The Cavern
Rock & Words
BETWEEN THE BUTTONS (The Rolling Stones, 1967)
Artist: The Rolling Stones (A)
Recording Dates: Aug –Dec ‘66
Release Date: January 20th, 1967. UK
Record Label: Decca/London
Producer: Andrew Loog Oldham
Rating: 9
Era: Psychedelia (1966-1969)
Subgenre: Psychedelia
Best Song: Ruby Tuesday, with Let's Spend the Night Together hot on its heels.
Tracklist: 1) Let's Spend The Night Together; 2) Yesterday's Papers; 3) Ruby Tuesday; 4) Connection; 5) She Smiled Sweetly; 6) Cool Calm And Collected; 7) All Sold Out; 8) My Obsession; 9) Who's Been Sleeping Here; 10) Complicated; 11) Miss Amanda Jones; 12) Something Happened To Me Yesterday
I was determined to give this album an 8, but honestly, it's just too good for that. It's not exactly one of the Stones' masterpieces, but it's a very underrated album, with legendary tracks like "Let's Spend The Night Together" and "Ruby Tuesday," which stand out by far; but also a handful of other high-quality songs that are generally ignored. Even the Stones themselves underestimated this album, and shortly after its release, they complained that the sound wasn't what they were looking for. Obviously, it's far from being a masterpiece like the Stones' own Aftermath, or like Revolver, Pet Sounds, Blonde on Blonde, or… well, you get me? The fact is that the Stones' sound drew from all these albums to produce a very rich and varied one, with a lot of pop gems and going through genres ranging from Baroque Rock, hints of Psychedelia, Music Hall, Folk and powerful rockers, with Brian and Keith shouldering the musical weight, playing a great diversity of instruments, while Mick contributed with enormous lyrics, ranging from the last of that series of songs of contempt dedicated to his ex, to sublime love songs inspired by his new muse, Marianne Faithfull.
The Stones' personal and emotional state definitely had a significant influence on this album. I don't think women were as fundamental an inspiration on any other album; on no other album were the leaders (Keith, Mick, and Brian) in a better place personally, with stable partners and so motivated, which resulted in an enormous creative explosion and teamwork that would soon begin to unravel due to numerous problems. Between the Buttons is, therefore, the calm before the storm, and perhaps that's why it has such a strange, somewhat wild beauty—the perfect midpoint between the Stones' early and classic periods.
After the tremendous Aftermath tour, which many consider the Rolling Stones' best and most ferocious tour in their nearly 50 years on the road, the band members were exhausted. The tour ended on October 7th and marked the end of the Stones as a Rhythm & Blues band, as we had known them until then. They would never again perform their ferocious rock and roll on stage, and from then on, their transformation into a more mature and powerful band would intensify. During this time, Mick solidified his friendship with Marianne Faithfull, a beautiful singer for whom they had originally written "As Tears Go By." Keith Richards remained in a very stable relationship with Linda Keith, while Brian Jones was still driven by the glamorous Anita Pallenberg. That relationship wasn't exactly healthy; they were somewhat sadomasochistic and would have epic fights in the middle of clubs or restaurants, but after knocking out teeth, slashing each other's faces, pulling out each other's blond hair, and bleeding noses, they'd end up kissing like nothing had happened. So it was "normal," so to speak, and Anita became an incredible pillar of support during this, Brian's best period. A year later, when she betrayed him for Keith, Jones would fall apart and never recover, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Mick's relationship with Chrissie Shrimpton, his girlfriend of some time, was spiraling downward. Aftermath had been dedicated to her, with all his anger and disdain, and lyrics of breakups and contempt. However, they were still officially together despite the strained relationship. He had dedicated some of his harshest songs to her, such as “Stupid Girl,” “Under My Thumb,” and “Out of Time,” and the last in this series was “Yesterday Papers,” particularly cruel and abrasive. At the same time, he began to seduce Marianne Faithfull, who was still married to John Dunbar at the time.
In November, the band went into Olympic Studios in London and began working on new material. “Papers” had even more brutal lyrics than the ones we know, and Chrissie heard them, leaving her devastated. Around that time, the band went to a Cream concert, where a young, left-handed Black man with an American accent asked Eric Clapton for a chance to play a song. Clapton agreed; the man introduced himself as Jimi Hendrix from Seattle and forever changed the way guitar was played. Eric left the stage with an air of both humiliation and reverence, letting Hendrix finish the show. Keith Richards also left stunned.
Shortly after, Hendrix began attending the Stones' recording sessions, which were essentially parties. He didn't play on them, but the first hints of his influence on Richards are already noticeable, such as in the feedback solo on "Yesterday Papers" or the dense arrangements on "All Sold Out." Brian realized that whoever had Keith by their side was the one who held the reins of the group, so he took advantage of Mick's distraction with Faithful to corner Richards and seize creative control of the album. This is why the album is so vibrant, and Jones's hand is evident in the instrumentation and embellishments, experimenting again with flutes, dulcimer, organ, marimba, piano, and so on. For this album, Nicky Hopkins also made his first appearances with the Rolling Stones, and the legendary session musician would later become a key figure in their sound on future albums. Ian Stewart, by the way, didn't like Hopkins' presence one bit, and in low spirits, he started taking drugs like Brian and Keith, who were already deep into LSD (Mick, surprisingly, was very prudish at that time and hadn't yet tried hard drugs). Another constant attendee was Tara Browne, a young London socialite who embodied the spirit of Swinging London. In fact, many still credit him with making London the world capital in those early 60s. Tara was friends with all the Stones, and even the Beatles (Lennon dedicated "A Day in the Life" to him), but he was particularly close to Brian, the true public face of the Rolling Stones. On December 17th, Tara Browne died in a car crash after running a red light. His girlfriend, Suki Poitier, escaped the accident unharmed, and she would later be the one to comfort Brian after Anita's betrayal.
On December 19th, Mick publicly announced his breakup with Chrissie, and the following day Marianne Faithfull moved in with him, beginning the most passionate romance of Jagger's life. Marianne would inspire him as a new muse, and if Aftermath was filled with heartbreak, hatred, and contempt, and signified Chrissie's downfall, the new album was a sweet ballad dedicated to his new woman, the rise of Marianne. He composed "She Smiled Sweetly" for her, which would be the first song he wrote on his own, and which is considered his first song of true love, not just a fleeting infatuation. During those sessions, they also recorded "Dendelion," a beautiful psychedelic ballad that was released as a single, and which also contains certain references to Chrissie.
Meanwhile, Keith was also experimenting with new sounds and instruments under Brian's guidance. Guided by Jones, he gained confidence and dared to create his first riff, which wasn't based on guitar, but on keyboards. The song would eventually become "Let's Spend The Night Together," and on it, Keith himself also played bass, since Wyman was unable to create the crunchy sound he wanted. Keith also began another song based on piano, originally an ode to his beloved Linda. Brian got involved in this project, adding the rest of the instrumentation, embellishing it and taking it to another level with a recorder playing the tones of a hooting owl. They kept this piece closely guarded, tentatively titled "Title 8." Later, they brought Bill in to add a cello counterpoint. Since neither of them was proficient on the instrument, Bill played the fingerings and Keith played the bow. Finally, Bill himself played the cello, but plucked in a jazz style to give it a more baroque sound, in what would be his first recording without his electric bass. The song, of course, ended up being “Ruby Tuesday,” and the lyrics were added all the way through, creating a blend of love song and a sweet requiem for his deceased friend. That's why it exudes so much sadness and beauty at the same time. And perhaps that's why it still strikes me as the song with the best lyrics in the entire Stones catalog. Finally, the album features Keith's first song sharing lead vocals with Mick on “Connection,” the first step before he ventured to sing solo a few verses on “Something Happened To Me Yesterday.”
Brian, for his part, was devastated by Browne's death and, after the sessions, sank into a deep depression. He became so unwell that he chose not to spend Christmas in London and went with Anita to Paris, where Keith and Linda joined them on the 24th. Sometime in the early hours of December 25th, Keith saw him so distraught that he said, "Kid, you're not going to make it to 30." Brian looked down and said, "I know," in what would be one of the first and strangest premonitions of his untimely death.
Towards the end of the year, Chrissie Shrimpton attempted suicide, fearing the public humiliation that the release of "Yesterday Papers" would bring. She failed, and ended up sending Mick the hospital bill, which Jagger refused to pay.
One freezing December morning, Gerr Mankowite took the band to Primrose Hill for the album cover photos. They were all wearing coats, and Brian, with a scarf pulled down to his ears and clearly high, looked lost and had red eyes, which, according to the photographer, was done on purpose to steal the spotlight. The blurred effect was achieved with a smear of Vaseline around the lens, resulting in one of my favorite Rolling Stones album covers (and photos in general). The album title is a stroke of genius, the kind that would have been more typical of Ringo Starr. It turns out that Charlie Watts drew a caricature for the back cover. When he handed it in, Andrew Loog Oldham asked him what the album title should be, to which Watts replied "Between the Buttons," a British expression meaning "It's still up in the air." Oldham never realized that the title was still being discussed, and so the album ended up being called that, although no one objected.
This would also be the last proper album on which Oldham would remain as the Stones' producer and manager. During their American shows in January 1967, the producers of The Ed Sullivan Show (Ed Sullivan had to eat his words from a year earlier when he said on air that the Stones would return over his dead body) pressured them to change the lyrics of "Let's Spend the Night Together." Andrew didn't put up much resistance, and the Rolling Stones ended up singing "Let's Spend Some Time Together," which infuriated Mick. Jagger would wrest control from Oldham in the following months, eventually removing him from the group altogether. This would be the last album that the record label would tamper with, not only to create two different versions for the US and UK, but also to produce another American bastard album called Flowers. After that, the Rolling Stones would ensure they had absolute control over their own material. In every sense, from any perspective, Between the Buttons marks the end of one era and the beginning of another.
The album opens with “Let's Spend The Night Together”, featuring an atypical lineup: a spectacular Jack Nietzsche on piano, Brian Jones on the ethereal keyboards that serve as the glue holding the whole song together, Keith on guitars and the tremendous bass line—perhaps the coolest in the entire Stones discography—Charlie on drums with that splendid beat and gold-medal-worthy fills, Mick on vocals, and Keith on backing vocals. I think this is the first of many tracks where Bill Wyman is conspicuously absent. This is a great song. I don't know why, but I always felt it was a Keith song, one that describes his personality and bears his signature despite not having a prominent guitar solo; and indeed, I recently confirmed that almost the entire song was written by Richards. The song is perfect, a furious rocker with a bass line jumping around like nothing heard before, a kind of Stones "Twist & Shout" for its fresh and fun vibe, and for the dialogue between the lead vocals screaming and the backing vocals responding. It also shows a certain Pet Sounds influence in the bridge at 1:40 and in the complex harmonic arrangement of vocals, in which Jagger and Keith themselves recorded several tracks to answer the lead vocals, which sound relentless, violent, with an energy unprecedented even for Jagger, who had begun a bit of a feud with Roger Daltrey. The difference is that this is an original song by the band, not a cover like "Twist & Shout." And it's much more mature; Brian's organ playing is amazing and adds certain psychedelic nuances. Keith adds a few small guitar flourishes, like at 2:35, which also fit perfectly. In short, this is a song that required an impressive collaborative effort, a groundbreaking work for the exotic and colorful year of 1967, reflecting a loss of the "innocence" of the early 60s. In fact, the lyrics are quite explicit, an ode to oral sex in which one can't help but imagine the tongue supposedly designed by Warhol. The lyrics themselves caused censorship in the USA, although this didn't prevent the single, with "Ruby Tuesday" on the B-side, from reaching number one. It's an example of a pop song perfected, with precise vocal harmonies and a masterful build-up of tension, where not a single note is superfluous or out of place. A step forward for the Rolling Stones and an impressive way to kick off the album.
We continue with “Yesterday's Papers”, which has an apocalyptic intro with a deep, dark bass, before launching into an even more psychedelic melody. The instrumentation is very unusual, with Brian playing both the marimba and harpsichord, which lend a lysergic, dreamlike, and shimmering atmosphere. Bill takes over the bass line, vibrant, almost soulful, in very low tones that contrast with the rest of the music. Charle plays an exotic drumming style, almost entirely with his drumsticks. Keith contributes discreetly with a very simple guitar solo at 1:07, a single note lasting a few seconds but with a fuzz effect that already hints at Hendrix's influence. Immediately afterward, he joins the backing vocals with a short solo, to which Mick responds. The vocal melody is agile and catchy, and it's impossible not to end up singing that misogynistic chorus along with Jagger. The lyrics, by the way, were dedicated to Chrissie Shrimpton, and the song prompted her suicide attempt. Jagger didn't apologize and didn't even pay her medical expenses, but it's said he managed to stop the record's printing to soften the lyrics a bit… Imagine what the original was like! A good song, experimental and psychedelic, to end the cycle of silly girl songs that began in '66.
The album continues its high standard with another gem from the Stones' discography. I'll say it without hesitation: "Ruby Tuesday" is the best ballad they ever recorded. The song's baroque beauty, the exquisite delicacy with which the instruments weave together, the gorgeous melody—all of it demonstrates that the Stones were becoming masters of pop. Not even Brian Wilson and his Beach Boys have a gem that comes close: catchy, immaculate, breathtaking, and giving the impression that rock has leapt into the realm of art. It's that simple. Furthermore, the lyrics are, in my opinion, the most beautiful, profound, and philosophical in their vast catalog. A blend of Keith's loving reverence for his wife and a requiem for his late friend Tara Browne yields some of the most striking verses: “Don't question why she needs to be so free, She'll tell you it's the only way to be” or “There's no time to lose, I heard her say, Catch your dreams before they slip away.” In fact, the entire lyric is exquisite, brimming with symbolism and poetry that reveals their admiration for Dylan. This is one of the few times the Stones achieve this lyrical level, approaching the heights of their mentor. Musically, it's considerably simpler than it seems, with Brian playing an almost mythical, medieval flute, imbued with infinite sadness and owl-like tones. Truly remarkable considering he only learned to play it a couple of days prior and that it's what truly gives the song its character. Wyman plays double bass after the failed attempt to add cellos on their own. Keith plays piano. Charly enters with drum rolls and rhythm only in the choruses, leaving the verses drum-free. And Mick sings, with the rest of the band (except Bill) providing backing vocals. According to Marianne Faithfull, it was Brian who came up with the basic structure of the song, although he was never credited as the writer. Mick insists that he wrote all the lyrics, although most accounts contradict this. In any case, we are dealing with one of the masterpieces of rock, the first of the many pieces that make up the pantheon of that 1967 album. No Stones ballad, not even "Angie," "Beast of Burden," or "Wild Horses," would ever again reach this level of perfection. The British edition definitely lost more than half its impact without "Let's Spend the Night Together" or "Ruby Tuesday."
Next up is “Connection”, where Richards and Jagger share lead vocals, achieving complex and striking harmonies. It's a Keith rocker about the frustration of being stuck in airports waiting for flights while on tour. The rhythm is carefree and fresh, although at times they repeat the title and rhymes a bit too much, like “inspection,” “injection,” etc. Even so, the melody is infectious, and you can't help but join in with the pair of voices. Keith also does an outstanding guitar job, inserting embellishments, while Nicky Hopkins adds sunny and playful keyboards and Watts delivers Bo Diddley-esque drumming. Interestingly, the lyrics include the lines: “My bags they get a very close inspection, I wonder why it is that they suspect on, They're dying to add me to their collection, And I don't know, If they'll let me go.” This was just a few months before the Stones became embroiled in drug problems due to a press campaign following a police raid on Keith's country house. That day, curiously enough, was the first time Mick tried LSD because he was very worried about his image in the media. The irony is that those lyrics would become a common sight in every airport Keith visited for the next 12 or 15 years. A good song, carefree and fresh, not to mention visionary.
Then there's the gentle "She Smiled Sweetly", a ballad Mick wrote for his beloved Marianne. This song is heavily influenced by Dylan, being the first song he wrote entirely on his own, and evidently his first true love song. The vocal melody is simple yet beautiful, with Mick singing almost on the verge of tears. Keith plays the organ with an almost ecclesiastical solemnity, but it shows he was gaining confidence, encouraged by Brian to take up instruments that weren't typical for him. Nicky Hopkins handles the piano arrangements for the second half, while Charly provides a gentle waltz rhythm. The song is lovely and very well done, and Marianne must have felt truly flattered by her troubadour, even though the melody is a loose copy of "Just Like a Woman."
Next up is “Cool Calm and Collected”, with Nick Hopkins' piano doing a boogie. After the fun intro, they shift to a ragtime rhythm with mandolins, a (again) very dynamic and playful double bass, a trumpet solo from Brian (he never ceases to amaze me), and jazzy drums, creating a strange piece, a kind of British satire, closer to the Kinks' style. Incidentally, they play a curious game here, delivering fast verses and then almost completely cutting out the instrumentation for the chorus, leaving Mick singing the title. Towards the end, the song speeds up, and everyone seems to be going full throttle in a boogie, with Brian giving a masterclass on the harmonica. It's a slightly silly music hall song, but they manage to blend many sounds and influences, and in the end, it's a fun, experimental collage where you can practically hear the band laughing their heads off.
The B-side opens with “All Sold Out”, featuring two interwoven guitars that already show a nascent Hendrix influence. At the one-minute mark, there's a slightly chaotic solo accompanied by the catchy “Hey, hey!” chants. At 1:55, a short bass solo leads into a somewhat abrupt fade-out. The song itself isn't particularly remarkable, but even without much effort, they manage to create catchy and detailed tracks.
"My Obsession" is another hidden gem, with a swaying rhythm driven by a fuzzy bass, a somber drumbeat that carries the song, and extraordinary bursts of energy and cuts that set the tone. The guitar and bass riff is top-notch, on par with any of the great tracks on Aftermath. The band also creates complex vocal harmonies, with constant shifts, elongating the last syllables of the verses, cutting the song off completely, and then bringing it back through Watts. Hopkins again plays a prominent role with a frenetic and crystalline piano. The lyrics are dark, with excessive rhyme and, once again, very explicit sexual references for the time; towards the middle, during the piano solo, they create a perfect hook with the falsetto "Uhhh. Babyyyy, Uhhh Babyyy." One of the most underrated and forgotten songs on the album.
Next comes “Who’s Been Sleeping Here?”, an acoustic-based song that's a kind of tribute to Dylan's lanky tracks with The Band (then still Hawks), featuring pianos, very high-pitched harmonicas, and even Mick attempting to sing in the style of the great Bob. A lot of folk, which is clearly not the Stones' strong suit, but they pull it off well in this sort of improvisation where everyone does what they want over the basic structure. Richards even throws in a decent solo at 2:25. The lyrics are a direct complaint from Mick to Marianne, who was also famous for her active sex life. Birds of a feather, hahaha. The funny thing is that he was complaining to her while Marianne was, officially, still Mrs. Dunbar.
Then there's "Complicated", with its sharp verses, fast tempo, and a great bass line from Bill, which, in my opinion, steals the show. The guitars also stand out, with riffs between the verses, loaded with incredibly sharp fuzz, just like in the style of late '66 and early '67. Charlie also shines with his driving drumming, increasing the tempo for the coda and practically delivering his first drum solo. It's another song dedicated to Marianne, portraying her as a very complex girl, but one who's ultimately worth it: "She's very educated, she doesn't give a damn." I was seriously blown away!
The muse makes her presence felt once again in “Miss Amanda Jones”, with a massive explosion of pop power. It’s a Chuck Berry-esque rock and roll number, sped up and transported to ’67. Keith sounds confident in his element, showcasing his impressive technical skill with licks and arrangements throughout the track. It’s fun and short, but somehow it feels out of place in this transitional phase of the Stones, and for that reason, while not bad, it strikes me as the weakest point of the album.
The album closes with “Something Happened To Me”, a Stones joke mocking the police who were starting to give them trouble, and, towards the end, traditional jazz music. It's a kind of dress rehearsal for Satanic Majesties. Ian Stewart returns to keyboards, there's some carefree whistling, Keith sings some verses completely solo for the first time on a record, and Brian plays the sax. God, is there any instrument this man can't play? The ending is chaotic and hilarious, with Mick thanking everyone and saying goodbye in a thick British accent, making the parody perfectly clear, in case anyone hadn't noticed. Many don't like it, but the song is incredibly catchy, and as a joke, I think it works brilliantly.
A very good album. The second step in that transitional or intermediate phase of the Rolling Stones, comprised of Aftermath, Between the Buttons, and Satanic, before they settled into their classic or mature period with Beggar's. The band's good personal mood and chemistry are evident, making it one of their most vibrant albums despite the predominance of minor keys. Keith and Brian also showcase their creativity, daring to play whatever came their way, and doing so masterfully. A very underrated album. Although not a flop, it fell short in sales, predictably due to the number of quality records that had just been released, the sheer volume of Rolling Stones albums in such a short period (Aftermath, Got Live If You Want It, the compilation High Tide & Green Grass, and shortly after, the bastard Flowers), and because the two strongest tracks, “Let’s Spend the Night Together” and “Ruby Tuesday,” were released as singles and must be two of the band’s top 10 songs. Even so, the album is a forgotten gem from the mid-60s, with perfect pop melodies that will stay in your head for a long time and demonstrate that the Stones weren’t just an R&B group, but could compete with the Beach Boys and the Beatles on their own turf. It’s not a perfect 10 or a must-have, but it’s absolutely recommended. If you ask me, I listen to it far more often than the overhyped Exile…
By Corvan
May/20/2011
