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Rating:
They might be pathetic, they might get on many people's nerves by now, but in my opinion, the Rolling Stones are to be admired. A large part of the public believes that they concluded their career in the late '80s. What followed is merely a way to stay on the scene and make some extra money. However, in my opinion, what follows (tours and albums) is a way to prove they haven't finished, that they still have something to say and above all, to not disappoint their fans by delivering performances of a good level (at least according to this album). I must also say that this is a subjective opinion, everyone can think what they want, all opinions are accepted.
After the decent "Bridges to Babylon," the group hasn't released any new material: the collection "Forty Licks" and this "Live Licks," recorded indeed after the collection. The original Stones remain four, as Wyman is no longer on bass, replaced by a certain Darryl Jones, who is not a permanent band member. The work includes recordings from concerts in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia, spread over two CDs: the first contains only songs written by Jagger and Richards, while the second includes some of their most famous covers. I found it when I was looking for a Stones live album; I noticed several on the internet and magazines, but unfortunately, I didn't see any of the ones mentioned, so I settled for this one, though I was skeptical.
...Instead, when I put the first disc in the player, I had to change my mind; okay, it's nothing extraordinary, but it was very enjoyable. The first three songs are bursts of genuine rock, rhythmic, where you can let loose, three timeless classics, "Brown Sugar," very powerful, "Street Fighting Man," faster, and "Paint it Black," perhaps not perfect, but good nonetheless. With the fourth track, we find the album's peak, in my opinion, a beautiful version of "You Can't Always Get What You Want," with a charismatic and lively Jagger who pairs up with that devilish Keith, here in great shape. We go back to dancing with the classics "Start Me Up" and "It's Only Rock 'n Roll," the latter a bit subdued, but passable. The ballad "Angie" is exceptional, and in "Honky Tonk Woman," we find the female presence of Sheryl Crow. To close the first CD well, there are "Happy" and "Gimme Shelter," accompanied by the classic and always exciting "Satisfaction."
The second disc opens like the first, with three classic stone tracks: "Neighbours," "Monkey Man," and "Rocks Off." In "Can't You Hear Me Knocking," we find a nice section of improvisation, where we hear a blend of guitars and wind instruments. The two cover-ballads "That's How Strong My Love Is" and "The Nearness of You" create great pathos between the band and the audience. Bringing us back to earth are the energetic "Beast of Burden" and "When the Whip Comes Down." The cover "Rock Me Baby," written by B.B. King, is nice. Good performances also in "You Don't Have to Mean It" and "Worried About You." Closing it all, we find an excellent version of "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," with a cameo by Solomon Burke.
Certainly a live album to be re-evaluated, because even though it can't compete with the great live records of the past, I find it better than "Love You Live" or "Still Life." One noteworthy thing is how Jagger still has a good voice after so many years. To conclude, it's nothing exceptional, but it shows us how these dinosaurs are still capable of delivering great emotions to their audience. Three and a half stars as a rating, because the group has done better and to be fair to certain masterpieces...
Tracklist and Lyrics
01 Brown Sugar (03:50)
Gold Coast slave ship bound for cotton fields
Sold in a market down in New Orleans
Scarred old slaver, know he's doing alright
Hear him whip the women just around midnight
Brown sugar, how come you taste so good?
Brown sugar, just like a young girl should, uh huh
Drums beating, cold English blood runs hot
Lady of the house wond'ring where it's gonna stop
House boy knows that he's doing alright
You shoulda heard him just around midnight
Brown sugar, how come you taste so good, now?
Brown sugar, just like a young girl should, now
Ah, get along
Brown sugar, how come you taste so good, babe?
Ah, got me feelin' now
Brown sugar, just like a black girl should, yeah
Now, I bet your mama was a tent show queen
And all her boyfriends were sweet sixteen
I'm no schoolboy, but I know what I like
You shoulda heard me just around midnight
Brown sugar, how come you taste so good, babe?
Ah, brown sugar, just like a young girl should, yeah
I said yeah, yeah, yeah, woo
How come you, how come you taste so good?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, woo
Just like a, just like a black girl should
Yeah, yeah, yeah, woo
02 Street Fighting Man (03:43)
Ev'rywhere I hear the sound of marching, charging feet, boy
'Cause summer's here and the time is right for fighting in the street, boy
But a-what can a poor boy do
'Cept to sing for a rock 'n' roll band
'Cause in sleepy London town
There's just no place for a street fighting man, no
Hey, think the time is right for a palace revolution
'Cause where I live the game to play is compromise solution
Well then what can a poor boy do
'Cept to sing for a rock 'n' roll band
'Cause in sleepy London town
There's no place for a street fighting man, no
Get down!
Hey, said my name is called disturbance
I'll shout and scream, I'll kill the king, I'll rail at all his servants
And then what can a poor boy do
'Cept to sing for a rock 'n' roll band
'Cause in sleepy London town
There's no place for a street fighting man, no
Get down!
04 You Can't Always Get What You Want (06:45)
I saw her today at the reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she would meet her connection
At her feet was her footloose man
No, you can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometime, you'll find
You get what you need
I saw her today at the reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she would meet her connection
At her feet was her footloose man
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometime, well you might find
You get what you need
I went down to the demonstration
To get my fair share of abuse
Singin' we're gonna vent our frustration
If we don't we're gonna blow a 50-amp fuse
Sing it to me
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, well you just might find
You get what you need
I went down to the Chelsea drug store
To get your prescription filled
I was standin' in line with Mr. Jimmy
And man, did he look pretty ill
We decided that we would have a soda
My favourite flavour, cherry red
I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy
Yeah, and he said one word to me, and that was "dead"
I said to him
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, you just might find
You get what you need
You get what you need
I saw her today at the reception
In her glass was a bleeding man
She was practiced at the art of deception
Well I could tell by her blood-stained hands
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, you just might find, you just might find
You get what you need
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, you just might find, you just might find
You get what you need
05 Start Me Up (04:02)
If you start me up
If you start me up I'll never stop
If you start me up
If you start me up I'll never stop
I've been running hot
You got me ticking gonna blow my top
If you start me up
If you start me up I'll never stop, never stop, never stop, never stop
You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
Spread out the oil, the gasoline
I walk in smooth, ride in a mean, mean machine
Start it up
If you start it up
Kick on the starter give it all you got, you got, you got
I can't compete with the riders in the other heats
If you rough it up
If you like it you can slide it up, slide it up, slide it up, slide it up
Don't make a grown man cry
Don't make a grown man cry
Don't make a grown man cry
My eyes dilate, my lips go green
My hands are greasy
She's a mean, mean machine
Start it up
If you start me up
Give it all you got
You got to never, never, never stop
Slide it up
Slide it up
Slide it up
You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
Ride like the wind at double speed
I'll take you places that you've never, never seen
Start it up
Love the day when we will never stop, never stop
Never, never, never stop
Tough me up
Never stop, never stop
You, you, you make a grown man cry
You, you make a dead man cum
You, you, you make a dead man cum
07 Angie (03:29)
Angie, Angie
When will those clouds all disappear?
Angie, Angie
Where will it lead us from here?
With no loving in our souls
And no money in our coats
You can't say we're satisfied
But Angie, Angie
You can't say we never tried
Angie, you're beautiful, yeah
But ain't it time we said goodbye?
Angie, I still love you
Remember all those nights we cried?
All the dreams we held so close
Seemed to all go up in smoke
Let me whisper in your ear
Angie, Angie
Where will it lead us from here?
Oh, Angie, don't you weep
All your kisses still taste sweet
I hate that sadness in your eyes
But Angie, Angie
Ain't it time we said goodbye?
With no loving in our souls
And no money in our coats
You can't say we're satisfied
But Angie, I still love you, baby
Ev'rywhere I look I see your eyes
There ain't a woman that comes close to you
Come on baby, dry your eyes
But Angie, Angie
Ain't it good to be alive?
Angie, Angie
They can't say we never tried
08 Honky Tonk Women (03:24)
I met a gin-soaked bar-room queen in Memphis
She tried to take me upstairs for a ride
She had to heave me right across her shoulder
'Cause I just can't seem to drink you off my mind
It's the honky tonk women
Gimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk blues
I laid a divorcée in New York City
I had to put up some kind of a fight
The lady then she covered me in roses
She blew my nose and then she blew my mind
It's the honky tonk women
Gimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk blues
It's the honky tonk women
Gimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk blues
It's the honky tonk women
Gimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk blues
09 Happy (03:37)
Well I never kept a dollar past sunset
It always burned a hole in my pants
Never made a school mama happy
Never blew a second chance, oh no
I need love to keep me happy
I need love to keep me happy
Baby, baby keep me happy
Baby, baby keep me happy
Always took candy from strangers
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
I need love to keep me happy
I need love, baby won't ya keep me happy
Baby, won't ya keep me happy
Baby, please keep me
I need love to keep me happy
I need love to keep me happy
Baby, baby keep me happy
Baby
Never got a flash out of cocktails
When I got some flesh off the bone
Never got a lift out of Lear jets
When I can fly way back home
I need love to keep me happy
I need love to keep me happy
Baby, baby keep me happy
Baby, baby keep me happy
Baby
Happy
Baby won't ya keep me, happy
Baby won't ya keep me, happy
Baby won't ya keep me, happy
Baby won't ya keep me, happy
Baby won't ya keep me, happy
Oh keep on dancin' keep me, happy
Now baby won't you squeeze me, happy
C'mon baby got a feelin', happy
Now now now now now keep me, happy
Try mama keep me, happy
Keep on dancin' keep me, happy
Keep on dancin' keep me, happy
10 Gimme Shelter (06:50)
Ooh, a storm is threat'ning
My very life today
If I don't get some shelter
Oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away
War, children, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
War, children, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
Ooh, see the fire is sweepin'
Our very street today
Burns like a red coal carpet
Mad bull lost its way
War, children, yes, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
War, children, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
Rape, murder, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
Rape, murder, yeah, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
Rape, murder, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
Mmm, the floods is threat'ning
My very life today
Gimme, gimme shelter
Or I'm gonna fade away
War, children, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
I tell you love, sister, it's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
Kiss away, kiss away
11 (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (04:54)
I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
'Cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try
I can't get no, I can't get no
When I'm drivin' in my car
And a man comes on the radio
He's tellin' me more and more
About some useless information
Supposed to fire my imagination
I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say
I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
'Cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try
I can't get no, I can't get no
When I'm watchin' my TV
And a man comes on and tells me
How white my shirts can be
Well he can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke
The same cigarettes as me
I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say
I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no girl reaction
'Cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try
I can't get no, I can't get no
When I'm ridin' 'round the world
And I'm doin' this and I'm signin' that
And I'm tryin' to make some girl
Who tells me, "baby better come back later next week
'Cause you see I'm on losin' streak"
I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say
I can't get no, I can't get no
I can't get no
Satisfaction, no satisfaction, no satisfaction, no satisfaction
I can't get no
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