Well if people haven't heard "Ruby Tuesday" or "Let's Spend The Night Together" by now then music geek fail anyway.

Hell, human being fail.

iTunes is reading it as the US version.

Also, Their Satanic Majesties Request isn't all too bad. Songs are iffy, and I can see how rock n' roll Stones fans would poo-poo it, but wasn't EVERYONE smoking weed tripping in '67?

Yeah, but I should have noted the track listing. Sloppy.

Also maybe it's the mood, but Their Satanic Majesties Request is pulling way ahead of Buttons in terms of enjoyment. I fucking love '2000 Man'.

is it out of order? I didn't bother to check.

"2000 man" was a favorite for sure.

She's a Rainbow is great. It would be a white-belt emo music nerd hit if it were an unknown band or even Love. It's great... listen to Hopkins.

"AND NOW, WE DO HEROIN"

Skipping Flowers, huh?

Anyhow, this pretty much starts the only Rolling Stones period that I think matters much. Some scattered good track on the earlier albums that I dig. And their later work is just bad as far as I am concerned. But from Beggar's Banquet to Exile on Main Street, they really did crank out some seriously good albums. I mean, I like Some Girls and a few scattered tracks off other albums after this period, but I'm not that much of a Stones fan and only listen to them sporadically. So, when I am in the mood, I really can't see a reason to grab anything not from this stretch.

Jean Luc Godard's Sympathy for the Devil should be mentioned about now. Mick unhappy with Charlie's drumming... shows the intense nature of their production; they took this music-as-revolution stuff serious for about 18 months... When you start to shoot drugs you actually can trick yourself into thinking it is a political act.... for about 18 months.

Moreso than even NWA "This should be played at top volume, preferably in a residential area"

From the opening strains of the maracas, you know you're in for something. And then they sing a song that is basically a distillation of Milton's Paradise Lost, but uses the basic story outline of The Master and Margarita.

Then you get to the slow, bluesy beauty of No Expectations - a sound that might actually be more exemplary of what they were into at the time, considering you get Jigsaw Puzzle, Salt of the Earth and Factory Girl.

Dear Doctor and Factory Girl have a bit more of the faux-country that Mick loves to traffic in. Many see this as schtick, but many of these songs from here on in end up being my favorites.

I am probably alone here, but Street Fighting Man might be my least favorite "canonical" Stones song. Just seems like a put on, and it actually grates on me.

The other masterpiece on this album is "Stray Cat Blues" which is SCUMROCK/JAILROCK/MON. G. ER. prototype. The vibe is pure sleaze, and it is about an underage gangbang. It makes me feel ALIVE.

I think it is a put-on, but it seems to be an intentional put-on. When you consider the era it came out of, and all the public demonstrations and marches going on, and here the Stones are saying that it may be "time for marching in the street" but, really, all that you can accomplish is a public complaint. Jagger's lyrics in the 60s always seemed to be about a complete and utter lack of faith in this supposed counter-culture, which is probably the main reason their psychedelic excursions rang so hollow and their "return" to rock/blues tradition fit so perfectly.

Now, Rod Stewart's version of "Street Fighting Man" is a whole nuther thing.


This and "Sway" have been my two absolute fave Stones songs for (sigh) over 30 years.

On any given day, any of the songs on that album could be my favorite. Loog, I remember a blurry night in Athens when I showed up at some party late night and you and Tim B, and someone else were in whoever's house it was laundry room. We hung out in there for a WHILE and I recall a full acappela sing-along to "Dear Doctor", complete with the falsetto part.....BABE, I'M SORRY....TO'HAVE HURT YOOOOOOU......




Also, keep in mind that "Jumpin Jack Flash" was cut during these sessions as well and didn't even make it on the record. It was a single only. If it had, this might've given "Exile." a run for it's money for Supreme Stones album status.

I really love Sympathy for the Devil and Salt of the Earth but Beggars Banquet on the whole is one of my least favorite of the essential stones albums.

I don't remember the exact location, but recall this incident quite well, under the circumstances... LOMIT!

how many various powders were ingested and snorted that night?

Also, this late 60s --> Some Girls period is why I'm participating in this thread. I've always been semi-casual Stones fan as background music to debauchery, but I've never actually taken the time to listen to their albums as they've progressed.

Now we're into the height of the best era of the Stones,imo. These are the albums that made Exile necessary - don't underestimate that when listening to the Beggar's --> Exile run. Without this era there is no culmination - they were pushing it too far in Merry Olde England. Mick and Keef both got busted several times for drugs, Keef would wreck cars (that he never even bothered to get a license or learn how to drive, and the fact that at least one was an Ex-Nazi Staff Car Rolls Royce at that notwithstanding) and jump out and run off leaving Spanish Tony to handle the debris, Keef steals Anita from Brian (or Anita goes with Keef because she can tell what will become of Brian) the trips to Morocco, dosing people in clubs, and generally being a public fucking menace. Everything that you think of rock bands doing, these guys have done by this time.

And then there's the music. Good God, the music. They seem to distill everything WRONG about Stray Cat Blues and distill into this album. Live With Me starts out with the same raunch, and is basically a domestic version of the same -- now we've got our estates, and we're out there committing Foul Acts Not Legal Since the 14th Century.

Gimme Shelter is anything BUT sheltering. It's just a shot away, indeed. And in this era, are we talking a gunshot, or a shot of dope? Either one would be fine.

Let It Bleed is another foray into a countryish sound, albeit with ominous undertones.

Midnight Rambler is basically an ode to a serial killer/rapist and would provide epic moments in concert.

You Got the Silver I've always seen as sort of a companion piece to Salt of the Earth - another ode to the lowly of birth.

And then there's Monkey Man - All my friends are junkies. That baseline is like plugging yourself into a fucking light socket.

The coda of You Can't Always Get What You Want provides a good comedown for an era. This is the beginning of the end. After this we have an American Tour, Altamont and Exile. It's a helluva ride, but always remember that The Stones are the Eye of The Hurricane, and everything else circles around THEM, and that the eye is a false calm that brings the worst of the destruction - don't try to keep up, you'll only get hurt.

One of those albums that I just can't tire of, no matter how many times I hear it. 'Gimme Shelter' still can bring the shivers even after a billion listens. Merry Clayton's fetus was probably not the first and wouldn't be the last the Stones ultimately destroyed.

Monkey Man is another favorite stones song. Lately, Let It Bleed it the Rolling Stones album I play the most.

<---even likes Country Honk. Shhh.

Let It Bleed is their best album.

"Gimme Shelter" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" are as good as the Stones got, which is to say as good as music can be.

"Let It Bleed" is Mick doing Dylan, but he pulls it off. "Live With Me" and "You Got The Silver" are decent, workmanlike deep cuts. "Love In Vain" is at the very least earnest as a cover.

"Midnight Rambler" is a jam gone good. "Monkey Man" is a jam gone bad.

"Country Honk" is awful.

I would never defend Country Honk as quality music, but that does not diminish my like for it.

Monkey Man, on the other hand, has a great guitar riff and base line. The lyrics are pretty silly but I can live with it because I think it's sheer fun.

Until I picked up a vinyl copy of Exile last year, Let It Bleed is the only Stones album I ever bought.

"you can't always get what you want" is immediately disqualified due to its use in The Big Chill

It's odd how some songs, wonderful songs, just become unlistenable after too many listens... they almost stop being music (about 60% of Beatles songs). And some hold up unfailingly. Gimme Shelter I agree is harrowing ever fucking time still.