| 2nd October 2006 10:53 PM |
|
|
| Ten Thousand Motels |
The Top 10
The Leader-Post
Published: Monday, October 02, 2006
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/story.html?id=8a8dceb7-db93-4312-829b-42728adb1c75
If you were asked to make up a list of the Stones' 10 greatest hits, what songs would you put on it?
With the Rolling Stones' historic visit in sight, the Leader-Post asked three veteran Regina disc jockeys who've watched the band evolve over the last four decades for their thoughts on its greatest hits.
The members of this motley crew -- Dave Mitchell, Larry Christie and Doug Alexander -- are the first to admit the Stones' list of hits is so long that any subjective list is bound to be controversial -- even among themselves. (Mitchell, no shrinking violet, says two of these songs have been so overplayed that he instinctively turns off the radio when he hears the first note or two.)
Anyway, here are the first two entries on a list we'll be counting down over the coming week.
What would be on your list?
10 "It's Only Rock and Roll
(But I Like It)"
Historical stuff: the lead single of the 1974 album It's Only Rock and Roll, it was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, with Ron Wood getting credit for "inspiration". The video of this song puts the Stones into sailor suits and shows Jagger at his strutting, showman's best. Noteworthy is the work of guitarist Mick Taylor -- who, ironically, left the band later in 1974.
The album It's Only Rock and Roll followed the critically panned album Goat's Head Soup and reflected a push for a more edgy, energized sound.
Non-romantic, non-political, "It's Only Rock and Roll (But I Like It)" has become a kind of anthem for lovers of rock, in general, and the Stones, in particular.
Listen with reverence, kids: this is what the band sounded like at the height of its powers.
9 "Get Off of My Cloud"
Ancient musical history lesson: this song first appeared as a single in the early autumn of 1965, right after the Stones were literally and figuratively in the creative and commercial clouds, thanks to the recent release of their highly successful album Out Of Our Heads, which contained the iconic hits "The Last Time" and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction".
The problem with the music business, you understand, is that a successful single or album soon gets people -- fans, record executives and critics -- wondering what you can do to top it. "Get Off My Cloud" has been interpreted as a saucy rebuff to the fans, critics and industry insiders who were wondering what the Stones would do to top Out Of Our Heads. Alternately, it is sometimes cast as a lament about sanitized, bland, high-rise modern life.
"Get Off Of My Cloud" came out on the album December's Children, which was released in North America in, appropriately, December of 1965.
Historically, this song's arrival so soon after the success of "Satisfaction" proved the Stones had Top 40 staying power -- and that the band and, especially, the songwriting duo of Jagger and Richards were no flash in the musical pan, but major players worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as the Beatles' Lennon and McCartney.
Trivia: DJ Mitchell notes that "Get Off of My Cloud" was released only a few months before the album containing "Under My Thumb", the lyrics of which are written from the perspective of a man subduing a strong-willed girlfriend. Feminists were not amused, but fans of the Stones countered by arguing that Jagger had written it in response to a particularly pushy girlfriend.
Tomorrow: Nos. 7 and 8
[Edited by Ten Thousand Motels]
[Edited by Ten Thousand Motels] |
| 3rd October 2006 12:22 PM |
|
|
| the good |
quote:
nanatod wrote:
I find that my taste in Stones songs has changed over the years since I started listening to them. Currently:
1. Monkey Man
2. Silver Train
3. Soul Survivor
4. All Down The Line
5. Memo from Turner
6. Can't You Hear Me Knocking
7. You Gotta Move
8. Bitch
9. Take It So Hard
10. Off the Hook
I like this list! You are a man of wealth and taste indeed! |
| 3rd October 2006 12:55 PM |
|
|
| Scottfree |
A list without Gimmie Shelter is no list at all...Or wait, maybe it is a list but uhhh, a list that isn't a list that has credibility (see: creditbility).... |
| 3rd October 2006 12:58 PM |
|
|
| Ten Thousand Motels |
quote:
Scottfree wrote:
A list without Gimmie Shelter is no list at all...Or wait, maybe it is a list but uhhh, a list that isn't a list that has credibility (see: creditbility)....
We're still waiting for 8-1. Whoever wrote that column seems to ditched have it. I've clicked around all day and can't get the sequel. ? |
| 3rd October 2006 01:13 PM |
|
|
| Saint Sway |
just as well
|
| 3rd October 2006 04:13 PM |
|
|
| Scottfree |
quote:
nanatod wrote:
Blame "classic rock radio" for the absence of Gimme Shelter on the list. Classic rock radio borders on unlistenable, at least here in the Midwest. Plus the continued use of "classic rock" songs on radio and TV commercials devalues "classic rock" songs even more.
Today my 11. would be Country Honk. Or, I could switch Country Honk with 8. Bitch.
FM radio is unlistenable.... |
| 3rd October 2006 06:38 PM |
|
|
| Sir Stonesalot |
Any list that does not include Midnight Rambler in the Top 3 is a fraud. |
| 3rd October 2006 09:38 PM |
|
|
| Soldatti |
JJF should be no. 1.
|
| 4th October 2006 12:03 PM |
|
|
| Ten Thousand Motels |
The Top 10
Published: Wednesday, October 04, 2006
If you were assigned to make up a list of the Stones' 10 greatest hits, what would you put on it?
With the Rolling Stones' historic visit in sight, the Leader-Post asked three veteran Regina disc jockeys who've watched the band evolve over the last four decades for their thoughts on its greatest hits.
The members of this trio -- Dave Mitchell, Larry Christie and Doug Alexander -- are the first to admit that the Stones' list of hits is so long that it is bound to be controversial. We'll be counting 'em down over the next few days.
PREVIOUS PICKS:
10 "It's Only Rock and Roll (But I Like It)"
9 "Get Off of My Cloud"
8 "It's All Over Now"
7 "Honky Tonk Women"
WHICH BRINGS US TO TWO MORE HITS:
6 "Angie"
With "As Tears Go By", this is as close to the Stones come to a tearjerker.
This ballad (in which a man pines for a lost love) was featured on the 1973 album Goats' Head Soup, which was so musically undistinguished that even Mick Jagger seems a little embarrassed by it. "Angie" was by far the best thing on it.
"Angie" immediately caught listeners' attention because its pace and quasi-melodramatic tone were uncharacteristically mellow and introspective for the Stones. Particularly worthy of note are Jagger's anguished vocals, the faint hint of the Stones' early bluegrass roots and the song's formal, earnest style. The best guess of Stones-watchers is that it was written as a tribute to model/actress Anita Pallenberg, at that time the former girlfriend of the Stones' Keith Richards.
The choice of "Angie" inspired one of the few dissenting voices in our review of Stones' hits. Former DJ Dave Mitchell (CJME/Z99/Lite 92) concedes its musical merits, but adds he's either played it (or heard it played) so many times that he's basically sick of it. So upon hearing the first note -- that's all he needs -- he reflexively turns off the radio.
But for other listeners, it's got a great tune and great vocals.
5 "Ruby Tuesday"
Released in 1967, this ballad is written as a tribute to a long-gone girlfriend and alternately credited to Brian Jones (with help from Jagger and Keith Richards) and to Jagger and Richards alone.
Billboard magazine called its sound "medieval". Remember that the band was still young when "Ruby Tuesday" was released. Its restrained tone hints at the musical depth of the band, with Jagger's vocals showing of a remarkably delicate and controlled tone.
For those who can remember the 1960s, "Ruby Tuesday" evokes the incense, frayed jeans-and-free-love mood of the mid-1960s. Because its lyrics quickly became so well known so quickly (translation: they could actually be understood by listeners), it became an early anthem for the band.
Tomorrow: Nos. 3 and 4
© The Leader-Post (Regina |
| 4th October 2006 01:40 PM |
|
|
| nanatod |
quote:
Soldatti wrote:
JJF should be no. 1.
Blame "classic rock radio" for the absence of JJF on my list. Classic rock radio borders on unlistenable, at least here in the Midwest. Plus the continued use of "classic rock" songs on radio and TV commercials devalues "classic rock" songs even more.
|
| 4th October 2006 04:12 PM |
|
|
| ebmp |
quote:
Ten Thousand Motels wrote:
This ballad (in which a man pines for a lost love) was featured on the 1973 album Goats' Head Soup, which was so musically undistinguished that even Mick Jagger seems a little embarrassed by it. "Angie" was by far the best thing on it.
Bah... That's sooo bullshit! I can't understand how underrated GHS is. I'll be flamed here, but I like it better than Beggars Banquet. And for the love of god, Angies isn't close to be the best thing on GHS. Winter, Heartbreaker, Star Star, Silver Train, 100 Years Ago, anyone? |
| 4th October 2006 04:35 PM |
|
|
| star star |
ahhh you gotta remember they've probably listened to GHS once, maybe twice...or just heard angie on the radio and wondered what album it was on apart from CD2 of forty licks! GHS kicks ass man |
| 4th October 2006 04:50 PM |
|
|
| F505 |
Any list that does not include Let It Loose is a big joke. |
| 4th October 2006 04:54 PM |
|
|
| caro |
Any list that doesn't include Stray Cat Blues is an ignominy. |
| 6th October 2006 07:35 AM |
|
|
| Ten Thousand Motels |
The Top 10
Published: Thursday, October 05, 2006
If you were assigned to make up a list of the Stones' 10 greatest hits, what would you put on it?
With the Rolling Stones' historic visit in sight, the Leader-Post asked three veteran Regina disc jockeys who've watched the band evolve over the last four decades for their thoughts on its greatest hits.
The members of this trio -- Dave Mitchell, Larry Christie and Doug Alexander -- are the first to admit that the Stones' list of hits is so long that it is bound to be controversial. We'll be counting 'em down, concluding tomorrow.
Previous picks:
10 "It's Only Rock and Roll (But I Like It)"
9 "Get Off of My Cloud"
8 "It's All Over Now"
7 "Honky Tonk Women"
6 "Angie"
5 "Ruby Tuesday"
All of which sets the stage (fanfare) for two more:
4 "Brown Sugar"
OK, smart guy, exactly what does "brown sugar" mean?
Buffs of the Stones debate the meaning of "brown sugar", some of them bringing in interracial and kinky sex -- or was it a reference to heroin? Aficionados claim the lyrics occasionally change during live performances to make them less misogynist.
Released in 1971, Brown Sugar was written by Jagger, reputedly during the long periods of waiting he endured while on the Australian set of the feature movie Ned Kelly, which was filmed in 1969 and released in 1970. It debuted at the Stones' infamous Altamont concert in 1969 and was released on the album Sticky Fingers.
Mitchell, speaking as a recovering DJ, recalls particularly relishing "Brown Sugar" because its intro was sufficiently long that he could talk "over" the music for an unusually long time.
For his part, Christie remembers hearing "Brown Sugar" live in 1972 at a Stones concert in Minneapolis -- the first time, incidentally, he saw lasers at a concert, sweeping over the audience like an electronic version of The Wave.
He adds that this concert was held indoors, "so you were high once you'd been in the building for about 30 minutes!"
3 "Paint It Black"
Released in 1966 and one of the Stones' darkest, gloomiest hits.
It is generally interpreted as having been written from the perspective of a man -- perhaps with a girlfriend who's either dead or taken off -- who's deeply depressed and wants everything in his world to turn black to match his mood. Listen for the vaguely middle Eastern drumwork. It has been widely "covered" by other bands and allows Keith Richards to show his stuff. John Lennon is reported to have described it as the greatest pop song of the 20th Century.
Its staccato, machine gun-like pacing made it a logical choice for the opening music of the TV drama Tour Of Duty. Mitchell notes it's also the closing music in the movie Full Metal Jacket. No wonder it has come to be indelibly linked in mass culture with the Vietnam War.
By the way, rumours abound that this will be the song that starts off this weekend's Stones shows in Regina.
Tomorrow: Nos. 1 and 2
|
| 6th October 2006 07:39 AM |
|
|
| Ten Thousand Motels |
quote:
caro wrote:
Any list that doesn't include Stray Cat Blues is an ignominy.
By Ken Barnes
USA Today
Posted at 01:45 PM/ET, October 05, 2006 in Playlists
The Rolling Stones No. 2: Gems from the later years
This concludes the current series of playlists saluting venerable British rock acts now touring. We've had two lists of Who songs and one from the Rolling Stones' early years (1964-68). This one follows the Stones from Beggars Banquet to the present day, with an eye toward unearthing underappreciated items from their vast catalog.
1. Stray Cat Blues: So sleazy and nasty it inspired the names of two bands -- the original Stray Cats, as seen in the movie That'll Be the Day, and the rockabilly trio of the same name from the '80s. (Or, if the song didn't inspire those names, it should have.)
2. Love in Vain: Always nice to be reminded of how deftly the Stones could handle blues and R&B, with this Robert Johnson blues classic a particular standout.
3. Sway: Far from the most celebrated song on Sticky Fingers, but this raggedly majestic tune has always had me in its sway.
4. Rip This Joint: It's a lot harder than you'd think to pull off an original variation on a basic '50s rock 'n' roll theme -- most bands try to play too fast and fail to add anything fresh. Not this tune: It bristles with energy, is cool enough to cite Larry Williams' Short Fat Fannie, and is short, with a fat, sax-and-piano-enhanced sound that never fails to move fannies.
5. Star Star: Watch out for the chorus if cuss words offend you, but enjoy the piledriving rock rhythms.
6. Time Waits for No One: A memorable melody that's stood the test of time to emerge as the clear standout on It's Only Rock 'n' Roll.
7. Shattered: I always think of the Manhattanized lyrics and punchy rhythm of this track as the Stones' answer to the New York Dolls -- not that they needed to address the Dolls in any way, being in a much loftier sphere of existence. Fine song in any case.
8. She's So Cold: From a patchy album (Emotional Rescue), a reliably solid rocker.
9. Hang Fire: A less patchy album (Tattoo You), and another reliably solid rocker.
10. Undercover of the Night: A hit single of sorts, but severely underrated; its unnerving, tense sonic atmosphere and lyrical hints of covert treachery make it one of their two or three best songs of the '80s.
11. One Hit to the Body: Although this one isn't far off ... not for any lyrical depth but for a fantastically dirty, sinister intro riff that promises greatness the song comes pleasantly close to delivering.
12. Biggest Mistake: From their best album in decades, last year's A Bigger Bang, a rueful, tuneful closer that goes some way to counter the notion that the Stones' biggest mistake is continuing to make new records.
|
| 6th October 2006 08:02 AM |
|
|
| Gazza |
>The Rolling Stones No. 2: Gems from the later years
This concludes the current series of playlists saluting venerable British rock acts now touring. We've had two lists of Who songs and one from the Rolling Stones' early years (1964-68). This one follows the Stones from Beggars Banquet to the present day, with an eye toward unearthing underappreciated items from their vast catalog.
a song from 'Beggars Banquet' (1968) is now considered to be a gem from the Stones' "later years" ??? WTF? |
| 6th October 2006 08:28 AM |
|
|
| Jumacfly |
quote:
caro wrote:
Any list that doesn't include Stray Cat Blues is an ignominy.
Any list that doesn t include the complete tracklisting of Emotional Rescue sucks donkey balls. |
| 6th October 2006 02:24 PM |
|
|
| Joey |
quote:
Jumacfly wrote:
Any list that doesn t include the complete tracklisting of Emotional Rescue sucks donkey balls.
Good Afternoon Baby Juma ....................
What we drinking this evening ?!?!
|
| 6th October 2006 04:49 PM |
|
|
| nankerphelge |
Joey?
 |
| 7th October 2006 04:55 AM |
|
|
| Jumacfly |
quote:
Joey wrote:
Good Afternoon Baby Juma ....................
What we drinking this evening ?!?!
Clit Syrup baby! |
|
