And I've reached the end of the 60's. Apart from the 39 records I own from that decade, most of them classics, there's hundreds more that make it an unbelievable era for music. But I have about double that number from the 70's so I have that to look forward to.
I always thought the title of this album was a humorous allusion to The Beatles' Let It Be, but this record pre-dates that one by about six months so I guess it's just a coincidence. But regardless, those two titles seem to perfectly encapsulate the difference between these bands; the Stones were always willing to get a little dirtier.
On the cover, a cake rests atop four more layers: a tire, a pizza, a clock, and a film canister. I'm sure all these are representative of something, but I have no clue. Either way, it looks pretty cool.
And the music? "Gimmie Shelter" slowly builds with an unsettling guitar and howl that just crawls into your ears. Keith Richards changed things up a lot on this album, making every riff seem to cry out with a heavy vehemence that dances with Jagger's own gritty growl.
The Robert Johnson cover "Love In Vain", classic and heartbreaking, is attributed to the blues legend's pseudonym Woody Payne on the record sleeve. The album closer, "You Can't Always Get What You Want", features a church choir that seems to poke fun of the band's reputation at the time as a group of satanists, while the lyrics summarize the theme of the album - imperfection is perfect.
favorite song: "Love In Vain"
you can't always get what you want... absolutely in my top 10 favorite songs ever.
ReplyDeleteMine too.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love 'let it bleed' as well from that album.