Saturday, January 09, 2016

*The Genesis Of The World's "Greatest Rock Band"- The Rolling Stones

Click On Title To Link To YouTube's Film Clip Of The Rolling Stones Doing "Street Fighting Man".

DVD REVIEW

The Rolling Stones: Under Review, 1967-69, The Rolling Stones and various artists, 2007

Recently, in reviewing Jean Luc- Godard’s 1968 “Sympathy For The Devil”, an experimental film documentary montage that featured the creation of one of The Rolling Stone’s most well-known songs of that title noted that while I was more than happy to see The Stones creative process on that work I did not need to spend an hour and one half to do so. This had to do more with Luc-Godard’s pretensions and propaganda needs that with any problems with the creative process of The Rolling Stones. Here, in the film documentary under review, we are treated to an infinitely more noteworthy and worthwhile introduction to The Stones’ creative process at its height and their place in the cultural, or rather counter-cultural history of the 1960’s. Without the Luc-Godard hubris.

One should note the time frame of this exposition, 1967-69, that is important both for the period of Stones creative outburst and their connection with the various cultural events that defined the late 1960’s. A little time is spent by the “talking heads” British music critics, who also covered The Stones up close during this period and that drive the narrative of this film, on the early Stones and their efforts like “Satisfaction” and “Ruby Tuesday” as they attempted to compete song for song with the Beatles. However, the bulk of the time is spent discussing the latter period when The Stones went off to explore their own musical capacities. This period includes their efforts on “ Their Satanic Majesties” (an album that, while it has some historical value as acid rock, is virtually unlistenable, at least to this reviewer these days), “Between The Buttons” (a transitional album) and then on to the classic ‘Beggar’s Banquet”. “Beggar’s Banquet” is arguably the equivalent in the Stones discographic pantheon of Elvis Presley’s 1956 “Elvis” to his.

Along the way we get also get a look at the troubled relationship between the eccentric Brian Jones and the other Stones, his death spiral, and the eventual emergence of the Jagger/Richards songwriting partnership that has lasted until this day. We also get some fulsome analysis of individual songs like “Jumping Jack Flash”, the seminal “Gimme Shelter” and the above-mentioned “Sympathy For The Devil”. Various interesting arguments are made along the way for the role of music in the evolving counter-cultural/drug milieu of the time and whether and if that would be the revolution.

A lot of the argument centers on the meaning of “Street Fighting Man” as a personal statement by Jagger. We long ago learned- the hard way- that music, of itself, would not bring the revolution (here the fatal Altamont concert of 1969 kind of drives that point home) and that Mike was not going to lead, if he ever had such an intention, that revolution (“Gimme Shelter” is kind of his concession on that point). What is left then? Well, there is always that subjective question- Are The Stones the world’s greatest rock band? Pound for pound in those days I would argue that Jim Morrison and The Doors, on any given on night, could claim that title. But for the long haul, The Stones, hands down. View this well-done documentary to find out why.

"Street Fighting Man"

Everywhere I hear the sound of marching, charging feet, boy
cause summers here and the time is right for fighting in the street, boy
Tell me what can a poor boy do
cept for sing for a rock n roll band
cause in this sleepy l.a. town
Theres just no place for a street fighting man

A street fighting man
A street fighting man
A street fighting man

Do you think the time is right for a palace revolution
Where I live the game to play is compromise solution
Well then what can a poor boy
cept for sing for a rock n roll band
cause in this sleepy l.a. town
Theres just no place for a street fighting man

A street fighting man
A street fighting man
A street fighting man

Well what else can a poor boy do?
Well what else can a poor boy do?
Well what else can a poor boy do?
Well what else can a poor boy do?

Hey my name is called disturbance
Ill shout and scream, Ill kill the king, Ill rail at all his servants
Well what can a poor boy do
For sing for a rock n roll band
In this sleepy l.a. town
Theres just no place for
For a street fighting man

A street fighting man
For a street fighting man
A street fighting man
For a street fighting man
A street fighting man
For a street fighting man
A street fighting man
For a street fighting man

A street fighting man
A street fighting man
A street fighting man
A street fighting man
A street fighting man
A street fighting man
A street fighting man
A street fighting man


"Sympathy for The Devil"

Please allow me to introduce myself
Im a man of wealth and taste
Ive been around for a long, long year
Stole many a mans soul and faith

And I was round when jesus christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But whats puzzling you
Is the nature of my game

I stuck around st. petersburg
When I saw it was a time for a change
Killed the czar and his ministers
Anastasia screamed in vain

I rode a tank
Held a generals rank
When the blitzkrieg raged
And the bodies stank

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
Ah, whats puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah

I watched with glee
While your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades
For the gods they made

I shouted out,
Who killed the kennedys?
When after all
It was you and me

Let me please introduce myself
Im a man of wealth and taste
And I laid traps for troubadours
Who get killed before they reached bombay

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah
But whats puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah
But whats confusing you
Is just the nature of my game

Just as every cop is a criminal
And all the sinners saints
As heads is tails
Just call me lucifer
cause Im in need of some restraint

So if you meet me
Have some courtesy
Have some sympathy, and some taste
Use all your well-learned politesse
Or Ill lay your soul to waste, um yeah

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, um yeah
But whats puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, um mean it, get down

Woo, who
Oh yeah, get on down
Oh yeah
Oh yeah!

Tell me baby, whats my name
Tell me honey, can ya guess my name
Tell me baby, whats my name
I tell you one time, youre to blame

Ooo, who
Ooo, who
Ooo, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who

Oh, yeah
Whats me name
Tell me, baby, whats my name
Tell me, sweetie, whats my name

Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Oh, yeah


Gimme Shelter
(M. Jagger/K. Richards)


Oh, a storm is threat'ning
My very life today
If I don't get some shelter
Oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away

War, children, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
War, children, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away

Ooh, see the fire is sweepin'
Our very street today
Burns like a red coal carpet
Mad bull lost its way

War, children, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
War, children, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away

Rape, murder!
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away

Rape, murder!
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away

Rape, murder!
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away

The floods is threat'ning
My very life today
Gimme, gimme shelter
Or I'm gonna fade away

War, children, it's just a shot away

It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away

I tell you love, sister, it's just a kiss away

It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
Kiss away, kiss away


"Backstreet Girl"


I don't want you to be high
I don't want you to be down
Don't want to tell you no lie
Just want you to be around

Please come right up to my ears
You will be able to hear what I say

Don't want you out in my world
Just you be my backstreet girl

Please don't be part of my life
Please keep yourself to yourself
Please don't you bother my wife
That way you won't get no hell

Don't try to ride on my horse
You're rather common and coarse anyway

Don't want you out in my world
Just you be my backstreet girl

Please don't you call me at home
Please don't come knocking at night
Please never ring on the phone
Your manners are never quite right

Please take the favors I grant
Curtsy and look nonchalant, just for me

Don't want you part of my world
Just you be my backstreet girl

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