Marianne Faithfull covers Lennon, McCartney and Harrison

Cover version of the month # 108-110

Marianne Faithfull covers Lennon, McCartney and Harrison

I took a bit of a dive into Marianne Faithfull's back catalogue following her death at the end of January and discovered some wonderful songs I had never heard before, including LOADS of brilliant cover versions.

Marianne's version of Dylan's It's All Over Now Baby Blue is really cool, but this blog is going to focus on 3 covers of songs written by John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison.

But before I start, I'd never seen the photograph above before! I discovered it while looking for an image to head this blog. What a super cool, utterly gorgeous woman Marianne Faithfull was! Effortless! Her hair, eyes, style, face ... stunning!

I'm A Loser 

Written in the whirlwind of Beatlemania but dripping with self-doubt and introspection, I’m a Loser was one of the first hints that The Beatles were evolving beyond simple love songs. Lennon, clearly inspired by Dylan, delivers a folk-tinged lament on failure and regret, wrapped in the kind of catchy melody that The Beatles had long since perfected. Were the lyrics about his marriage/relationship with Cynthia?

The harmonies are tight, there is a country tinge and twinge to the song and groove that you can imagine Ringo in particular being fond of. In fact, I would say that upon revisiting this song, it is probably more suited to Ringo. However, perhaps it was just too personal for John to give away. 

George picks a neat guitar solo and Lennon plays harmonica to help the groove. Lennon, it could be said, sounds perhaps a little too jovial whilst singing this song.

I'm a loser

And I lost someone who's near to me

I'm a loser

And I'm not what I appear to be

Originally released on Beatles for Sale in 1964, I’m a Loser would swiftly be followed by a more stark confession from Lennon with the single and title track of the next album - Help! This time, Lennon leaves the listener in no doubt that he means it.

A year on from The Beatles version, in 1965, Marianne Faithfull took I’m a Loser and turned it into something completely different. Faithfull's voice is firm, yet delicate and melancholic, full of heartbreak. There is more of a zip to the song, indeed this cover shaves 15-seconds off the already short (2.5 minutes) original.

Faithfull was only 18 at the time of recording her version, but already her voice carried a wisdom beyond her years. Her cover hints at the kind of raw emotion she would later become known for. 

Reading back through her tough life in the aftermath of her break up with Jagger, when she was living on the streets of London and addicted to heroin, the lyrics become a little haunting. Yet, as with everything Marianne Faithfull seemed to touch, there is beauty. You feel every word.

Yesterday

So much has been written about Paul McCartney's Yesterday that I'm really not sure if I can add anything helpful in this blog. But I'll give it a go!

Quite simply, it's a masterpiece! Paul singing over an acoustic and a string arrangement seemingly played on heart strings. McCartney is heartbroken, pining for his love and yesterday when, love was such an easy game to play.

Marianne Faithfull takes Paul's poetry and portrays the heartbreak and heartache perfectly. Released on her 1967 album Love In A Mist, Faithfull's voice is angelic, backed by gentle piano and a choir who sound heaven sent. Quite simply, this is as good as it gets. Sublime. 2-minutes 15 seconds of perfection.

Beware of Darkness - George Harrison

Written by George Harrison and released on his stunning 1970 album All Things Must Pass, Beware of Darkness beautifully captures Harrison's spiritual energy and empathy, the lyrics are both deeply personal and universally resonant.

George's delivery is gentle but urgent, his voice full of quiet authority. You believe him. The song, like much of All Things Must Pass, is awash in Phil Spector’s signature production—big, spacious, reverb-heavy—but at its core, it remains an intimate, almost prayer-like composition. Beware of Darkness has a really beautiful and pure feeling to it.

Where Harrison’s version warns you about darkness, Marianne Faithfull sounds like she’s already deep inside it. Faithfull recorded the song back in 1971 for an album Masques, but this sat unreleased until 1985 when it was released as part of compilation album called Rich Kid Blues. 

Faithfull strips away the warmth of Harrison’s original and replaces it with something raw and fragile. Spector's rich production is replaced by something sparse, stark, almost ghostly. The lead guitar is exquisite.

I get a little chill listening to Faithfull's cover. Marianne's voice, weathered and worn by experience, carries a depth that makes every word feel lived-in. She doesn’t just sing the warning—she has lived through it. Faithfull was only 25 when she recorded the song, but was struggling with addictions. Following her break up with Jagger, Marianne lost custody of her son, attempted suicide and was living on the streets of London. Masques was recorded to try and help her, the record label rejected it.

Faithfull's cover versions and The Beatles and George Harrison originals are added to my Everything Flows Cool Cover Versions playlist on Spotify which also features all of the songs listed below. Search for the title or CLICK HERE

Previous covers of the month blogs

1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 

2. Going Back To My Roots

3. Nirvana play The Vaselines

4. Slip Inside This House

5. Top 10 covers by Teenage Fanclub

6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

7. Time For Livin' 

8. Sound and Vision 

9. All Along The Watchtower

10. I Am The Walrus 

11. Guiding Star

12. You’ll Never Walk Alone

13. Hurt

14. This Guy's In Love With You

15. I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine

16. California Soul

18. Wonder wall 

19. Dancing In The Dark

20. Always On My Mind

21. Ceremony

22. Heroes

23. Different Drum

24. Wild Horses

25. Respect

26. Mr Tambourine Man

27. I Heard It Through The Grapevine

28. Superstar

29. Twist and Shout

30. Purple Rain

31. Baker Street

32. Not Fade Away

33. Stop Your Sobbing

34. I Don't Want To Grow Up

35. Serious Drugs

36. Dancing With Myself

37. How Does It Feel To Feel?

38. Love Buzz

39. ABBA-esque
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash

41. Discoland

42. Varshons 2 by The Lemonheads

43. The Langley Schools Music Project
44. Witchi Tai To
45. Our Lips Are Sealed
46. Sunshine Of Your Love
47. Here Comes The Sun
48. I Think We're Alone Now
49. Don't Let Me Down 
50. It's Oh So Quiet
51. Alcoholiday 
52. Summer Holiday
53. Who Do You Think You Are?
54. Head On
55. Nothing Compares 2 U

56. Hey Jude

57. Seven Days Too Long

58. L.O.V.E Love

59. Into Your Arms

60. Heart Of Glass

61. Take Me To The River

62. We Can Work It Out 

63. Talking In My Sleep

64. Lola

65. Lost In Music

66. My Little Red Book

67. Isn't It A Pity

68. Walk On By

69. Walk Away Renee

70. Tainted Love

71. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

72. Listen The Snow Is Falling

73. Mrs Robinson

74. He's Gonna Step On You Again

75. In My Life

76. Caravan Of Love

77. The Only Way Is Up

78. Dancin' Round & Round

79. With A Little Help From My Friends

80. Killing Me Softly

81. Ain't No Mountain High Enough

82. Drop

83. Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay

84. Sympathy For The Devil

85. I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor

86. Love Will Tear Us Apart

87. Indian Rope Man + bonus Strawberry Fields Forever + This Wheels On Fire

88. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You

89. Love The One You're With

90. Cum On Feel The Noize

91. Addicted To Love

92. Valerie

93. Ride On Time

94. Let's Dance

95. It Must Be Love

96. I Fought The Law

97. For What It's Worth

98. Do Your Thing

99. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

100. Don't Leave Me This Way

101. Shout!

102. God Only Knows

103. The Last Time

104. Bridge Over Troubled Water

105. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart

106. Louie Louie

107. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

The Last Time

Cover version of the month #103
The Andrew Oldham Orchestra covers The Rolling Stones

I consider The Andrew Loog Oldham Orchestra cover version of The Last Time by The Rolling Stones to be a complete re-imagination of the song rather than a cover. I just don't hear anything remotely familiar to The Stones version.

Andrew Loog Oldham was (and no doubt is still) a creative soul, bursting with ideas and energy. Loog Oldham was still a teenager when he offered to manage The Stones after seeing them in 1963. When Andrew wasn't managing/producing The Rolling Stones, he was busy crafting marketing campaigns, setting up Immediate Records, producing, guiding and also forming his own 'orchestra'.

One story that I love is how Loog Oldham locked Mick Jagger and Keith Richards in a room together until they had written a song of their own. The Stones, like many bands of that era, started as a covers band. That song they wrote was As Tears Go By, which became a hit for Marianne Faithful. 

John Lennon also recounted a tale of taking the riff of I Wanna Be Your Man to Jagger and Richards and they liked it. Lennon and McCartney then went off to the corner of a room to dash the song off. The Glimmer Twins were amazed - a lightbulb moment! The song would become The Rolling Stones second single.

Although The Last Time was classed as an original composition, the song lifts the melody and lyrics from The Staple Singers This May Be The Last Time. Jagger adds a couple of verses, while Richards and Brian Jones bring a wall of sound rhythm and a distinctive piercing guitar riff to the party.

Everything rides on the riff, the groove behind it, Jagger singing along on top. 

Well I told you once and I told you twice

But you never listen to my advice

You don't try very hard to please me

With what you know, it should be easy

Well this could be the last time

This could be the last time

Maybe the last time, I don't know

Oh no, oh no

After two verses and choruses there is an instrumental, still based around the lead riff, into the chorus and another verse. One final chorus then lead into  50-second outro, Jagger ad-libbing and screaming over his band singing maybe the last time. It sounds incredible, Jagger let loose and going for it. The song fades out, I wonder how long it went on for.

The Andrew Loog Oldham Orchestra version completely reimagines The Last Time, to the extent that you wonder if it is actually a cover version at all. There is no raw guitar riff, there is no sneering Jagger or a version of him, there is no dirty groove and rhythm. Instead, we have a sprawling, symphonic statement; layers of lush strings that sound timeless, cinematic and melancholic. 

The arrangement is sublime, this isn't a song anymore, it's a soundscape, an orchestral piece of music that flow, glides and soars effortlessly. If this is the first time you have heard this, it sure won't be the last time. I always have to listen to this 2 or 3 times if I play it. Once is never enough.

3 decades later, Richard Ashcroft and The Verve discovered the Loog Oldham version and were inspired, especially the section from 1-minute 37 seconds, to write and create Bittersweet Symphony. I'll maybe write about that incredible song another time.

The Rolling Stones version

Andrew Loog Oldham Orchestra version

The Rolling Stones original and the sensational Andrew Loog Oldham Orchestra cover version of The Last Time are added to my Everything Flows Cool Cover Versions playlist on Spotify which also features all of the songs listed below. Search for the title or CLICK HERE

Previous covers of the month blogs

1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 

2. Going Back To My Roots

3. Nirvana play The Vaselines

4. Slip Inside This House

5. Top 10 covers by Teenage Fanclub

6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

7. Time For Livin' 

8. Sound and Vision 

9. All Along The Watchtower

10. I Am The Walrus 

11. Guiding Star

12. You’ll Never Walk Alone

13. Hurt

14. This Guy's In Love With You

15. I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine

16. California Soul

18. Wonder wall 

19. Dancing In The Dark

20. Always On My Mind

21. Ceremony

22. Heroes

23. Different Drum

24. Wild Horses

25. Respect

26. Mr Tambourine Man

27. I Heard It Through The Grapevine

28. Superstar

29. Twist and Shout

30. Purple Rain

31. Baker Street

32. Not Fade Away

33. Stop Your Sobbing

34. I Don't Want To Grow Up

35. Serious Drugs

36. Dancing With Myself

37. How Does It Feel To Feel?

38. Love Buzz

39. ABBA-esque
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash

41. Discoland

42. Varshons 2 by The Lemonheads

43. The Langley Schools Music Project
44. Witchi Tai To
45. Our Lips Are Sealed
46. Sunshine Of Your Love
47. Here Comes The Sun
48. I Think We're Alone Now
49. Don't Let Me Down 
50. It's Oh So Quiet
51. Alcoholiday 
52. Summer Holiday
53. Who Do You Think You Are?
54. Head On
55. Nothing Compares 2 U

56. Hey Jude

57. Seven Days Too Long

58. L.O.V.E Love

59. Into Your Arms

60. Heart Of Glass

61. Take Me To The River

62. We Can Work It Out 

63. Talking In My Sleep

64. Lola

65. Lost In Music

66. My Little Red Book

67. Isn't It A Pity

68. Walk On By

69. Walk Away Renee

70. Tainted Love

71. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

72. Listen The Snow Is Falling

73. Mrs Robinson

74. He's Gonna Step On You Again

75. In My Life

76. Caravan Of Love

77. The Only Way Is Up

78. Dancin' Round & Round

79. With A Little Help From My Friends

80. Killing Me Softly

81. Ain't No Mountain High Enough

82. Drop

83. Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay

84. Sympathy For The Devil

85. I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor

86. Love Will Tear Us Apart

87. Indian Rope Man + bonus Strawberry Fields Forever + This Wheels On Fire

88. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You

89. Love The One You're With

90. Cum On Feel The Noize

91. Addicted To Love

92. Valerie

93. Ride On Time

94. Let's Dance

95. It Must Be Love

96. I Fought The Law

97. For What It's Worth

98. Do Your Thing

99. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

100. Don't Leave Me This Way

101. Shout!

102. God Only Knows

Anything Goes & Everything Flows DJ mix 4

 

Photo by Gered Mankowitz

In memory of Charlie Watts, this months Anything Goes & Everything Flows DJ mix kicks off with the outstanding Happy from The Stones epic Exile On Main Street album. Blasting out one of my favourite Stones songs led me to creating a rock n roll  style mix, the kind of tunes that would blast out in McChuills on High Street. A lot of the artists that feature in this mix have record sleeves adorning the walls in my favourite pub.

This mix would soundtrack a great night! Raw guitars, dirty grooves, cool hooks, vocals, soul and attitude dripping out of each and every song.

Enjoy. You can find this mix on Spotify by searching for Everything Flows DJ mix 4 

or by CLICKING HERE

Tracklist

Happy - Rolling Stones

Have Love Will Travel - The Sonics

Green Onions - Booker T and the M.G.'s

Baby, Please Don't Go - Them

Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan

Louie Louie - The Kingsmen

Crosstown Traffic - Jimi Hendrix

Wild Thing - The Troggs

I Wanna Be Your Dog - The Stooges

My Generation - The Who

My Little Red Book - Love

I'm Waiting For The Man - The Velvet Underground

L.A. Woman - The Doors

Roadrunner - The Modern Lovers

The Jean Genie - David Bowie

Personality Crisis - New York Dolls

Tin Soldier - Small Faces

Till The End Of The Day - The Kinks

Jumpin' Jack Flash

Called supernatural Delta Blues by way of swinging London by Rolling Stone magazine, Jumpin' Jack Flash was released by The Rolling Stones 50-years ago back in 1968.

It still sounds absolutely incredible. The guitars crash and collide, sounding raw and vital, the beat kicks in and so does Jagger.

I was born in a cross-fire hurricane

And I howled at the morning driving rain

But it's all right, now, in fact it's  gas

But it's all right, I'm Jumpin' Jack Flash

It's a gas, gas, gas

The line in the second verse I was schooled with a strap right across my back is brilliant, the riffing and grooving is relentless and the whole song and performance just oozes cool.

Here are the Stones getting it on in Texas in 1972 and click here for the original. 

How on earth do you even dare to cover so thrilling?!

Well it has been covered well over 1,000 times! However, if you are someone called Ananda Shankar you turn it into a largely instrumental psychedelic sitar infused jam with soaring backing vocals for the hooks. This version was released on an album of covers back in 1970. I first heard this a long, long time ago in one of my best friends bedrooms. We'd meet up on Friday and Saturday nights and play each other the latest records/cd's we'd bought and discuss the music news from the NME and Melody Maker - simpler times!

Reddy had stumbled across a David Holmes mix/compilation and this was on it. It blew our minds and was yet further evidence of Holmes impeccable taste and crate digging credentials.

It is very different, yet it keeps the groove you can feel the energy from the song, just like the Stones. With a song like this I don't think you could contain the energy from the lyrics and groove.

Enjoy.

Previous covers of the month

1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 

2. Going Back To My Roots

3. Nirvana play The Vaselines

4. Slip Inside This House

5. Top 10 covers by Teenage Fanclub

6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

7. Time For Livin' 

8. Sound and Vision 

9. All Along The Watchtower

10. I Am The Walrus 

11. Guiding Star

12. You’ll Never Walk Alone

13. Hurt
14. This Guy's In Love With You

15. I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine
16. California Soul
18. Wonder wall 
19. Dancing In The Dark
20. Always On My Mind
21. Ceremony
22. Heroes
23. Different Drum
24. Wild Horses

25. Respect
26. Mr Tambourine Man
27. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
28. Superstar
29. Twist and Shout
30. Purple Rain
31. Baker Street
32. Not Fade Away
33. Stop Your Sobbing
34. I Don't Want To Grow Up
35. Serious Drugs
36. Dancing With Myself
37. How Does It Feel To Feel?
38. Love Buzz

39. ABBA-esque

Never Ending Mixtape Part 24

My Never Ending Mixtape now has over 600 songs! Welcome to the 24th installment.

Welcome to the latest additions where we kick off with a euphoric house/trance remix of Moby, I discover songs from Pan Amsterdam, King Khan and the Shrines, a new one by Eleanor Friedberger and dig into Norman Blake's extra curricular activities from Teenage Fanclub with some beautiful tunes from Jonny and a great song with Jad Fair.

Elsewhere we have two psychedelic classics from The Beatles, Stuart David's post Belle and Sebastian outfit Looper with the glorious Mondo 77, there is plenty of soul including the euphoric Higher and Higher, a brilliant pop single from Shocking Blue and glorious 90's indie from Madder Rose. Oh and what about Prince with Nothing Compares To You!? Not to mention Wichita Lineman!

Search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify and dig in to some of my favourite songs and tunes and artists I discover as I go. Or CLICK HERE.

I hope you find something you haven't heard before that you love.

This Wild Darkness (CYA remix) - Moby
The Lotion Song - Pan Amsterdam
Nothing Compares To You - Prince
Mondo 77 - Looper
I Want To Be Around You - Jonny
Never Alone - Jonny
Add Your Name - Jad Fair and Norman Blake
Is It Like Today - World Party
Welfare Bread - King Khan and the Shrines
Make Me A Song - Eleanor Friedberger
Time Is Tight - Booker T and the M.G's

I Am The Walrus - The Beatles
Respect Yourself - The Staple Singers
Israelites - Desmond Dekker and the Aces
The Clapping Song - Shirley Ellis
My World Is Empty Without You - The Supremes
A Horse with No Name - America
Mellow Yellow - Donovan
Venus - Shocking Blue
Tumbling Dice - The Rolling Stones
Band On The Run - Paul McCartney
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher - Jackie Wilson

Wichita Lineman - Gen Campbell
Ain't Got No Life - Nina Simone
Love's Theme - The Love Unlimited Orchestra
Stronger Than Her Love - The Flirtations
Swim - Madder Rose
What Holly Sees - Madder Rose
When Your Smile - Madder Rose
For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield
A Day In The Life - The Beatles

Never Ending Mixtape Part 22

Welcome to a bonus edition of the Never Ending Mixtape.

I have listened to sooooo much music through March that I'm posting 2 updates to the mixtape this month.

The latest additions might be the most eclectic selection of tunes in a blog yet; we have the unique and brilliant Stereolab, the gorgeous tones of Cat Power, truly amazing songwriting and delivery courtesy of Wilco and Jeff Tweedy, artists I have never heard of before like Fruit Bats (not the guy from Carter USM.... at least I don't think so!), Phil Cordell and Darondo, some of my really favourite tunes like Saint Etienne's version of Neil Young's Only Love Can Break Your Heart, He'd Be A Diamond by The Bevis Frond and I Am A Rock by Simon and Garfunkel.

And more! Electro perfection from the Chemicals, Orbital and Lemon Jelly, classics from Fleetwood Mac and George Harrison, the exceptional version of The Last Time by the Andrew Oldham Orchestra that Richard Ashcroft used for Bittersweet Symphony, we have underground indie/dance from The Pastels and ESG sitting beside pure pop perfection from Madonna, we have a song from Belle and Sebastian with my sister Carla on lead vocals!!!!! And some hidden bonus tracks from Evan Dando, rock n roll from JAMC, the bonkers and brilliant Beta Band....

And just read on..... Search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify or click HERE.

Miss Modular - Stereolab
Way We Won't - Grandaddy
Dark End Of The Street - Cat Power
Gold Soundz - Pavement
All Your Secrets - Yo La Tengo
Jesus, etc - Wilco
I'm Always In Love - Jeff Tweedy
Crazy About You - Whiskeytown
When U Love Somebody - Fruit Bats
Pot Kettle Black - Wilco
There She Goes Again - The Velvet Underground
What Goes On - The Velvet Underground
That's That - Cass McCombs
Head On - The Jesus and Mary Chain
Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Saint Etienne
He'd Be A Diamond - The Bevis Frond
Squares - The Beta Band

Inner Meet Me - The Beta Band
Hudson Line - Mercury Rev
Reservations - Wilco
I Am A Rock - Simon and Garfunkel
What Is Life - George Harrison
Everywhere - Fleetwood Mac
Nathan Jones - The Supremes
Surface To Air - Chemical Brothers

The Staunton Lick - Lemon Jelly
Copenhagen - Orbital
The Last Time - Andrew Oldham Orchestra
Sweet Jane - The Velvet Underground
Dance - ESG
Material Girl - Madonna
Best Friend - Belle and Sebastian
Tongue Tied - Evan Dando
Whoops - Evan Dando
Rudy With A Flashlight - Evan Dando
Looking For Space - Evan Dando

Hitchin' A Ride - The Pastels
Femme Fatale - The Velvet Underground
Something On Your Mind - Karen Dalton
Red Lady - Phil Cordell
Didn't I - Darondo
Yesterday's On My Mind - Chrish Cohen
Baby I'll Come - Mary Love
Can't Get Away - Rodriguez

Not Fade Away

Cover version of the month #32

The Stones cover Buddy Holly

The Rolling Stones launched in June 1963, releasing a cover version of Chuck Berry's Come On, they would follow that with a Lennon and McCartney number I Wanna Be Your Man that the duo bashed out in 20-minutes to help The Stones and their manager Andrew Loog Oldham.  In search of original material there are stories that Loog Odham eventually resorted to locking Jagger and Richards in a room until they came up with something!

Their third release, in February 1964, was a scorching cover of Buddy Holly's Not Fade Away. They transformed the song, stamping their identify of rock n roll blues all over it. Brian Jones playing the mouth organ sounded a million times more exciting than when Lennon played his less than 2 years previously on The Beatles Love Me Do.

The original by Buddy Holly and The Crickets was written in 1957 and released as a b-side to the single Oh Boy and on the album The Chirping Crickets in 1958. The Stones keep the structure of the song but they turn it into raw and electric rock n roll. The difference is quite staggering, the drummer for the Crickets pounds the beat on a cardboard box! Through each recording you see the move from skiffle to rock n roll. No-one would ever look back.

The urgency in Jagger's voice is striking from the off. When Jagger sings it you believe him, you believe he's a lover and you kind of fall for him; hook, line and sinker.

I wanna tell you how it's gonna be, you're gonna give your love to me,

I wanna love you night and day, well love is love and not fade away

The handclaps, beats, Brian Jones on harmonica, the acoustic rhythm and the explosion of Richards on electric guitar sound incredibly exciting - even in 2018. The Stones transform the original and in under 2-minutes display the energy that captivated audiences across the globe.

Check the magnificent interview and performance from 1964 below and then the studio recording, followed by the original by Buddy Holly and The Crickets.

Previous covers of the month

1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 

2. Going Back To My Roots

3. Nirvana play The Vaselines

4. Slip Inside This House

5. Top 10 covers by Teenage Fanclub

6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

7. Time For Livin' 

8. Sound and Vision 

9. All Along The Watchtower

10. I Am The Walrus 

11. Guiding Star

12. You’ll Never Walk Alone

13. Hurt
14. This Guy's In Love With You

15. I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine
16. California Soul
18. Wonder wall 
19. Dancing In The Dark
20. Always On My Mind
21. Ceremony
22. Heroes
23. Different Drum
24. Wild Horses

25. Respect
26. Mr Tambourine Man
27. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
28. Superstar
29. Twist and Shout
30. Purple Rain
31. Baker Street

The Rolling Stones in 1972 - the perfect band?

I'm still pretty blown away by the fantastic Crossfire Hurricane documentary that aired on BBC3 a week or so ago. Having watched it a few times (with no uge to delete it from my Sky+ planner at all) it has got me thinking, were The Rolling Stones circa 1972 the perfect band, the definitive band?

The documentary is certainly evidence in support of that question. Jagger is just incredible, a ball of energy, twitching, strutting, dancing, teasing, pouting and singing with all his soul, the ultimate front man, you just can't take your eyes off him. The band just lock into grooves, each seemingly knowing where the rest are going, playing with a 'tight looseness' that other bands could only dream of finding. Richards is 'rock star' personified, the combined sound of Richards and Mick Taylor's guitars is like nothing before or since.

They look fantastic, both Jagger and Richards have haircuts of the coolest order. Jagger is in peak shape, toned and muscular. Charlie Watts looks like nothing could ever phase him, and in 1972 he must have seen some sights!

They just let rip, touring their exceptional 'Exile On Main Street' double album. They had an edge; though drugs, the volatile relationship between Jagger and Richards and just the sheer energy from their songs and performance.

Looks, songs, performance and the lifestyle, the Stones in 1972 had it all. Here are some highlights.

All down the line

Happy

Jumpin' Jack Flash

Brown Sugar

Gimme Shelter