The Cavern
Rock & Words
THE ROLLING STONES (The Rolling Stones, 1964)
Artist: The Rolling Stones (A)
Date of Recording: Feb 3-25, 1964
Date of Release: April 16, 1964. UK
Record Label: DECCA
Producer: Andrew Loog Oldham and Eric Easton
Rating: 8.5
Era: Rock & Roll II, Early Sixties (1960-1966)
Subgenre: British Invasion
Best SOng: I Just Want To Make Love To You o I’m A King Bee
1) Not Fade Away; 2) (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66; 3) I Just Want To Make Love To You; 4) Honest I Do; 5) Now I've Got A Witness; 6) Little By Little; 7) I'm A King Bee; 8) Carol; 9) Tell Me (You're Coming Back); 10) Can I Get A Witness; 11) You Can Make It If You Try; 12) Walking The Dog.
Imagine it's early 1964 in the United States. It was a time when buses had separate sections for Black people (at the back) and white people. Racism was still commonplace, and Black rights were just beginning to emerge, at the risk of being burned alive under the yoke of the Ku Klux Klan. Now, imagine we're living in this era and a Black man dares to sit in the "white side" of the bus. What a scandal in such a puritanical, delicate, and conservative society! At the very least, the daring man should be publicly hanged! Right? Now imagine the opposite: a white boy who overcomes all shame and goes to sit at the back of the bus with all his Black comrades… BLASPHEMY!!! Would they hang him from the first pole they came across? Better yet: instead of one boy, let's say five; instead of the United States, let's say the United Kingdom; and instead of a bus, let's say Rhythm and Blues. The result is the Rolling Stones' debut album.
Just over a year before this album's release, Decca executives had given The Beatles the boot, arguing that rock groups were finished. Well, after two number one albums in the British charts and who knows how many number one singles the "finished" Liverpool lads managed to place under the EMI label, Decca still couldn't forgive themselves for such a colossal mistake. That's why, and only why, the Rolling Stones got their chance with a sound radically rawer and more purist than The Beatles'. Decca executives were desperate for a counterweight to rectify their error, and The Stones didn't disappoint, even though they were, in fact, a much bigger risk than The Beatles.
Thus, the Rolling Stones had far more freedom in selecting and performing the songs on the album than the Beatles did with their debut. Even the LP's sound, including the production, isn't far removed from the sound they must have had in the dives and bars of London where the quintet performed. The record smells of whiskey, cigarettes, and the dive bar on the outskirts of town where Black people gather to get drunk and laugh at the world as only they know how. Today, a Blues or Rhythm & Blues album made by white people is perfectly normal, but back then it was forbidden, like climbing to the back of a truck, into the section reserved for Black people. The production helps create these atmospheres. The sound is hollow, cavernous, dense. It seems as if only the applause at the end of the songs and the clinking of ice in glasses are missing to make it a direct recording from the bar. And I don't say this as a criticism; quite the opposite. The overall atmosphere is fascinating and perfectly complements the musical work of the future Satanic Majesties. The overall sound, then, was the most aggressive that had been heard up to that point from a white musician. The Stones were much more influenced by the purest blues of the Delta and Chicago than by Rock & Roll. But their interpretations, without abandoning their blues roots, were seasoned with more powerful electric guitar, fiercer solos, electric bass replacing the bluesmen's double bass, a jazzy drum sound that knew how to be wild when needed, and a lanky, uninhibited voice, fresh but perfectly suited to the song. All of this resulted in a sound louder and more powerful than the originals. The Stones were basically doing covers, but not performing them the same way; they were completely remaking them. With no precedents, they could do whatever they wanted.
The album opens with "Not Fade Away", a fast-paced R&B track where the harmonica responds to each verse Jagger sings, first tentatively, then with greater ease. The song itself isn't particularly remarkable except for this dialogue between harmonica and vocals, which is later replaced by guitar riffs in what we might call the "solo." This song was originally made famous by Buddy Holly. While the Stones didn't cement it in the collective consciousness as their own, like the Beatles did with "Twist & Shout," they did manage to completely transform it, stripping Holly's prudish style and turning it into an almost dangerous song compared to the original.
Next up is "(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66", another Keith Richards-style rocker, where he shines with his guitar arrangements throughout the song and in a blistering solo where not a single note is out of place. Keith showcases his burgeoning virtuosity with fast, ferocious, and precise arrangements. Although the tempo isn't breakneck, the constant arrangements create a sense of vertigo and speed, and before you know it, the 2:15 are gone, leaving you wanting more.
But without giving us a moment's respite, the Stones continue with "I Just Want To Make Love To You", another exhilarating, fast-paced, incisive R&B track, with intricate interplay between guitar, vocals, and harmonica. Here, Mick steals the show with his raspy voice, adding a "dirty" touch to the vocals without any attempt at sounding Black. It's worth highlighting: Mick creates his own unique singing style, which remains bluesy in every note, but he doesn't try to sound like anyone else; he doesn't copy or imitate. These years are Mick's best as a vocalist, especially for the Blues. In the 70s, he would try for a more Black sound, and the result would be disastrous. Here, he sounds fresh, sincere, and original, while still interpreting the genre flawlessly. This song also broke the mold with its content. It goes without saying that the censorship was immediate, and including it on a debut album was a very risky decision, but it certainly worked for them. The more parents and the self-righteous detested it, the more it fascinated young people. These lyrics are commonplace nowadays, but the title alone in 1964 was scandalous and a complete revolution in the music industry. It's definitely the most dangerous song on the album, and perhaps of that year, both for its lyrics and its frenetic rhythm. It encapsulates the spirit of the Stones during that early period.
They then slow the pace with "Honest I Do", a slow, rhythmic blues number where Brian Jones plays constant arpeggiated guitar riffs, but they sound very repetitive and unimaginative. Frankly, I think it's one of the album's weak points. Mick has a wild and expressive voice for fast songs, but he still needs a little while to fully master the slow blues. Not even the harmonica manages to create a strong enough arrangement to save the song.
Next up is "Now I've Got a Witness", with a truly delightful intro thanks to keyboards that sound like a sped-up Green Onion. Amazing keyboards, a harmonica that keeps adding flourishes, and Mick, this time content with playing the tambourine, as this is one of the Rolling Stones' instrumental tracks. Around the minute and a half mark, the guitar finally enters with a fast, sharp, colorful solo that never repeats itself. After the solo, Wayman's bass sound stands out. It's not a proper bass solo, but its volume rises as a prelude to the song's fade-out ending.
Next up is "Little by Little", a mid-tempo R&B track that's almost an instrumental. Mick has only a few vocal lines, but the song's strength, once again, lies in its impressive instrumentation. The Rolling Stones prove they're a perfectly oiled blues machine, where each instrument plays a unique and essential role in the overall sound. Every note is perfect, every harmonica flourish is delightful, the drum rhythm, though not constantly changing, is precise, and Charlie even ventures into simple yet effective drum fills that evoke his jazz sensibilities. All in all, a great song, perfect for listening to at the back of a bar with a whiskey in your right hand and a cigarette in your left.
Next up is one of the album's best tracks, "I'm A King Bee", where Brian Jones steals the show with his slide guitar playing. This song perfectly captures the Rolling Stones' spirit of doing covers. Without sounding too different from Slim Harpo's version, they slightly increase the tempo and make the slide guitar stand out much more in this version by eliminating the over-instrumentation of the original. This small detail makes the song sound both raw and fresh. The Stones prove once again that they are a perfect blues machine, where each individual contributes immensely, but where the whole ends up being much greater than the sum of its parts. I particularly love the middle section where Brian makes a kind of buzzing sound, evoking the sound of a bee.
The album continues with "Carol", a rock & roll number where Keith takes center stage this time. The rhythm is relentless from the first note, and that beastly intro sounds even more amplified in this version. Richard is clearly more comfortable with this type of song, in which he has greater mastery than Jones. Thus, it's impressive how the guitar responds to every phrase Mick delivers, always with distinct, diverse arrangements, full of color and freshness, with tremendous speed and without missing a single note, a single beat. The guitar sounds even more furious than Mick's voice. Songs like this and the previous one explain why the album was a complete smash hit in the UK and immediately launched them as the counterpart to the well-behaved Beatles.
Next up is "Tell Me (You're Coming Back)", the only original song on the album. While it's not one of the Stones' all-time classics, it's undeniably a good song, though curiously, it's not R&B but a melodic ballad closer to pop. The song is well-crafted, with an intro reminiscent of the harpsichord sound that would become so fashionable three years later. It has good hooks, excellent melodic and harmonic work, a rather catchy chorus, and features backing vocals for the first time… In other words, in terms of songwriting, the Rolling Stones sound more like the Beatles than themselves on this debut… Hahaha. The song is well-made, and you could even say it's lovely. Lyrically, Jagger and Richards have a lot of room for improvement, but at least it's a song about heartbreak and not a saccharine love song. A good debut as songwriters, in my opinion… But keep in mind, I'm only considering it as a debut: Better things will come, and we'll become more demanding.
After this pop interlude, the Stones return to R&B with "Can I Get a Witness". Here, Mick attempts to emulate the Black vocal style, but the result isn't very successful. It sounds forced at times. The song itself doesn't offer much. It's repetitive, following a three-note pattern that constantly repeats. The piano sets the pace, and there isn't even a decent guitar arrangement to make anything noteworthy.
“You Can Make It If You Try” follows this trend. It’s a slow blues, and as we’ve already mentioned, this style doesn’t quite suit Mick at this stage. At least the keyboard sound is interesting and has more variations than the previous song. There are also some backing vocals, which, while not on par with the virtuosity the Beatles displayed in this area on their debut, at least provide some support for Mick in this lackluster track.
The album closes with "Walking the Dog", another mid-tempo R&B track. This time, Mick delivers a strong vocal performance. You can almost see him winking at the girl he's trying to seduce while walking the dog. I love that "I own the world and can do whatever I want" attitude in this song, and he would later develop it in other tracks, eventually crossing the line and becoming a diva. But for the moment, this attitude is more positive than negative in the album's final product. Brian's guitar work is once again outstanding, featuring a more understated slide but with more embellishments and short solos. This song, besides being very well done, is pure fun and can be summed up in one word: Attitude. The very thing that propelled the Rolling Stones to become the second greatest band in history. A more than worthy ending to a more than worthy debut album.
This first Rolling Stones album deserves applause. Not every band comes along with such a well-crafted product that so perfectly encapsulates their spirit from the start—not even the Beatles. For starters, England's Newest Hitmakers broke down many barriers that no one dared to cross. It's imbued with a reckless, "get out of my way" attitude and a musical professionalism that, combined, sound simply delicious. No one had ever done anything like it before: Black music for white people, audacious lyrics, a mastery of R&B and Rock & Roll, and above all, tons of what I just mentioned: attitude. At the time, it was the most dangerous album and paved the way for bands with an equally defiant attitude, like The Animals or The Who. It would be more than four years before Led Zeppelin released a more powerful debut, but that's another story.
By Corvan
Jul/13/2008
