The Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers

Personnel:

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Mick Jagger - Lead Vocals, Guitar, Percussion.
Keith Richards - Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals.
Mick Taylor - Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Acoustic and Slide Guitar.
Charlie Watts - Drums.
Bill Wyman - Bass, Piano.

Additional Personnel:

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Nicky Hopkins, Bobby Keys, Billy Preston, Jim Price, Rocky Dijon, Ry Cooder, Jack Nitzche, Paul Buckmaster, Ian Stewart, Jim Dickenson

Tracklisting

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BROWN SUGAR
SWAY
WILD HORSES
CAN'T YOU HEAR ME KNOCKING
YOU GOTTA MOVE
BITCH
I GOT THE BLUES
SISTER MORPHINE
DEAD FLOWERS
MOONLIGHT MILE

When 'Sticky Fingers' was released in 1971, the Stones were on top; their previous album (before the excellent live 'Get Yer Ya Yas out), the magnificent 'Let It Bleed', was already a legendary album. Mike Taylor had not contributed much on 'Let It Bleed' but his Contribution to SF will give a tremendous 'BANG' to that album. Keith Richards’ guitar playing had improved considerably, many say it's thanks to Taylor.

So, with the Beatles 'implosion', the Stones had been left as the official and uncontested 'greatest band of rocknroll on earth, as they liked to call themselves. Their new musical orientation for SF had been a very subtle blending of Rock & Blues. And that sound will stick with them in the years to come.

Jagger's songwriting, had improved along with Keith's. And that is one of the first thing that came out of the album.

On tour, the Stones were now a band of 11 musicians, and the 72' world tour will be their best ever. For their next album 'Exile On Main Street' the Stones had migrated in the south of France, and thus became the 1st tax exiles UK's rock band.

For 'Sticky Finger', the Rolling Stones, had invested on a fantastic mobile studio "the Stones Mobile". It was on that huge studio on wheels, that most of the SF tracks had been recorded. The songs talked mainly about sex and drugs. And useless to say that ALL the tracks in it were good and are still good. Time has not succeeded to give wrinkles to the album.

Jagger and Richards who will later call themselves 'The Glimmer Twins' had signed 9 out of the 10 tracks and had sought the services of Jimmy Miller to produce.

For that mythic 'Zipper Cover they had ask Andy Warhol to design it. SF will feature one of the Stones greatest hits 'Brown Sugar', and three of their timeless/ageless acoustic songs. The rest is rock tinged with blues.

1971, had been a great album year (Lennon's imagine, Who’s Who's next etc) but SF will send the stones very high, and will remain there, and will acquire the reputation of one of the greatest album ever made. Some think that Mike Taylor had been right to leave them in 74', personally I think the Stones have lost a lot of their subtlety with his departure, even though Ron Wood is a fine guitarist (when he is sober).

Another historical point, is that 'Sticky Finger' had been the first release under their brand new label, Rolling Stones Record'. For the conception of the famous red tongue an artist by the name of John Pasche did it for the modest sum of 50 pounds sterling, and had been given a bonus of 200 pounds in 72'. That symbol is one of the most famous of all symbols and looking at it one immediately think about and see the Rolling Stones.

Side One

Brown Sugar

That song, with that incredible riff and those back ground acoustic, reminds 'Street Fighting Man' but the resemblance stops here. The lyrics were about a double entendre of 'Brown Sugar" a mix of heroin and cocaine (which had become Keith's fav), and a sexy woman 'how come you taste so good' with that Bobby Keys sax solo. If I had one dollar bill for the number of time they have play that song live, I could buy myself a Fender Stratocaster along with a Les Paul.

Sway

That one is cooler than hell; the Stones like we had never heard them before. The best Mike Taylor solo in the entire album. A pure vintage piece, with mighty strings by Paul Buckmaster.

Wild Horses

That one's so beautiful it's simply my Stone's acoustic fav'rite. Jagger sings really well with Keith's harmony vocals.

Can't You Hear Me Knocking

That seven minutes track is here to surprise us again. The guitar part by Mick Taylor always reminds me a Santana performance, and that sax dialogue by Bobby Keys is genial the kind of tracks you wish can never end.

You Gotta Move

Lyrics by Fred Mc Dowell. Keith plays acoustic slide, and Taylor, electric slide with distinctive vibrato. The Stones have adapted and recycled that one really well from the Gospel it was.

Side Two

Bitch

side 2 starts fast and furious with that rhythm & blues with Bobby Keys dominating on top with his sax. Nice solo by Keith, and Jim Price plays a mean trumpet.

I've Got The Blues

This could have been a sequel to 'Love In Vain' . Billy Preston organ's skill makes of that track one of the best stones blues, and the lyrics plus Mike's voice, make you wanna cry.

Sister Morphine

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Simply the best drug song ever.It's been co written with Marianne Faithfull and recorded during the 'Beggars Banquet' sessions.

Marianne is supposed to have tried to commit suicide (on the footage of 'Ned Kelly' starring Mick Jagger) in Australia, in 1968.

In that song we have the pleasure to hear Ry Cooder the slide expert, and jack Nitzche plays piano. The imageries abound when we hear that song.

Dead Flowers

A country Rock, but with a difference. I don't really know the reason, but that one is one of my all time fav RS songs. I really love the sound of it, the lyrics and all.

Moonlight Mile

That one is bound to make you speechless if you have never heard it. What a good track to close such a masterpiece By far the best Rolling Stones album. 'Moonlight Mile is really a seven minutes grand final, with powerful orchestra adding to the already well conceived acoustic of the song, with piano by Nicky Hopkins who had just collaborated with John Lennon's 'Imagine'. It's a great 'Rock Ballad' with splendid guitar work by Richards/Taylor.

The single Brown Sugar/Bitch/let's Rock had been released on April 16 1971 in the UK, and on the 17th in the US without 'Let's Rock'. When 'Sticky Finger' was released at last it made a big bang, sold at 3 million copies worldwide, and climbed at number one...