http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj-lcvtYHPo
An outtake from the Stones’ 1978 masterpiece “Some Girls” that should have definitely been included in the original mix of songs, but now has thanks to the Deluxe Edition double CD that was recently released. While this cover of the Freddy Cannon classic is a damn nice discovery, the version by the Flamin’ Groovies from the early 1970s is even better:
https://davesstrangeworld.com/2012/08/07/tallahassee-lassie-the-flaimin-groovies/
Another moment of genius from the early Stones. From their severely underrated album “Out of our Heads” comes this cover of a song first recorded by Solomon Burke in 1962. Like many of their early great songs, the song builds wonderful tension that explodes during the chorus. Classic rock stations: burn that freakin’ copy of “Hot Rocks 1964-1971” you play ad nauseum and start digging deep!!!
Pre-major label Social D. covers one of the Rolling Stones’ most beautiful and most troubling songs.
The original is a lovely-sounding acoustic ballad, where the protagonist is a rich guy who tells his mistress in no uncertain terms what her place is in his life. As I said earlier about the Stones’ original, “Jagger and the gang could be doing an ironic Randy Newman-esque take on a sleazy, phliandering rich guy, which I would buy … except for the fact that I’m sure that the attitude of the song’s narrator is not far from the way they probably felt about women back in the day. A great song with contradictory and often troubling messages? Hmm … sounds like the Stones to me in a nutshell.”
Social D. says “Ah, bulls–t!” to such nonsense and just bashes through the song as Social D. is wont to do. I can’t say that they’re wrong in their approach.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKNSm8_CTOY
One of the rare occasions from the mid-1960s where Jagger and the boys played it classy with the ladies. A cool, non-sappy, sincere declaration of love and appreciation. Goes down smoothly like a fine Pinot on a summer night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7yABFmmIeU
I find that this version of “Sister Morphine,” sung at the time when Marianne Faithfull was actually going through the hell of what she’s singing about, is more compelling than the version she did at the end of the 1970s. Yes, the Stones’ version on “Sticky Fingers” is damn good, but this version is better in my opinion.
A terrific cover of the Rolling Stones classic by Irma Thomas, recently revived on the HBO series “Treme.”
There was a time in the late 1960s when people turned to Fleetwood Mac because they thought the Rolling Stones were too pop (yes, this was during the “Beggar’s Banquet” / “Let it Bleed” years). Of course, this is ironic, considering that Fleetwood Mac achieved their biggest success by embracing pop in the mid-late 1970s. While “Rumours” is one of the deservedly massively popular albums of all time, I really dig their early blues-purist roots. This is Fleetwood Mac, pre-Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham/Christine Mcvie. Great hard-edged British blues.
As much as I believe John Phillips should be roasting in hell right now, this is a beautiful song. And yes, that is Keith Richards playing guitar and singing backup. From Phillips’ posthumously released “Pay, Pack, and Follow,” an album that was intended to be released on the Rolling Stones’ record label in the late 1970s.
The Stones do a stellar version of this 1968 Stevie Wonder classic. It was recorded in 1969, but not released as a single until 1975, when it appeared on the odds and ends album “Metamorphosis.” It’s also included on the Stones box set “The Singles Collection.” Wonder’s original version appeared on his album “For Once in My Life” and was the B-side of his single “My Cherie Amour.”
Seriously, please turn your irony detectors to “stun.” I’m not about to point out every point of strangeness about this cover. Everything you could begin to say about this has already been thought of by yours truly. And I would say you’re absolutely right, but I can’t quite hear you, because this cover is so damn awesome. Recorded during Little Richard’s severely underrated late 1960s-early 1970s Reprise Records period.
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