The Rolling Stones were part of the British Invasion that hit the American shores in the early 1960’s. The Stones were probably the most popular British band in the U.S. right after the Beatles. Comparatively, they were more raw and sexually charged than the Fab Four and their music reflected an energy that made people want to act in a primal fashion. As to date, the Rolling Stones have released 24 albums, 8 concert albums and numerous compilations in the United States, They were amongst the first bands inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame (1989) and were chosen as the 4th Greatest Band of All Time by the Rolling Stone Magazine’s 2004 Greatest Artists of All Time. Below are my pick of the Top Five Rolling Stones’ songs of all time.
Paint It, Black – A haunting single released by the Stones in 1966, this song looks at depression and the anger that goes along with it after a lover dies or leaves. The throbbing base line in the music, the sitar, and borrowed lyrics from James Joyce (I turn my head until my darkness goes – Ulysses) make this song the top of the list.
Sympathy for the Devil— 1968’s Beggar’s Banquet spawned has the Stones, speaking as the voice of Lucifer, disrupting people’s lives through the ages. While the song has been called an “anthem of evil” it is really talking about that there is a little devil in all of us and that we are eager to damn some people for their transgressions while some we sins tolerate and are even polite about.
Mother’s Little Helper- This song, from the 1966 album Aftermath, talks about “what a drag it is getting old”, but what the song is really talking about is that people were saying kids were doing drugs and the “adult world” was not understanding the kids, yet, they were doing the same things, but justifying the drugs by getting them prescribed from a doctor. The mother has an overdose at the end of the song and the Stones explained that they were just as dangerous as what the kids were doing.
Angie – This song was originally released in 1973 on the Stone’s Goats Head Soup album. The rumor is that Mick Jagger wrote this song about Angie Bowie, the wife of David Bowie, after a tryst between the two. Another states that the song really was about Mick’s breakup with Marianne Faithfull – or it could have been named after Keith Richard’s daughter (named Angie) who was born right around the time this song was released.
Yesterdays Papers- A simplistic song from the 1966 album, Between the Buttons, the tune is about comparing women to newspapers and always wanting a new one that can entice the singer’s interest. The comparison goes as far as to say that there is only depressing tales in the newspapers and that’s everything that he remembers about the girl, but when the next edition (of both) come out, he can’t wait to see what happens. Note: This was the first song that Mick Jagger wrote by himself.
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