Next Friday the Stones are playing at Churchill Downs and I am going. I haven’t seen them live in over 25 years. I can’t say I am a huge fan, but when I saw them in the early 80’s, I went because I was quite sure it would be their last tour.
This was our discussion back then:
“Like, I think we should, you know, go and stuff, because, you know, they are so, like, old. They’re not like, really grody or anything yet, but, you know, they won’t be able sing and stuff much longer, you know. I’m like for sure they will like have to retire soon and stuff. I mean like it would be gross if they like, kept trying to act all, like young and stuff much longer you know. This will like be our last chance to like, ever seem them like, you know, live.”
This time the reason I am going is not because I think this will be their last tour, I am quite sure they will outlive me. This time I am going because I think it will be fun, and rather unique to see them on the track at Churchill Downs.
Since I am not a big fan, I don’t have much of their music. I want to load up my IPod with Stones songs to listen to this week to get ready.
What would you recommend I get? I would like a little something from each era.
At one point early in the history of the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger was quoted as saying something like “I can’t imagine still being a Rolling Stone when I’m forty.” He was reminded of this quote on his fortieth birthday. He said, “I didn’t say that I wouldn’t do it. I just said that I couldn’t imagine it.”
Geez, before this whole iPod thing, you used to be able to recommend albums and be done with it.
That’s what I’m going to do anyway, because it’s just too much work to parse all of them for songs.
As far as their early works go, you could just d/l *Hot Rocks * or High Tides and Green Grass.
Many folks refer to their best albums as “The Big 4” - Beggar’s Banquet, Let It Bleed, *Sticky Fingers * and Exile on Main St.. Most anything off those 4, plus maybe Some Girls would give you a good start.
A friend took a writing course recently and, for one of the exercises, he had to write his own obituary. He ended with the sentence, “He is survived by his wife, three children, and Keith Richards.”
Arky speaks the truth - The Big 4 are essential, as is Some Girls - I round it out with Hot Rocks for their earlier hits - there’s a bit of overlap with the Big 4, but not in a prohibitive way…
That is sort of like when I was in about second grade, we were learning how to add and subtract dates. I found I would be 36 years old in the exciting year of 2,000. I was very depressed to realize I would be too old to go to a New Year’s Eve Party then. I guess I figured I would be sitting in my rocking chair, asleep by 9:00 PM.
Thanks for the music suggestions An Arky and Wordman. Sounds like just what I need to get me ready!
Waits says:
“A friend took a writing course recently and, for one of the exercises, he had to write his own obituary. He ended with the sentence, “He is survived by his wife, three children, and Keith Richards.””
That is hysterical!! I hope he got an A for being clever!
Nava: I hadn’t heard about that. I thought I read something a while back about a cancelled show because Keith Richards fell out of a tree and broke his arm, but don’t really remember the details.