Exile on Main Street

           The Rolling Stones is a rock band from England. They formed in 1962 and received huge popularity in England and in America. Exile on Main Street is The Rolling Stones 12th album. It was released on May 12th in 1972. The record was a success as it reached #1 on the charts worldwide. But as successful as the record was, it did receive mixed reviews. Lenny Kaye from Rolling Stone magazine said that this was not The Rolling Stones best work, but the time will come when it does. Obviously others had different opinions about the album as it is considered the bands best album and was ranked 7th in Rolling Stones list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. I think the album is great and you should buy it if you are in to trying new music and are looking for something different. This album throws something new at you that makes want to listen to it again.

               Side 1
 
            The whole album is a mixture of rock, blues, soul and country. The album starts out with an upbeat song called "Rocks Off" that gets the listeners attention right away. The lyrics tell of a one night stand and the use of drugs and how they are affecting the singer. There is one part of the song where Jagger's voice becomes distorted as he sings " Feel so hypmotized, can't describe the scene./ Feel so mesmerized all that inside me." Which will you leave you with the feeling that you want to listen to more of the album. After listening to the song, the background saxophones will be on repeat in your head for several hours. There is a slight pause before the next song comes in.

            "Rip The Joint" is a fast upbeat song. It is a little tough trying to understand what Jagger is singing but he probably intended that as he sounds like a kid who is desperate for a smoke. Any teenager that wants to crash a party or do something crazy should listen to this song as inspirations for such acts. It tells the wild story of living life on the road and moving from place to place to get more drugs. It is very hard to sit still while listening to this song. It is a rock and roll version of "Johnny B. Goodie" by Chuck Berry who was one of The Rolling Stones inspirations.

            "Shake Your Hips" is lyrically inspired by the blues as well as the guitar. Jagger tells of a new dance that is going around all you have to do is shake your hips. This song would be on the top of all parents lists of songs not to listen to for kids. It is an upbeat song but not as crazy as the first two songs. The instrumental ending leads into "Casino Boogie".

           "Casino Boogie" slows things down a bit. Lyrically not a long song as the last minute is the band jamming. The title does not speak for the song. The lyrics describe what really happens in a casino. "Grotesque music, million dollar sad...Sinking in the sand" tell the listener that a casino will leave you in debt. Jagger allows the listener to think about the lyrics during the jam. The jam fades and leads into "Tumbling Dice".

            "Tumbling Dice" is soul meets rock and roll. It is another slow song with singers in the background that harmonize with Jagger. The song is about a hot shot that all of the ladies want and how gossip is bringing the singer down. He tells the listener to "Call me the tumbling dice...Got to roll me" if you want me. After all of this gambling ad cheating, we are brought home by the next song " Sweet Virginia".

            "Sweet Virginia" is another slow song. It is a great song to listen to after a hard days work, when you get home and get time to relax, drop to needle on this song. It is the aftermath song of a big party that finally ended. The chorus is repeated several times so singing along with your friends is made easy. The song transitions into "Torn and Frayed".

            "Torn and Frayed" is another slow song that has a goodnight glamour good morning disaster feeling. Even though you might have everything taken away, or if you have been dragged through the mud just listen to the guitar and let it "steal your heart away". The guitar solo is sweet and really does steal your heart away as you forget about all of your problems. Just close your eyes and smile as the guitar does the work. The sweetness continues in "Sweet Black Angel".

             "Sweet Black Angel" is a story a little black girl who is being accused for something that she did not do. Her brothers are being accused as well and instead of giving in she is fighting for herself to prove that she is innocent. This song shows that there were still areas of segregation in 1972. Jagger asks the listener "Would ya take her place?" to get her out of the mess she is in. There is some Bob Dylan influence here as Jagger tries to make the listener feel like they need to do something about this little girl.

              "Loving Cup" is about getting drunk and having sex. It tells of the middle working class man who, after a hard day of work, wants a drink from some ones loving cup. This song is great to listen to if you are driving with your friends; a great sing-a-long song for the gang. The line that stands out is "Give me a little drink from your loving cup" as Jagger drills the lyrics into your mind.

               "Happy" starts out with a guitar rift that sicks with you after the song ends. The rebel without a cause lyrics are very ratable to teenagers as Jagger says over and over "I need a love to keep me happy" The song is very upbeat where some of the lyrics are not. The first line is "Well I never kept a dollar past sunset" I need love to make me happy, love will solve everything. Teenagers can relate to this song without a doubt.

                "Turd On The Run" has a country spin on the guitar and the harmonica in the background. The lyrics however, are similar to "Hound Dog". It is a faster upbeat song than the others. It describes how chasing someone who doesn't love you back can bring you down. It's a great break up song.

                "Ventilator Blues" shows things down once again. The title speaks for the song as the lyrics and the music are influenced by the blues. It talks about how "Everybody's gonna need a ventilator, yeah". It talks about the harsh side of life. The slow beat acts like a pules while Jagger delivers the lyrics.

                "I Just Want To See His Face" beings with a minute long musical introduction with very faint singing in the background. It is a gospel song about how people "don't want to walk and talk about Jesus/ Just want to see His face." It speaks the truth for any one that will not believe until they see for themselves. "Sometimes you ain't got nobody/ And you want somebody to love, all right/ Then you don't want to walk and talk about Jesus." The message is about love; even if you feel like you have no one to love you really do and people forget about that. This song is a nice reality check to those that feel alone.

                "Let It Loose" gives the listener a taste of what men sometimes go through with women. They think they meet the girl of their dreams and she breaks their heart. The song radiates with the blues and the jam sets the emotion of the song. The beginning starts with a diluted guitar, it adds to the mood of the song as it not very solid. It is a shout out song for everyone who has felt heartbreak to just let it all out.

                 "All Down The Line" is a party song. Very upbeat. "We're gonna bust another bottle, yeah/ I need a shot of salvation..." Is the famous "just one drink that turns into 20" deal. It is a song about every day life "All down the line" and how some people escape reality for a while with parties.

                  "Stop Breaking Down" brings to another song heavily influenced by the blues. There is a jam midway through the song that leaves you with a feeling of repetition that needs to stop, like how people need to stop breaking down. Leaving the song on repeat will make you lose your mind because the guitar repeats the same rift over and over.

                  "Shine A Light" starts very quite and at first you think its going to be a song about drinking because Jagger slurs his words together. But after a minute it turns into a very upbeat gospel song. The lyrics are a a little darker than the music at times: "And you're drunk in the alley with your clothes all torn/And your late night friends leave you in the cold gray dawn/Just seemed too many flies on you, I just can't brush them off". But there is a short and sweet jam that leaves you wanting more. After that the song carries on as a happy tune all the way to the end.

                  "Soul Survivor" is a song to cheer up those that just got dumped by their girlfriends or boyfriends. Jagger says he is a soul survivor and  "Where you are I won't be,/You're gonna be the death of me." The guitar rift catches your attention and keeps it there. It's a soul meets rock and roll song.

                   Side 2

                  "Pass The Wine(Sophia Loren)" is a reality check to those just starting out in the world that life is not a bed of roses. There are background singers that join Jagger at the line "I'm glad to be alive and kicking" to tell the young listeners that even though life is rough you should still be thankful for what you have even if it is not much.

                  "Plundered My Soul" is another breakup song about how people steal your heart when you think they really love you. Jagger's rage fills you with the thought of " Oh boy I hope this does not happen to me". This is definitely not the best choice of song if you are in a good mood.

                  "I'm Not Signifying" is a very slow swaying back and forth blues song. It begins with a very slow moving piano and slugs its way into the first verse. It is a confession song to a lover about how the significant other has been lying. It is a song that will get you down if you are in a good mood or it might even question the person you are seeing. The piano ending does add a nice touch however.

                  "Following The River" is another aftermath party  sounding song as it starts out slow. It is a song about how a relationship has come to its end. There is some soul influence in the song near the chorus. Jagger really lets his emotions fly with this song. It really sounds like the words are hurting him when the cries out "I've been thinking of ya all the time/Cause you always brought the best in me". This song is by far one of Jagger's best works.

                   "Dancing In The Light" is a song about how some people make it big and others do not. Some people need others to get them through each day and this song describes how those people feel when those they depend on leave. It ca be applied to relationships and families.

                    "So Divine (Aladdin Story)" The guitar rift is a little similar to the opening guitar in "Paint It Black" by The Rolling Stones. It is a song about how controlling some people can be in relationships. It is a song of triumph that the relationship has ended:"I'm headed for the door, never see you anymore/I'll be on some distant shore, way out of circulation/No tears will pass my eye, no memory will make me cry/So long, adios, goodbye, I'm off your reservation."

                   "Loving Cup- Alternate Take" Has a different piano beginning, it almost sounds like a gospel song. The lyrics are not delivered as harshly as they are in the first version. The guitar plays sweet nothings into your ears. It is a slow moving, easy going song even though the lyrics are the same. I think the first version is better but it is up to you to decide which one is better. The song ends in a jam.

                   "Soul Survivor-Alternate Take" There is not much difference between the two songs. The only thing that is different is the way Jagger delivers the lyrics. He is more laid back while the music acts like it wants to take off to the moon. There is a jam section where things begin to speed up a little bit.

                   "Good Time Women" Not the greatest hit off the album. It is a rock and roll song about the stereotypes of women back in the old day. It also talks about how some women like to party.

                    "Title 5" is a great ending to the album. It is a 1:47 long jam that raps up all that you have heard. It is upbeat and not too loud. The guitar is very different sounding from the what is heard in the rest of the album. It is a song that you cannot put on repeat, it just enough to satisfy your senses and leaves wanting to listen to the album again.

                  




          
       

An Influence and a Friend

           When people think about the music from 1960's they will most likely think of The Beatles and Bob Dylan. One from the US and the other from the UK, together these artists would make a big impact on the world. And who knew that Bob Dylan would be one of The Beatles influences and close friends.

                Paul McCartney bought Dylan's second album and brought it on tour for the rest of the guys to hear. They all feel in love with "Freewheelin" and kept the it on repeat. Dylan's songs were different what The Beatles were writing at the time. They were attracted to his lyrics; he questions politics and he make sophisticated love songs. It was John Lennon had been looking for and it inspired him to write "I'm a loser", the first song that he wrote on a more personal level and was more poetic than his earlier songs. John admired Dylan's work and even said he went through a Dylan period. In The Beatles Anthology, Paul not only said that Dylan had an influence on their music, he also had some influence on their image. John bought a floppy cap which Dylan wore on the cover of his first album. The song "Hide you love away" was also inspired by Dylan. The Beatles met Dylan in 1964 and he introduced them to marijuana and after smoking it, they began to write songs about it. "Revolver" and "Got to  get you back into my life" are songs about pot. After they met each other they all became good friends. John and Dylan wanted to collaborate together on song writing, but it never happened. The story says that everything got lost in the mail and never reached John. They still remained close friends and even created "Eat the Document" which shows John and Dylan in the back seat of a cab talking. When ever The Beatles began writing new material for their next album, they would always show Dylan what they were up to. Dylan got to listen to the Sgt. Pepper's album and the Abbey Road album before they were released. 

           There is one Beatle that Dylan did work with and that was George Harrison. Dylan and George did many collaborations together. George helped record "Self portrait" and "New Morning" albums. They wrote "I'd have you anytime" together" as well. Dylan helped here and there on George's album "All time must pass" which includes a another song they wrote together. They even performed together in 1971 at the Concerts for Bangladesh. Dylan was rehearsed into the show at the last minute, no one knew he was going to be in the show. They came back together again in the 80's in a band called the Traveling Wilburys.  George told Jenny Boyd in an interview that the world would not be the same without Bob Dylan.

          Not only were The Beatles influenced by Dylan, they inspired him as well. The Beatles were the ones that influenced Dylan to go electric. They even went to each others concerts. All four Beatles saw his performance at  the Royal Albert Hall in 1965. Publicly announcing that "Dylan showed the way" for The Beatles set the stage for Dylan to become popular in the UK. It is amazing how some friendships can go a long way. George was right when he said the world would be a different place without Bob Dylan. Dylan helped The Beatles transform into serious musicians and The Beatles helped Dylan to change as well.

A step toward Rock n Roll Overlooked

             And the was how the history of Chuck Berry all started...Ok not really. But this clip from the ever so famous movie trilogy Back to the Future shows how famous songs like Johnny B. Goode were popular among teens during the 1950's. It had driving lyrics, guitar sounds that had never been heard before, and a beat that teens could not still to. Not many people knew that Rock n Roll music was influenced by the Blues. Chuck Berry was one the great Blues artists that paved the way for the creation of Rock n Roll.

            Chuck Berry grew up with a wide variety of music and learned how to be sensitive to his listeners. His influence to deliver a down-home blues sound and to sing harder with a driving voice was Muddy Waters. He also put more emphasis on his diction is some areas of his songs and these characteristics in his music were the key reasons why he could reach out to both whites and blacks. He created songs with lyrics that teens could relate to like School Days. He was also known for playing a wild guitar that was never heard before like in the song Johnny B. Goode. Any teenage boy that dreamed of being in a band could relate to that song. Something that really made his music different was that he played guitar solos in his songs as well. Even though he is black, he was liked by whites as well as blacks. However, he was not praised by everyone. He was put in jail for carrying a minor female over the Texas-Missouri state line in 1962. When he was released in 64 he continued to write music and tour the states. Around that time the British Invasion was beginning to take over the US. Bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones were influenced by Chuck Berry and other Blues artists.

      The Blues were a stepping stone for Rock n Roll that many people overlook. Because of that, the Blues was given more exposure in the US than ever before. Guitarist Kieth Richards from The Rolling Stones said that he wanted to play guitar like Chuck Berry. He even said once that " The Rolling Stones were a white London imitation of South Side Chicago Blues". The band history started when Mick Jagger and Kieth Richards met on a train. Jagger had albums by Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters and more which Richards recognized right away. This was the beginning of their musical relationship in 1960. The Rolling Stones was not the only band praising Chuck Berry as their influence. Chuck Berry was also the influence for The Beatles and other lesser known bands. Michael Bane, a journalist during the 60's, stated that, "The Beatles offered a way out of the racial dilemma that had gripped rock and roll since its beginnings..." Because these British bands were giving the Blues so much respect, kids began to pay more attention to what the Blues did to Rock n Roll.

             Every much like the Blues, Rock n Roll was able to reach out to whites and blacks. Rock n Roll was something that whites and blacks could relate to together. It broke down barriers of racial tensions between black and white teenagers. If it was not for artists like Chuck Berry and other Blues players, we would not have Rock n Roll. The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and other great bands would never have started. Blacks and whites would not have music they can both relate too. Without the Blues, the world would be a very different place.

"Rumble" thourgh the 50's

          Rumble is an instrumental song that was created in 1958. It is the only instrumental to have been banned on the radio. The song was though to influence violence in teens or cause them to do other bad things. It was not until the 90s when the song started to be used in movies like Pulp Fiction, Independence Day, and Desperado. But why was this now popular song not so popular in the 50s?

          The creation of Rumble is not similar to the creation of other songs. Link Wray was playing a show at Fredericksburg Arena. He started to play two chords and a slow beat by the drums. The song was requested four times that night. Link Wray and his band went into the recording studio the next day. Wray could not recreate the sound he got the night before, so he took a pencil and slashed the amp. The sound that he created would be famously known as distortion. They decided to call the song "Oddball" because of the strange sounds that the amp created.They brought the recording to Archie Bleyer of Cadence Records. At first, he was not interested in the song at all. But his stepdaughter loved the song and suggested that the song be called "Rumble" because it reminded her of West Side Story. The name Rumble is related to gang fights in the story, which is why the song began to run into problems. The title was a stumbling block for disk jockeys because of what the name meant. Many disk jockeys did away with song and those that did play it did not mention the name of the song. Because of this, the song did not become as popular as it should have.

              It was not until the song began to be used in movies in the 90s. When the song started to get attention, Link began to go on tour again. Link Wray was also the influence for other famous bands to come after him like the Who and the Kinks. If it was not for Link Wary and his song "Rumble" distortion would have never been invented. Without distortion, other genres of music would have never been born, like punk. So thank you Mr. Wray for creating the crazy sounds that we all love today.