Mid-Week Song

The venerable and durable Rolling Stones announced their 25th album yesterday, "Foreign Tongues."  The iconic Stones' core, less drummer Charlie Watts who passed away in 2021 and Bill Wyman who left the group years ago, of Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ron Wood still provides powerful music. Our song choice today is one of the single tracks released yesterday, "In The Stars," which harkens back to their roots as a band.  Enjoy.

Weekend Music

 

Happy 89th (!) birthday to original Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman (nee William George Perks). Wyman played with the band from 1962 to 1993 and was known for his steady bass lines, stolidly holding the bass guitar upright and usually chewing gum off on the side while the rest of the band provided the visuals.  (He was also known for some of his checkered personal life, but that was then.)  Here's a live performance of "The Last Time" in Dublin from 1965. 

Weekend Song: Les Pierres Qui Roulent

 

One of the last genres of music that we expected the Rolling Stones to plumb is zydeco, the Creole music that evokes New Orleans and jambalaya and whose syncopated sound is accented by an accordion and rub board or vest frottoir. In a tribute to the "King of Zydeco," Clifton Chenier, the Stones have cut a rollicking single on the "Tribute to the King of Zydeco" album, entitled "Zydeco Sont Pas Salés", rough Creole for "the beans aren't salted." (The term "zydeco" is a Creole pronunciation for the French word "haricot," meaning "beans"). That's Jagger on harmonica and vocals (in French no less), and Steve Riley on accordion. Enjoy your weekend and laissez les bon temps rouler! [As a footnote, 60 years ago this month, the Stones had their biggest hit, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"]. 

Mid-Week Song: Swordplay

 

From the Rolling Stones' new album "Hackney Diamonds," a classic Stones track that features original drummer, the late Charlie Watts, original bassist Bill Wyman, and the plinking piano of Elton John: "Live By The Sword." A hardcore throwback to their music of decades ago, the album features a range of guest musicians, including Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga, and Paul McCartney, and is the first album of their original music in 18 years. We featured "Angry". the first release from their album, on September 8.

Weekend Song: Angry

 

Finally. The Rolling Stones are releasing their first studio album of original material in 18 years with "Hackney Diamonds', on October 20. The album features Elton John, Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, and Stevie Wonder on some tracks, as well as the late, great original member Charlie Watts on two tracks. They've released a music video of a track from that album, "Angry," featuring the latest "it" girl Sydney Sweeney driven around LA in a red Mercedes convertible as she writhes to the music while billboards feature flashbacks of the Stones. So after 60 years, the Stones roll on.

Weekend Music -- A Fateful Meeting

 

On this day in 1962, friends and former classmates Mick Jagger and Keith Richards went to Ealing Jazz Club in Ealing, West London, to see a guitarist calling himself Elmo Lewis and a drummer named Charlie Watts playing with a band called Blues Incorporated.  "Elmo Lewis" turned out to be Brian Jones, and by July 1962, Jones was playing with the first lineup of The Rolling Stones (Charlie Watts would become the permanent drummer in February 1963).  And the rest, as they say, is history.

The band's first single was a Chuck Berry song, "Come On," which they released in June 1963, but only in the UK.  It reached #21 on UK charts.  Their first hit in the US was "Tell Me," released in April 1964;  it also happened to be the first Jagger/Richards composition to make the top 40 (#24) in the US. So, here's some early early Stones, thanks to a fateful April 7 meeting 61 years ago.

Mid-Week Songs: Master Drummer

 

We noted the death of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts yesterday with three of his performances with the band. As his band members and fellow musicians have noted, he was the backbone of the group with his intelligent, staccato and jazz-influenced drumming. His passing is a great loss for a generation of rock music, so we're going to offer two more songs by the Stones that Watts' drumming elevated. Listen in particular to the last minute or so of their flower power tune "Dandelion" when Watts demonstrates his jazz drumming power.

 

Weekend Music Twofer

 

New York City's Bleachers, fronted by Jack Antonoff, recently received some added buzz by collaborating with Bruce Springsteen on their 2020 single, "Chinatown."  Now they're out with a new album, "Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night," and a brand new single (co-written with Lana Del Rey), "Don't Go Dark," which we think illustrates Springsteen's influence on the band's music.

Our second song, "Out of Time," appeared on three  Rolling Stones albums:  "Aftermath" (1966 UK release), "Flowers" (1967 US release), and "Metamorphosis" (1975 release, with only Mick Jagger from the Stones performing).  The version from "Flowers" is the one we're most familiar with (and it's shorter by about 2 minutes), and is the one we're using.  Surprisingly, "Out of Time" has never been performed live by the Rolling Stones (along with all the other songs on the second side of the UK version of "Aftermath"!)!  Hope you enjoy the music, with Brian Jones adding a quirky but effective marimba, and set aside the Stones' patented mid-60's macho fronting!

 

 

Weekend Music

 

Fifty- five years ago today, the Rolling Stones' fourth album, "Aftermath," hit number 1 on the U.K. charts.  It was notable in that it was the first of their albums with all compositions by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and for the experimental structures and tones, largely thanks to the variety of instruments played by Brian Jones (like the dulcimer) that you wouldn't normally hear on a Rolling Stones album.  Oh, and also it had some of their best music.  Here are "I Am Waiting" and "Lady Jane" (the original mono version).

Weekend Music Twofer

 Los Angeles- based Saint Motel just released their latest EP album, "The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Part 2" in September (no, there's not a movie to go along with the soundtrack!).  This is a cut from that album, "Slow Dance," which is what the vote counters are doing now. Also on today's musical menu is the Rolling Stones' "I Am Waiting," from "Aftermath."  No need for further explanation. Hope you enjoy and have a great weekend.

 

 

Weekend Horses Songs

With the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby tomorrow, why not feature some appropriate songs referring to our equine friends? Don't say neigh; enjoy the ride.

Mid-Week Mick Song

Stones legend Mick Jagger keeps rolling along, celebrating his 73rd (!) birthday yesterday ("rolling" doesn't cover the half of it: not only does the aging rocker have 29-year-old girlfriend, American Ballet Theatre ballerina Melanie Hamrick, they're expecting a baby together).

In September 1965, the Rolling Stones toured Ireland, and the tour was documented in a film, "Charlie Is My Darling." Here's their hit from 1965, "The Last Time," in a cut from that film, being performed in Ireland when their screaming fans could still fit into a good-sized theater.

Look Who's Turning 70 Mid-Week Song

Who would have thought that legendary Stones guitarist and composer Keith Richards would have survived to see his 70th birthday, which is tomorrow?  His drinking and drug abuse -- which he's apparently kicked -- and general wear and tear on his body of five decades of rock stardom almost ruined him.  He co-wrote a large number of the Stones' songs with Sir Mick Jagger (gotta smile at that one), among them some beautiful ballads, one of which we feature today:  "Back Street Girl".  It's a song about a woman who is the mistress of a callous man at a much higher social strata.  The use of harpsichord, vibraphone and accordion make this one of the more un-Stones-like songs.  Early happy birthday to an unlikely survivor.

Weekend Rethuglican Convention Song

What better song as the theme for the women's-rights-and-ladyparts-challenged Rethuglican Party and its National Convention starting in a few days (Wrath of God notwithstanding) than the Rolling Stones' misogynistic classic, "Under My Thumb"? You're welcome, Rethugs!

Weekend Birthday Song Twofer

Yesterday was Rolling Stones founder and singer Mick Jagger's -- excuse me, Sir Mick Jagger's 69th birthday. This year is also the Stones' 50th anniversary as as band, one of the most important and successful bands in rock history. It was extremely difficult picking just two songs from their catalog (and these aren't necessarily our favorites), but as representative of Jagger and the Stones' work, they'll do just fine. (Please feel free to turn the volume up!)

First, "The Last Time" from 1965, with a brief cameo by British soccer legend George Best (this one's for you, Richie Poo):



And "Tumbling Dice" from 1972 (this one's for me):

Weekend Song

Thinking of Whitney Houston a bit when I finally landed on this as the weekend song.

Mid-Week Song

After Mama Fizzly's gaffe-ridden "Magical History Tour" up the east coast last week, this vintage song from the Rolling Stones kept running through our minds. Her grasp of American history is equal to her grasp of reality. As the Stones put it:

"I'm not talking about the way she digs for gold
Look at that stupid girl
Well, I'm talking about the way she grabs and holds
Look at that stupid girl

The way she talks about someone else
That she don't even know herself
She's the sickest thing in this world
Well, look at that stupid girl"

Weekend Song

To most Americans, it's a weed - colorful, yes, but still a weed to be eradicated. To others, it's a green for making tea, or a salad ingredient. Either way, to me the dandelion's an early sign of spring and a reminder that gardens and lawns need tending. So here's your topical song for this spring weekend, courtesy of the Rolling Stones (and "the Bacmaster"). Now go tend your gardens!