and I thought the artwork was great. I liked the album sleeve, everything. And I wore the album out. Is it an Exile? a Some Girls? No. But it's better than a number of Stones albums to follow - IORR, Black and Blue, ER, to name a few.

As a sheltered 14 year old, I thought they were so DANGEROUS. I was hooked from then on!

The Stones had a really good time in 1971/72, starting with their settling in France, recording of Exile and finally, the US tour in 1972. They were at the top of their carreer.
But they didn't return to France (as far as the Micks and Keith were concerned), but went to Jamaica to record GHS. Jamaica wasN#t the best place for musicians in those days, except for Keith. Anita and Bill's girlfriend Astrid were raped and the band wasn't in good mood.
Maybe they additionally felt too sure about what they were doing. Maybe they wanted to rest a bit, because they were on speed for about 10 years. So, the result was GHS.
But, folks, it's still one of my fav records!

ghs does have a thin sound to it...still, heartbreaker,silver train, and that section in 100 yrs. ago where charlie drums kick it into overdrive and then i assume a nice wah wah drenched guitar fill, are great tunes when played real loud...i like the lyrics to winter... some of micks best

ohnonotyouagain Wrote:
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> You can't keep going up and up forever; at some
> point you have to come down. Beggar's, Let It
> Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile are probably the
> best four albums in a row ANY band has ever
> produced. A letdown was inevitable.


Revolver, Sgt Pepper, White Album, Abbey Road (being the main real records of the Beatles in 1966-1969). But yeah, it's a strong solid four piece masterwork. Yeah, stronger than the Beatles efforts. Agree.

I can't understand why this album is so underated? Ok its not Sticky Fingers or Let it Bleed but it does have some great songs like 100 years ago, coming down again, heartbreaker, angie and probably the best track in my opinon WINTER (Mick in truley fine form).

As an album its their strongest, most solid effort ever.
Imho.

Classic!

Although I'm a big Stones Fan, I'd have to disagree here - the best four (or what about five) albums in a row have to be the first five albums from the Allman Brothers Band:

Allman Brothers Band - There isn't a better way to say, "HERE WE ARE," than with the opening of Don't Want You No More. The Dreams / Whipping Post closing is fantastic.

Idlewild South - In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, Midnight Rider, Don't Keep Me Wondering, etc. Unbelievable.

Live At Fillmore East - Everyone knows this one. Enough said.

Eat A Peach - Blue Sky, Melissa, One Way Out, Little Martha . . .

Brothers and Sisters - the Allmans reinvent themselves after Duane and Berry and it works (all of those Chuck L. bashers should go back and listen to this album again. They'll see where they're wrong).

Take care!

Duane

ohnonotyouagain Wrote:
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> You can't keep going up and up forever; at some
> point you have to come down. Beggar's, Let It
> Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile are probably the
> best four albums in a row ANY band has ever
> produced. A letdown was inevitable. Never cared
> for Goat's Head beyond a few songs. It's Only Rock
> 'N' Roll was much better.

Hi electric duane- good to see a real Allman Bros lover here. Greg Allman is IMO one of the greatest singers ever. While I love his faster shuffles my personal fave is his performsnce on the tune "Win Lose or Draw". Duane has never been surpassed. leavell was so much more in his element with the Bros.

ohnonotyouagain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Never cared for Goat's Head beyond a few songs.
> It's Only Rock 'N' Roll was much better.

I never felt so. To me it always seemed IT'S ONLY ROCK'N'ROLL was clearly the weakest Stones album in the 1970s. Mick and Keith didn't collaborate anymore on this one. Bill Wyman did his first solo album. Mick Taylor even left the group. There are too many sweet ballads. Most of the songs are leftovers. For the first time in thier career there wasn't even a real hit on the album: the first single made #10 in the UK and only #16 in the USA. In the UK it was the first album that didn't reach #1 since LET IT BLEED.

GOATS HEAD SOUP may not be a milestone but it sure is miles better than IT'S ONLY ROCK'N'ROLL.

Bob Dylan Might have that tile

Bob Dylan 1962
Freewheeling 1963
Times They Are Changing 1964
Another Side of Bob Dylan 1964
Bringing it all back home 1965
Highway 61 1965
Blonde on Blonde 1966
Bob Dylan Greatest 1967
John wesly harding 1967
nashville skyline 1969

I enjoyed the album the day it came out. In hindsight, to release "Angie" as the first single may have been a mistake. I would have loved to see "Angie" go 2nd behind "Heartbreaker" or "Star Star" for that matter. All my high school buddies thought the band was through, releasing such a ballad while rock was still pretty hot...

Loved the Don Kirshner Rock Concert stuff! It showed up such a glamourous side of the band! And I miss albums; especially my old 12" x 12" goat head! The CD copies just aren't the same.

OpenG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bob Dylan Might have that tile
>
> Bob Dylan 1962
> Freewheeling 1963
> Times They Are Changing 1964
> Another Side of Bob Dylan 1964
> Bringing it all back home 1965
> Highway 61 1965
> Blonde on Blonde 1966
> Bob Dylan Greatest 1967
> John wesly harding 1967
> nashville skyline 1969.........without a shadow of doubt.the basement tapes,though released officialy mid 70s was from 1967 also.
>
>
>

always have loved the "goat stew"......undercooked a bit...but still deeeelisciousssss!!!!

It's strange how often this topic appears on the forum. GHS is one of the most talked about albums because it's one of the most misunderstood. It deserves to take its rightful place alongside the big four.

speaking of GHS, can anyone tell me what is up with the '70's cd re-releases that have started showing up in stores? are they not going to do an SACD version of re-masters like they did with the early stuff?

in terms of quality, specifically GHS, should i get one of the 'new' ones, just settle for the one that's been available for several years, or hold out and hope for a future treatment (SACD or otherwise) of this cd?

thanks!

The goats head in the pot should have been the cover. F uck Mick in the easter basket.

I ain't stupid, I'm just guitarded.

I like goats head soup a lot, I play the whole album, go into the feeling, sometimes get into it for days, play it the whole time.I play that album when I want to relax, coming down again, winter,can you hear the music,hide your love, nice mellow album, that still rocks I like silvertrain(wow that bass)@#$%& is great and heavy. dancing with mister D is a nice groove. and 100 years ago yeahhhhhhh!!heartbreaker(nice piece of work)

Some of the cuts might be a bit too long, but IORR has some great tracks -- how would you go through life without IORR, Time Waits for No one and Luxury, not to mention S&C (oooooh and it's painful . . . .). I like it better than Black and Blue and Emotional Rescue.

it has a very very special atmosphere