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She Was Hot was pretty good? I liked Too Much Blood as well.
Agree. She Was Hot was a decent rocker. But Undercover of the Night was the Stones going for new territory. Though not really a hit song I still like it. And I liked the effort.
Robbie Shakespeare plays bass.
Undercover? Tattoo You?
C
Ah ok!!!
C
I kinda get you what you mean. There was a certain vibe of elder statemen going to retire in dignity in the whole 1981/82 era - just the success and magnitude of the US and European stadium tours was like a triumph for everything they done by then. TATTOO YOU showed musically maturation and a sort of peace with the past - something they've been trying to avoid for almost the last decade. "Start Me Up" was a catchy, easy-listening pastishe of great old Stones sound not heard for years, and "Waiting On A Friend" (like the whole B-side of the album) was something for adult taste, finally. STILL LIFE and especially LET'S SPEND THE NIGHT TOGETHER movie sounded pretty retro deals, with oddily strong 60's presence - like them going to terms with their early years of glory, and no shamed of how old they are. Just listen "Under My Thumb", "Let's Spend The Night Together", and especially "Time Is On My Side". That wasn't that kind of nostalgia they've been associated with 1989 on - nobody was not that old yet. They sound as old and mature as they did then but were not keen on hiding that yet - but more like being proud of their old accomplishments. The band probably has never sounded so relaxed as they did then - like 'we don't need to prove anyone anything any longer'.
There were good vibes - no doubt.
But "Undercover of The Night" was a middle finger statement against all of that. It was the Stones not trying to retire or even grow up gracefully - no, it was a statement that 'fvck the past' we are here and want to be as contemporary, ageless/juvenile and relevant as ever. The whole concept of it was updating their game to the challenges of the day. The expensive, full-blooded video, with no hint of the jokes of TATTOO YOU (anti)videos. All well-marinated, mature sounds of TATTOO YOU were gone and replaced by the latest production techniques, drum machine and all the gimmicks of the day... the funny, self-ironical stance of SOME GIRLS/TATTOO YOU era was replaced by such over-all aggression not having associated with them for ages... Like they were these serious, socially awere angry men with no hint of relaxed elder statemenship... I guess that after TATTOO YOU "Undercover Of The Night" sounded like "Angie" after EXILE ON MAIN STREET - like the band almost totally reinventing their game.
I understand very well why all of that caused mixed feelings within the Stones fanbase and also within larger audiences.
- Doxa
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2021-04-12 17:24 by Doxa.
YUP!
...and if the album had done just a little bit better we may have had them go done this path a bit further, which would have been preferable to Dirty Work, WWIII, and Vegas Stones.
Oh well. We'll always have Undercover at least!
It's a great album cover, especially considering what the next one was. And! It does have great Stones songs on it. DIRTY WORK pales in comparison to it yet alone anything they'd ever done - even the mind boggling THEIR SATANIC MAJESTIES REQUEST.
Talk about your favorite band.
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Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
Eleanor Rigby
()
Date: April 11, 2021 16:36
Reckon this is one of the Stones most underrated songs!
Great vocals, guitars...
Great vocals, guitars...
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
DandelionPowderman
()
Date: April 11, 2021 17:12
I've always loved it. Great track 
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
sf37
()
Date: April 11, 2021 17:30
I especially love the long, unedited bootleg version.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
georgie48
()
Date: April 11, 2021 18:11
It was a pretty daring song at the time, but it worked out fine. I always love to be taken by surprise by the band's ideas. I loved the song all the way.
I'm a GHOST living in a ghost town
I'm a GHOST living in a ghost town
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
Hairball
()
Date: April 11, 2021 20:25
I'd say it's properly rated - not too bad, and not too good, but better than average.
In a certain sense, it was the last hurrah from the band...
_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......
In a certain sense, it was the last hurrah from the band...
_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
Stoneage
()
Date: April 11, 2021 20:43
Underrated...I don't know about that. It was certainly exciting and something new though. Unfortunately, what followed after the single was less exciting.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
DandelionPowderman
()
Date: April 11, 2021 20:45
Quote
Stoneage
Underrated...I don't know about that. It was certainly exciting and something new though. Unfortunately, what followed after the single was less exciting.
She Was Hot was pretty good? I liked Too Much Blood as well.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
wonderboy
()
Date: April 11, 2021 20:53
Last time I heard it was at a coffee shop that was playing boring, middle of the road coffee shop rock and it jumped out of the speakers.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
Cooltoplady
()
Date: April 11, 2021 20:54
No its awful. Done.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
Stoneage
()
Date: April 11, 2021 21:13
Quote
DandelionPowdermanQuote
Stoneage
Underrated...I don't know about that. It was certainly exciting and something new though. Unfortunately, what followed after the single was less exciting.
She Was Hot was pretty good? I liked Too Much Blood as well.
Agree. She Was Hot was a decent rocker. But Undercover of the Night was the Stones going for new territory. Though not really a hit song I still like it. And I liked the effort.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
Chacho
()
Date: April 12, 2021 03:32
For me, the album Undercover was a huge let down,
after the previous 3 albums.
after the previous 3 albums.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
ProfessorWolf
()
Date: April 12, 2021 04:04
great song even every outtake is great
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
georgemcdonnell314
()
Date: April 12, 2021 06:28
Even though he only contributed on two songs it is the last album released while Ian Stewart was alive.
I like the album and agree the title track was definitely the band trying a new direction.
Undercover as also great live in 89.
I like the album and agree the title track was definitely the band trying a new direction.
Undercover as also great live in 89.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
24FPS
()
Date: April 12, 2021 08:25
It's a shame such a great song is associated with one of their all time crappiest albums. And no, it's not their last great single. That would be Harlem Shuffle. I've never quite gotten to the bottom of the complex rhythm on Undercover of the Night. Is it Bill playing bass, or is it a machine?
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
KRiffhard
()
Date: April 12, 2021 08:28
I prefer Too Much Blood and Pretty Beat Up.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-04-12 08:29 by KRiffhard.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-04-12 08:29 by KRiffhard.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
DandelionPowderman
()
Date: April 12, 2021 09:04
Quote
24FPS
It's a shame such a great song is associated with one of their all time crappiest albums. And no, it's not their last great single. That would be Harlem Shuffle. I've never quite gotten to the bottom of the complex rhythm on Undercover of the Night. Is it Bill playing bass, or is it a machine?
Robbie Shakespeare plays bass.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
Big Al
()
Date: April 12, 2021 09:07
An enjoyable recording, for sure. It was quite the surprise to hear it performed live at my first-ever Stones concert: Giants Stadium, 2002.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
Mathijs
()
Date: April 12, 2021 11:57
Fantastic track on one of my favorite albums. The last time the Stones still mattered, and the last time they still had that mix of danger and sex.
Mathijs
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-04-12 17:08 by Mathijs.
Mathijs
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-04-12 17:08 by Mathijs.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
Elmo Lewis
()
Date: April 12, 2021 15:07
Disjointed. Herky jerky. Never gets a rhythm going. The lyrics suck. Bad song.
Killed all of the momentum of Tattoo You and the 81-82 tours.
Killed all of the momentum of Tattoo You and the 81-82 tours.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
DiamondDog7
()
Date: April 12, 2021 16:01
Quote
Eleanor Rigby
Reckon this is one of the Stones most underrated songs!
Great vocals, guitars...
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
liddas
()
Date: April 12, 2021 16:06
Quote
Elmo Lewis
Disjointed. Herky jerky. Never gets a rhythm going. The lyrics suck. Bad song.
Killed all of the momentum of Tattoo You and the 81-82 tours.
Undercover? Tattoo You?
C
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
Elmo Lewis
()
Date: April 12, 2021 16:07
The good vibes that were there following TY and the tours.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
Doxa
()
Date: April 12, 2021 16:10
Memory line...
First I heard and saw it from Finnish television. That seemingly it was its first public appearance here, and I guess I was awere of it because I was ready to tape it with my cassette player via microphones. Then, next day I had the duty at my school to keep a morning service (or what the hec it was called) in school radio to be heard in each class. The text I read was given by 'authorities' (some religious stuff I recall it typically being, since the whole thing was organized by teachers in religion), but after it there was an option to play some song by own choice. So I played my taped "Undercover of the Night" from previous night (with all those video effects)... So everyone at my school was forced listen to a brandnew Stones single. Oh man, that sounded and felt great... (I was once played "Stray Cat Blues" as well, but that is another story...)
Underrated? I don't know. But it surely had its time and place at least in my little world!
- Doxa
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-04-12 16:12 by Doxa.
First I heard and saw it from Finnish television. That seemingly it was its first public appearance here, and I guess I was awere of it because I was ready to tape it with my cassette player via microphones. Then, next day I had the duty at my school to keep a morning service (or what the hec it was called) in school radio to be heard in each class. The text I read was given by 'authorities' (some religious stuff I recall it typically being, since the whole thing was organized by teachers in religion), but after it there was an option to play some song by own choice. So I played my taped "Undercover of the Night" from previous night (with all those video effects)... So everyone at my school was forced listen to a brandnew Stones single. Oh man, that sounded and felt great... (I was once played "Stray Cat Blues" as well, but that is another story...)
Underrated? I don't know. But it surely had its time and place at least in my little world!
- Doxa
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-04-12 16:12 by Doxa.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
liddas
()
Date: April 12, 2021 16:26
Quote
Elmo Lewis
The good vibes that were there following TY and the tours.
Ah ok!!!
C
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
Doxa
()
Date: April 12, 2021 17:20
Quote
Elmo Lewis
The good vibes that were there following TY and the tours.
I kinda get you what you mean. There was a certain vibe of elder statemen going to retire in dignity in the whole 1981/82 era - just the success and magnitude of the US and European stadium tours was like a triumph for everything they done by then. TATTOO YOU showed musically maturation and a sort of peace with the past - something they've been trying to avoid for almost the last decade. "Start Me Up" was a catchy, easy-listening pastishe of great old Stones sound not heard for years, and "Waiting On A Friend" (like the whole B-side of the album) was something for adult taste, finally. STILL LIFE and especially LET'S SPEND THE NIGHT TOGETHER movie sounded pretty retro deals, with oddily strong 60's presence - like them going to terms with their early years of glory, and no shamed of how old they are. Just listen "Under My Thumb", "Let's Spend The Night Together", and especially "Time Is On My Side". That wasn't that kind of nostalgia they've been associated with 1989 on - nobody was not that old yet. They sound as old and mature as they did then but were not keen on hiding that yet - but more like being proud of their old accomplishments. The band probably has never sounded so relaxed as they did then - like 'we don't need to prove anyone anything any longer'.
There were good vibes - no doubt.
But "Undercover of The Night" was a middle finger statement against all of that. It was the Stones not trying to retire or even grow up gracefully - no, it was a statement that 'fvck the past' we are here and want to be as contemporary, ageless/juvenile and relevant as ever. The whole concept of it was updating their game to the challenges of the day. The expensive, full-blooded video, with no hint of the jokes of TATTOO YOU (anti)videos. All well-marinated, mature sounds of TATTOO YOU were gone and replaced by the latest production techniques, drum machine and all the gimmicks of the day... the funny, self-ironical stance of SOME GIRLS/TATTOO YOU era was replaced by such over-all aggression not having associated with them for ages... Like they were these serious, socially awere angry men with no hint of relaxed elder statemenship... I guess that after TATTOO YOU "Undercover Of The Night" sounded like "Angie" after EXILE ON MAIN STREET - like the band almost totally reinventing their game.
I understand very well why all of that caused mixed feelings within the Stones fanbase and also within larger audiences.
- Doxa
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2021-04-12 17:24 by Doxa.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
cimaz
()
Date: April 12, 2021 19:34
The worst Stones album cover ever. Not a good Stones song on it but She was hot. Dirty work seems great compared to it.
Definitely the 80s are not artistically their best era before their 89/90 comeback. Jagger and Richards solo works were also not their best production.
Definitely the 80s are not artistically their best era before their 89/90 comeback. Jagger and Richards solo works were also not their best production.
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
treaclefingers
()
Date: April 13, 2021 03:47
Quote
Mathijs
Fantastic track on one of my favorite albums. The last time the Stones still mattered, and the last time they still had that mix of danger and sex.
Mathijs
YUP!
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
treaclefingers
()
Date: April 13, 2021 03:50
Quote
DoxaQuote
Elmo Lewis
The good vibes that were there following TY and the tours.
I kinda get you what you mean. There was a certain vibe of elder statemen going to retire in dignity in the whole 1981/82 era - just the success and magnitude of the US and European stadium tours was like a triumph for everything they done by then. TATTOO YOU showed musically maturation and a sort of peace with the past - something they've been trying to avoid for almost the last decade. "Start Me Up" was a catchy, easy-listening pastishe of great old Stones sound not heard for years, and "Waiting On A Friend" (like the whole B-side of the album) was something for adult taste, finally. STILL LIFE and especially LET'S SPEND THE NIGHT TOGETHER movie sounded pretty retro deals, with oddily strong 60's presence - like them going to terms with their early years of glory, and no shamed of how old they are. Just listen "Under My Thumb", "Let's Spend The Night Together", and especially "Time Is On My Side". That wasn't that kind of nostalgia they've been associated with 1989 on - nobody was not that old yet. They sound as old and mature as they did then but were not keen on hiding that yet - but more like being proud of their old accomplishments. The band probably has never sounded so relaxed as they did then - like 'we don't need to prove anyone anything any longer'.
There were good vibes - no doubt.
But "Undercover of The Night" was a middle finger statement against all of that. It was the Stones not trying to retire or even grow up gracefully - no, it was a statement that 'fvck the past' we are here and want to be as contemporary, ageless/juvenile and relevant as ever. The whole concept of it was updating their game to the challenges of the day. The expensive, full-blooded video, with no hint of the jokes of TATTOO YOU (anti)videos. All well-marinated, mature sounds of TATTOO YOU were gone and replaced by the latest production techniques, drum machine and all the gimmicks of the day... the funny, self-ironical stance of SOME GIRLS/TATTOO YOU era was replaced by such over-all aggression not having associated with them for ages... Like they were these serious, socially awere angry men with no hint of relaxed elder statemenship... I guess that after TATTOO YOU "Undercover Of The Night" sounded like "Angie" after EXILE ON MAIN STREET - like the band almost totally reinventing their game.
I understand very well why all of that caused mixed feelings within the Stones fanbase and also within larger audiences.
- Doxa
...and if the album had done just a little bit better we may have had them go done this path a bit further, which would have been preferable to Dirty Work, WWIII, and Vegas Stones.
Oh well. We'll always have Undercover at least!
Re: Undercover of the Night..underrated!
Posted by:
GasLightStreet
()
Date: April 13, 2021 04:41
Quote
cimaz
The worst Stones album cover ever. Not a good Stones song on it but She was hot. Dirty work seems great compared to it.
Definitely the 80s are not artistically their best era before their 89/90 comeback. Jagger and Richards solo works were also not their best production.
It's a great album cover, especially considering what the next one was. And! It does have great Stones songs on it. DIRTY WORK pales in comparison to it yet alone anything they'd ever done - even the mind boggling THEIR SATANIC MAJESTIES REQUEST.
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