by Mott the Dog
***** 5 Stars Rating
“Beggars Banquet” was definitely a make or break
album for The Stones. Even with “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” that summer of
68, this album was released on the run up to Christmas 1968, and failure
would have left them still languishing in the pop group file with a habit
of bringing out hit singles. But when The Stones needed a classic, the
Glimmer Twins (Mick Jagger and Keith Richards) obliged.
From the opening percussion of first track “Sympathy
For The Devil” you know you are indeed about to embark on a very special
journey. After being hounded by the establishment for the last 12 months,
here was Mick Jagger pouting and preening at the front of the band giving
it his all, throwing down the challenge, and “Hey”, “Yeah”, “May
be I am Lucifer, what are you going to do about it”. Then when Keith
Richards comes ripping up on his guitar during the solo breaks, Rock
‘n’ Roll has been redefined. It’s the devil’s music and they are
proud of it. Of course it was all very tongue in cheek, but then your Mum
and Dad would never know that. “Sympathy For The Devil” is a classic
Rock ‘n’ Roll track often imitated but never bettered, and is an
absolute must in the present Stones Live set list.
Next track up, just to keep you wondering, The Stones
drag out an inspiring heartbreaking ballad in “No Expectations”
confessing that even if you are a Rolling Stones, love does not always run
true. In fact, over the ten tracks on “Beggars Banquet” the Stones run
the gauntlet of all their many talents from the out and out Rock ‘n’
Roll songs (“Street Fighting Man” and the heavy “Parachute
Woman”), the only ever autobiographical Stones song in “Jig Saw
Puzzle”, where each member is mentioned, their roots in “Stray Cat
Blues”, a tribute to the fans for sticking to them through thick and
thin “Salt Of The Earth”, to the hysterically funny “Dear Doctor”,
which may bring a wry smile to some of Pattaya’s residents.
All the facets of The Stones at full force are on
display, Jagger’s singing and sensuous harmonica play, the rock hard
rhythm section of Wyman & Watts, the straight men to the flamboyant
front duo. Best of all though is Keith Richards’s guitar work, which
lights up every track whether it be his thunderous rhythm works, his slide
guitar or lightning solos, you know you are listening to a master at work.
Brian Jones (although making a wonderful cameo in the
artwork, where all of The Stones revel in their own decadence) was
drifting away from the band. In fact, any guitar work he did lay down was
soon wiped clear by the others. But the altered group dynamic appears to
have liberated Mick and Keith as writers.
Here is where they first display to transcend their
influences, past and present to create a sort of beautiful monster, not
for just one single, but for a whole album. The Stones had a rough passage
through the Flower Power era, but came out the other side harder, flasher
- with their eyes re-opened.
These
songs on “Beggars Banquet” are the sound of rock mythology being born.
The album never actually went number one on either side
of the Atlantic (top five though), but stayed on the charts for six
months, as the word spread that The Stones were back.
The trouble was that they had now been in all but name
reduced to a quintet. They couldn’t go out on the road to promote the
album without a second guitarist. A solution had to be found to this
problem, and there were a lot of “Honky Tonk Women” to come yet.
Musicians
Mick Jagger - Vocals & Harmonica
Keith Richards - Guitars
Bill Wyman - Bass
Charlie Watts - Drums
All the piano you hear on this album is by the
wonderful Ian Stewart, or Nicky Hopkins, always uncredited Stones.
Track Listing
1. Sympathy For The Devil
2. No Expectations
3. Dear Doctor
4. Parachute Woman
5. Jig-Saw Puzzle
6. Street Fighting Man
7. Prodigal Son
8. Stray Cat Blues
9. Factory Girl
10. Salt Of The Earth
The
redoubtable Mrs. Leonowens, claimed to have had many long and intimate
chats with the ladies of the Royal House, but as William Warren points
out, in what language? The ladies did not speak English and Anna certainly
did not speak Siamese (Thai) as can be seen by some of her linguistic
gaffes in her original books on the subject. One has more sympathy for the
Thais who decided that the film “Anna and the King of Siam” should not
be shown here. Not so much, in my mind, because of rudeness to King
Mongkut and his memory, but more for flagrant manipulations of history!
Before
Grace can advertise for new servants, three arrive literally on the
doorstep. There’s Mrs. Mills (Fionnula Flanagan), a housekeeper, Mr.
Tuttle (Eric Sykes), a grounds keeper and Lydia (Elaine Cassidy), an
upstairs maid. They claim to have served in the house for its previous
owners and just came looking for work on the off chance that she might
need someone.
Mott’s
CD review: 