A big part of this is the digital recording process versus literally cutting up tape to edit things. Plus I'd imagine there was a lot of pressure early in the Stone's career to put out the next Single/album the next album but by the mid 70s they probably had a lot more leeway, experience, and time to nail things down.
I agree that digital technology is partly to blame, although I'd point out that the Stones have continued to be charmingly sloppy even with all the tech and time in the world. So it can be done! Most current-day artists just aren't brave enough to go against the grain.
I wouldn’t argue those points! Well said. But FTA makes me Feel. NW fills me with admiration, but moves me less. “I stood in the dirt, where everyone walked”. Ay yi yi.
This is a great distillation of my general feelings about the Beatles compared to other artists. The Beatles are more awe-inspiring than just about anyone in rock 'n' roll––the prolific output, the cultural impact, the unmatched quality control (I'd say they don't have a single bad or mediocre album)––but they rarely hit me in the feels the way Dylan's best work does.
I go back and forth, but I definitely respect this take. You'd better not say this in the Beatles sub, though. No offense to any overlapping members, but it's a little rabid over there
This is the Stones album I always recommend to people who aren't already fans. It has lots of uptempo catchy songs (compared to Sticky Fingers, which is awesome but, as Jagger likes to point out, has a lot of slow ones), it's not too long (unlike Exile, whose length can intimidate non-fans), it has a diverse but cohesive set of styles from one song to the next, great songwriting, and killer performances from the core four members of the band (Mick J, Keith, Bill, & Charlie) plus great stuff from collaborators like Ian Stewart, Brian Jones, Mick Taylor, Nicky Hopkins, Ry Cooder, and Bobby Keys.
Happy is awesome, but I think there's no recording of that song, studio or live, that's as perfect as the album version as You Got the Silver. Perfect arrangement, production, and performances from everyone. The album version of Happy sounds like the charmingly ragged DIY performance that it is, but You Got the Silver blows me away.
Wow, the journalists really didn’t learn anything about how to handle Dylan between 1966 and 1969. I hadn’t seen this before, and I assumed it would be a more mature interview, since rock journalism in general had come a long way in those few years, but nope. These questions are just as cringe as the questions he got in 1965-66.
I don't mean that the questions were literally the same in '69 as in '66. I mean that the '69 questions, while new, were just as misguided and silly as the '66 ones.
If I had to pick from these, I'd say B. B is a little over-orchestrated for my taste (thanks, Phil), but it has one of George's best guitar solos imo, whereas the solos on the other versions are more forgettable. I wish they'd release a version that had the arrangement & mixing of the single version (the one on Past Masters, which I love except for the guitar solo) and the solo from the album version. I don't love the Glyn Johns one, because the reverb on the lead vocal seems excessive to me.
I can smell the downvotes coming with this one, but I'd say "Shine a Light." I love all the singing and playing on the song, and the lyrics to the verses are great, but the choruses have always rang false to me.
Definitely possible that they were being sincere. (Also possible that they were just jumping on the rootsy-gospel bandwagon of the early 70s, especially since they were hanging out with Leon Russell and Billy Preston.) Even if they were being sincere, though, the song still doesn't resonate with me personally, for the reasons I gave in my initial comment.
It's a rare moment where they sound as young as they actually were. Usually, my mind is blown when I remember how young they were at various points––John wrote Help at 24, Paul was 24 when Sgt Pepper came out, George was 25-26 when they released his most celebrated Beatles songs, etc. I often think, "how did a group of hometown friends in their twenties create such timeless art?" But when I hear the Decca audition, I think, "yep, that sounds like a college-aged band." Lots of potential, but pretty rough.
I generally don’t like when Mick sings different for covers, I much prefer his regular voice to when he tries to be American or sound like Muddy Waters
I agree, although I feel like Jagger sings in exaggerated and put-on voices so often that it's hard to be a Stones fan if you're not down for that. Some of my friends say his singing is the reason they can't get into the Stones, and I disagree with them but I get it.
I think that his whole exaggerated voices thing is mainly an early stones thing that lessened once they started making fully original albums. In the first couple he was trying to sound like the original singers which doesn’t work because he is a much different pitched singer than southern blues artists
Maybe we're talking about different things, but to me, Jagger's singing is exaggerated throughout the Stones' career, even on their best original songs. For instance, the way he pronounces "partner" in "Tops" and the way he pronounces "honey" in "Memory Motel" come to mind––have you ever heard a native English speaker say those words like that in conversation?
A lot of my favorites have already been listed here (Pet Sounds, Blonde on Blonde, Velvet Underground & Nico, Surrealistic Pillow, Astral Weeks, Let It Bleed, plus OP's mention of Odessey and Oracle).
I love his songs and his guitar playing but this book made me like him less. The misogyny, homophobia and general disregard for others was disappointing. Especially some of the stories about him and little Marlon on the road. He endangered his young son with drugs, firearms, and drunk driving and thought those were funny anecdotes to entertain us with. I’ll always adore his music, but I’d rather not learn more about him.
I agree. There are parts I like a lot—the technical musical details, the behind the scenes stories about the other Stones, Gram Parsons, and other musicians I admire—but Keith doesn’t come off as very self-aware or empathetic.
I totally agree with this. I'd say some of George's early songs––"Don't Bother Me," "I Need You," "I Want to Tell You"––are amazing, totally on par with the best stuff John and Paul were writing at the same time. But others of his early songs are clunkers, especially in the lyrics department.
I think George was a much better musician than you're giving him credit for at the end there. No he wasn't like Clapton or Hendrix but he also had no desire to play like that and came from a totally different cultural background. None of those guitarists you mentioned played rockabilly as well as George.
I'm a huge George fan, to be clear. I don't mean to denigrate him as a musician at all. His best guitar playing moves me as much as anything by Clapton or Hendrix, and I'd rather listen to "All Things Must Pass" than any album by the other ex-Beatles. I just think George is more of a dedicated workhorse than a touched-by-God genius.
Imo this is the best era of the Stones' stage presentation. Of course, they'd make better albums later, and Mick Taylor and a general 1970s increase in rock show production value would take their live show to new places. But for me, they never looked cooler or more dangerous than here.
I think the Stones, especially Jagger, were very astute students of trends in pop music. Whenever a new style swept through the music world––psychedelia in the mid-60s, roots rock in the late 60s, disco and punk in the late 70s, to name a few––they soon emerged with their own take on it.
I’d say a difference is that the Beatles were paying attention to trends outside the pop/rock mainstream, whereas the Stones and most other rock artists were largely reacting to musical trends only once those trends reached the pop charts.
Love this––almost can't listen to the Exile version since finding this one. I feel like this guitar tone is much more exciting than the tone on the studio version. And as much as the skeleton-crew origin story of the studio is cool––Jimmy Miller on drums and Keith on bass in addition to his guitar duties––there's no substitute for Charlie and Bill.
But would Buttrey have played those great rapid-fire licks in the chorus? Love KB’s drumming, don’t get me wrong, but whoever played on OOUMK did a perfect job imo.
Donovan's Catch the Wind
So similar to Chimes of Freedom, musically
Totally agree. I wish more major artists today took this approach, too. Let it all hang out!
A big part of this is the digital recording process versus literally cutting up tape to edit things. Plus I'd imagine there was a lot of pressure early in the Stone's career to put out the next Single/album the next album but by the mid 70s they probably had a lot more leeway, experience, and time to nail things down.
I agree that digital technology is partly to blame, although I'd point out that the Stones have continued to be charmingly sloppy even with all the tech and time in the world. So it can be done! Most current-day artists just aren't brave enough to go against the grain.
Also "My Girl," and Jagger's cover of "Don't Look Back" with Peter Tosh. The Stones really loved the Temptations!
I wouldn’t argue those points! Well said. But FTA makes me Feel. NW fills me with admiration, but moves me less. “I stood in the dirt, where everyone walked”. Ay yi yi.
This is a great distillation of my general feelings about the Beatles compared to other artists. The Beatles are more awe-inspiring than just about anyone in rock 'n' roll––the prolific output, the cultural impact, the unmatched quality control (I'd say they don't have a single bad or mediocre album)––but they rarely hit me in the feels the way Dylan's best work does.
I go back and forth, but I definitely respect this take. You'd better not say this in the Beatles sub, though. No offense to any overlapping members, but it's a little rabid over there
Do you have any other recommendations that fit that style?
Here are a few examples, off the top of my head, many of which have fun connections to Dylan:
So much respect for this answer. I’m spotifying everything I don’t yet know.
Thank you! Hope you like what you hear :)
Nicky Hopkins piano on Dead Flowers is fantastic. One of the best.
Love that piano playing, but I’m pretty sure it’s Ian Stewart
Sister Morphine - Dead Flowers - Moonlight Mile
Gonna wake up in Kansas, find I'm as loving as a dog
This is the Stones album I always recommend to people who aren't already fans. It has lots of uptempo catchy songs (compared to Sticky Fingers, which is awesome but, as Jagger likes to point out, has a lot of slow ones), it's not too long (unlike Exile, whose length can intimidate non-fans), it has a diverse but cohesive set of styles from one song to the next, great songwriting, and killer performances from the core four members of the band (Mick J, Keith, Bill, & Charlie) plus great stuff from collaborators like Ian Stewart, Brian Jones, Mick Taylor, Nicky Hopkins, Ry Cooder, and Bobby Keys.
Happy is awesome, but I think there's no recording of that song, studio or live, that's as perfect as the album version as You Got the Silver. Perfect arrangement, production, and performances from everyone. The album version of Happy sounds like the charmingly ragged DIY performance that it is, but You Got the Silver blows me away.
Wow, the journalists really didn’t learn anything about how to handle Dylan between 1966 and 1969. I hadn’t seen this before, and I assumed it would be a more mature interview, since rock journalism in general had come a long way in those few years, but nope. These questions are just as cringe as the questions he got in 1965-66.
The difference between '66 Dylan and '69 Dylan in UK press conf's is huge.
I don't mean that the questions were literally the same in '69 as in '66. I mean that the '69 questions, while new, were just as misguided and silly as the '66 ones.
If I had to pick from these, I'd say B. B is a little over-orchestrated for my taste (thanks, Phil), but it has one of George's best guitar solos imo, whereas the solos on the other versions are more forgettable. I wish they'd release a version that had the arrangement & mixing of the single version (the one on Past Masters, which I love except for the guitar solo) and the solo from the album version. I don't love the Glyn Johns one, because the reverb on the lead vocal seems excessive to me.
I agree with OP's four categories. I call the eras "speed," "weed," "acid," and "Yoko."
I can smell the downvotes coming with this one, but I'd say "Shine a Light." I love all the singing and playing on the song, and the lyrics to the verses are great, but the choruses have always rang false to me.
The song is widely believed to be about Brian Jones, perhaps they were being sincere in this one case about the untimely demise of the Stones founder?
Definitely possible that they were being sincere. (Also possible that they were just jumping on the rootsy-gospel bandwagon of the early 70s, especially since they were hanging out with Leon Russell and Billy Preston.) Even if they were being sincere, though, the song still doesn't resonate with me personally, for the reasons I gave in my initial comment.
It's a rare moment where they sound as young as they actually were. Usually, my mind is blown when I remember how young they were at various points––John wrote Help at 24, Paul was 24 when Sgt Pepper came out, George was 25-26 when they released his most celebrated Beatles songs, etc. I often think, "how did a group of hometown friends in their twenties create such timeless art?" But when I hear the Decca audition, I think, "yep, that sounds like a college-aged band." Lots of potential, but pretty rough.
I do love BB, and I don’t disagree with much of what you’re saying.
Why does jigsaw puzzle’s lyrics bother you and stray cat blues lyrics doesnt bother you?
Stray Cat Blues is pretty gross, for sure. Not defending those lyrics, and I don’t blame anyone who’s turned off by them.
I generally don’t like when Mick sings different for covers, I much prefer his regular voice to when he tries to be American or sound like Muddy Waters
I agree, although I feel like Jagger sings in exaggerated and put-on voices so often that it's hard to be a Stones fan if you're not down for that. Some of my friends say his singing is the reason they can't get into the Stones, and I disagree with them but I get it.
I think that his whole exaggerated voices thing is mainly an early stones thing that lessened once they started making fully original albums. In the first couple he was trying to sound like the original singers which doesn’t work because he is a much different pitched singer than southern blues artists
Maybe we're talking about different things, but to me, Jagger's singing is exaggerated throughout the Stones' career, even on their best original songs. For instance, the way he pronounces "partner" in "Tops" and the way he pronounces "honey" in "Memory Motel" come to mind––have you ever heard a native English speaker say those words like that in conversation?
A lot of my favorites have already been listed here (Pet Sounds, Blonde on Blonde, Velvet Underground & Nico, Surrealistic Pillow, Astral Weeks, Let It Bleed, plus OP's mention of Odessey and Oracle).
I love his songs and his guitar playing but this book made me like him less. The misogyny, homophobia and general disregard for others was disappointing. Especially some of the stories about him and little Marlon on the road. He endangered his young son with drugs, firearms, and drunk driving and thought those were funny anecdotes to entertain us with. I’ll always adore his music, but I’d rather not learn more about him.
I agree. There are parts I like a lot—the technical musical details, the behind the scenes stories about the other Stones, Gram Parsons, and other musicians I admire—but Keith doesn’t come off as very self-aware or empathetic.
I totally agree with this. I'd say some of George's early songs––"Don't Bother Me," "I Need You," "I Want to Tell You"––are amazing, totally on par with the best stuff John and Paul were writing at the same time. But others of his early songs are clunkers, especially in the lyrics department.
I think George was a much better musician than you're giving him credit for at the end there. No he wasn't like Clapton or Hendrix but he also had no desire to play like that and came from a totally different cultural background. None of those guitarists you mentioned played rockabilly as well as George.
I'm a huge George fan, to be clear. I don't mean to denigrate him as a musician at all. His best guitar playing moves me as much as anything by Clapton or Hendrix, and I'd rather listen to "All Things Must Pass" than any album by the other ex-Beatles. I just think George is more of a dedicated workhorse than a touched-by-God genius.
Imo this is the best era of the Stones' stage presentation. Of course, they'd make better albums later, and Mick Taylor and a general 1970s increase in rock show production value would take their live show to new places. But for me, they never looked cooler or more dangerous than here.
I think the Stones, especially Jagger, were very astute students of trends in pop music. Whenever a new style swept through the music world––psychedelia in the mid-60s, roots rock in the late 60s, disco and punk in the late 70s, to name a few––they soon emerged with their own take on it.
This is correct but also equally true of the Beatles.
I’d say a difference is that the Beatles were paying attention to trends outside the pop/rock mainstream, whereas the Stones and most other rock artists were largely reacting to musical trends only once those trends reached the pop charts.
"Tumbling Dice," Beat Club (tv broadcast) 1972
Happy from Ladies and Gentlemen.
Love this––almost can't listen to the Exile version since finding this one. I feel like this guitar tone is much more exciting than the tone on the studio version. And as much as the skeleton-crew origin story of the studio is cool––Jimmy Miller on drums and Keith on bass in addition to his guitar duties––there's no substitute for Charlie and Bill.
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2018/9/23/bob-dylan-unpopular-opinion/
Mine too. The piano is otherworldly. Only thing it’s missing is Kenny Buttrey on drums.
But would Buttrey have played those great rapid-fire licks in the chorus? Love KB’s drumming, don’t get me wrong, but whoever played on OOUMK did a perfect job imo.