Greatest Unheralded Rolling Stones Song(s)

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As a natural response to the Beatles thread, tell us your favorite obscure Stones trax. Some of mine:
"Dandelion"-For my money, their most vibrant and beautiful melody.
"Citadel"-Kids, it's all about the riff. Intergalactic Funk Metal
"Parachute Woman"-A cheap, dirty little song, recorded accordingly.
"Child of The Moon"-A perfect 2:00AM record.
"Love Is Strong"-Yeah, I know all about the crumminess of the Stones recent output, but I heard this a little while back, and I was surprised how good it was. Sure, it's more about craft than inspiration, but as it is demonstrated here, that ain't always a ad thing.
"Who's Driving Your Plane?"-The heaviest they ever got. A ballsy, brutal blues.

― Charles McCain (Charles McCain), Thursday, 1 May 2003 22:30 (twenty-two years ago)

"Where the Boys Go" from Emotional Rescue, and "Too Much Blood" from Undercover.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 1 May 2003 22:33 (twenty-two years ago)

"Sure, it's more about craft than inspiration" = Stones entire career.

I want to like them more than I do, but really, they've been such shameless bandwagon-jumpers for their entire existence it's really kind of hard.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 1 May 2003 22:35 (twenty-two years ago)

"All Sold Out"--their perfect mid-Sixties song. It doesn't sound like anyone else to me, while so many other songs of theirs from that period did.

Ha, Shakey Mo just posted the "bandwagonjumpers" remark.

― Arthur (Arthur), Thursday, 1 May 2003 22:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I take it that is a commonly levelled accusation... I don't see how that point could really be argued. Although it's understandable that other listeners aren't bothered by it (or even enjoy them for precisely that reason).

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 1 May 2003 22:43 (twenty-two years ago)

"Heaven" from Tattoo You

― Joe (Joe), Thursday, 1 May 2003 22:44 (twenty-two years ago)

"I'm Free," despite what Stanley Booth thinks.

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Thursday, 1 May 2003 22:46 (twenty-two years ago)

"Emotional" by Loverboy
"Emotion" by DFX2
"Gipsy Road" by Cinderella
"All Us Boys" by Toto
"Shake" by the Shadows of Knight
"Come See Me" by the Pretty Things
"Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight" by Count Bishops
"I Wanna Be Your Man" by Suzi Quatro (and maybe even the Beatles)
"Live With Me" by Girlschool (and maybe even the Rolling Stones)

But yeah, "Where the Boys Go" was a pretty good choice too, I guess.

― chuck, Thursday, 1 May 2003 22:55 (twenty-two years ago)

chuck are you lost or something?

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 1 May 2003 22:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Sister Morphine w/ Ry Cooder

Drift Away (cover, but it's great and one for the ages)

― steve k (http://go.to/stevek) (stevek10), Thursday, 1 May 2003 23:01 (twenty-two years ago)

"Sad Day"

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Thursday, 1 May 2003 23:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I have a secret crush on "Saint Of Me"

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Thursday, 1 May 2003 23:04 (twenty-two years ago)

i also love that one on metamorphosis where he says "I wish I was a little bit taller"

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Thursday, 1 May 2003 23:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, Shakey Mo, that's one of the things I love about the rest of Between the Buttons, the magpie aspect.

― Arthur (Arthur), Thursday, 1 May 2003 23:10 (twenty-two years ago)

sorry i misremembered the lyic, it's
"Yes, you're younger than I thought
You're so tall and I'm so short"

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Thursday, 1 May 2003 23:10 (twenty-two years ago)

>>i also love that one on metamorphosis where he says "I wish I was a little bit taller" <<<

Wait, wasn't that Skee-Lo????

>>chuck are you lost or something?<<<

Yeah -- Can't believe I left out "Authority Song" by John Cougar!
Thanks...

(Actually, Redd Kross do a kickass "Citadel," on *Teen Babes From Monsanto.* For a long time, I didn't even know it was a cover!)

― chuck, Thursday, 1 May 2003 23:11 (twenty-two years ago)

i always get skeelo and the stones mixed up. damn

you on aim arthur?

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Thursday, 1 May 2003 23:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Gotta go with "100 Years Ago". Mick letting his guard down, wistful. I love the "Just call me lazy bones...." part.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Thursday, 1 May 2003 23:14 (twenty-two years ago)

fav's outta the1s ppl already said : 'heaven", "citadel" (yeah the redd kross version is even better!), "i'm free", "come see me" by the pretty things.
more : "the top", "going down" (it's on metamorphosis", it's mick taylor's trying-out-for-the-band jam i think), "2000 man"

― duane, Thursday, 1 May 2003 23:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, I forgot "Going Down"! I think Metamorphosis is my favorite Stones album.

Sorry, Fritz, I just got online again but now I have to meet up with Ned, Chris, Spencer, Vic, Chaki etc. at the Red Lion.

― Arthur (Arthur), Friday, 2 May 2003 00:21 (twenty-two years ago)

"Sway" always struck me as fairly unheralded (at least in terms of the rest of Sticky Fingers).

― Clay K., Friday, 2 May 2003 00:24 (twenty-two years ago)

"She Said Yeah"!

― Burr (Burr), Friday, 2 May 2003 00:37 (twenty-two years ago)

"Sway" always struck me as fairly unheralded

Great song. It did appear later though, as an exact copy on The Black Crowes first album. They called it "Sister Luck."

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Friday, 2 May 2003 00:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Memo From Turner, Connection, further kudos to Citadel, Hand of Fate, Flight 505, Too Rude, Ride On Baby, You Got the Silver

― John Bullabaugh (John Bullabaugh), Friday, 2 May 2003 01:31 (twenty-two years ago)

"coming down again" & "before they make me run" & o'course "happy" & any others where mick jagger doesn't get to sing are always good

― duane, Friday, 2 May 2003 01:49 (twenty-two years ago)

"Can You Hear The Music" (while we're at it, Goats Head
Soup is the Stones' most underrated album).
"We Love You" (sure, it's a psych pastiche, but
it's one of the best ever).

― Dave Segal (Da ve Segal), Friday, 2 May 2003 02:07 (twenty-two years ago)

dunno if you think it's unheralded, but I like "gotta getaway". And the New Bomb Turks version of "summer romance".

― pauls00, Friday, 2 May 2003 02:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Dance Little Sister --It's Only Rn'R
Let it Loose --Exile
Cherry Oh Baby (cover) --Black and Blue
Let Me Go --Emotional Rescue
Worried About You --Tatoo You
Tops --TY
Heaven --TY
No Use in Crying --TY
Jiving Sister Fanny --b side
Try a Little Harder --b-side

― Will (will), Friday, 2 May 2003 02:34 (twenty-two years ago)

"Memo from Turner" is the most evil sounding song they ever did. Ry Cooder's slide playing is like a switchblade. The lyrics are like a blues song out of Naked Lunch.

I've been real into the song "Fingerprint File" since I picked up It's Only Rock and Roll used a few months back. That is one paranoid coked out funk song with a serious disco feel a few years earlier than "Miss You". A disco song about the FBI having a file on you, it seems those powders was making someone a bit tricky and considering the times, J.Edgars boys probably did have a file on them.

― earlnash, Friday, 2 May 2003 03:23 (twenty-two years ago)

"Down in the Hole"

― Sean (Sean), Friday, 2 May 2003 03:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Memory Motel and Salf of the Earth, if either counts.

― Al (sitcom), Friday, 2 May 2003 05:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I Got The Blues. Again.

― rumplestiltskin, Friday, 2 May 2003 07:19 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah the song i referred to as "the top", it's called "tops". from the whole side of slow songs they did on "tattoo you", as listed by Will above, those are all great.

― duane (lucylurex), Friday, 2 May 2003 08:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Goats Head Soup rools this thread
Parachute Woman
Prodigal Son
Lady Jane

― Alex K (Alex K), Friday, 2 May 2003 08:05 (twenty-two years ago)

If a single could possibly be considered "unheralded", then I'd go for "Dandelion", "We Love You" and "In Another Land"

Otherwise, "Backstreet Girl" and "Sitting On a Fence" obviously. Both great songs.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 2 May 2003 09:15 (twenty-two years ago)

"Hand of Fate"
"Hey Negrita"
"Had it With You"
"The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man"

― dave q, Friday, 2 May 2003 09:30 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah "the U.A.W.C,P.M.", that'as a real good one also did anyone say ":play with fire" yet? "Play with fire"

― duane, Friday, 2 May 2003 11:59 (twenty-two years ago)

A couple more:
"Congratulations"
"Off The Hook"

― Charles McCain (Charles McCain), Friday, 2 May 2003 15:25 (twenty-two years ago)

"That's How Strong My Love Is"
"Under Assistant West Coast Promo Man"
"100 Years Ago"
"She Smiles Sweetly"
"I'm Free" (also, Stanley Booth didn't dislike this song, he just found it hypocritical & wrong, considering the way the Stones' crew handled their shows...)
"You Don't Have to Mean It" (from Bridges to Babylon)

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Friday, 2 May 2003 15:31 (twenty-two years ago)

i fourth or fifth 'under assistant...' & second 'citadel', &
third 'who's driving your plane?' i would very much
like to do a cover of this sung in the first person. full disclosure: there was a thread on transposing 'i's & 'you's many many threads ago that i stole this idea from.

also! 'down home girl' & 'jig-saw puzzle', which is like the 2-for-a-dollar version of the mighty 'memo from turner' yet enjoyable in its own discount way.

'cry to me': special honors for distinguished service in underhanded seductive action.

the whole of 'metamorphosis' but especially 'sleepy city'.

― may, Friday, 2 May 2003 16:33 (twenty-two years ago)

'Dandelion' is top of my list too

― Paul R (paul R), Saturday, 3 May 2003 10:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't know if these are unheralded or not, but Stray Cat Blues, Jigsaw Puzzle, Let It Bleed and Live With Me were great ones I never heard of before I bought the albums. THere's even more on the ones I just grabbed but I can't remember their names (I listened to them all on random play so song order won't even help me).

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 3 May 2003 16:00 (twenty-two years ago)

"I Am Waiting"

― Curt (cgould), Saturday, 3 May 2003 16:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Surely "Ventilator Blues" isn't unheralded? Nah, couldn't be.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Saturday, 3 May 2003 16:31 (twenty-two years ago)

"grown up wrong", that's another good one you don';t hear much

― duane (lucylurex), Saturday, 3 May 2003 16:34 (twenty-two years ago)

six months pass...

Argh. I can't get "She Was Hot" out of my head (I've got the video on tape). Is this album Undercover good or interesting enough to merit purchase? I didn't care for the title track much the one time I heard it. I don't think "She Was Hot" is on any of their comps.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 00:43 (twenty-one years ago)

It's my favorite Stones album. It's worth buying just for "Too much blood."

― sucka (sucka), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 00:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Little T&A (!!!)

― Dean Gulberry (deangulberry), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 00:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Which reminds me, also "The Worst."

I think I'm the only person who loves the Keith songs.

― Dean Gulberry (deangulberry), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 00:59 (twenty-one years ago)

"Dead Flowers"!

― Sarah Pedal (call mr. lee), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 01:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 15 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Seems most of the best ones are already mentioned. Anyway, "Dandelion", "In Another Land", "We Love You", "Backstreet Girl", "Take It Or Leave It"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 23:55 (twenty-one years ago)

"1,000 Years Ago"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 00:20 (twenty-one years ago)

"Jigsaw Puzzle" and "I Am Waiting" seconded

― Paul (scifisoul), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 14:27 (twenty-one years ago)

"I dont know why (I love you)"

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 14:28 (twenty-one years ago)

"Slipping Away" seconded hugely, I love that song

― Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 14:29 (twenty-one years ago)

"Cocksucker Blues"

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 14:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I definately second "Dead Flowers".

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 14:31 (twenty-one years ago)

There's a lot of Stones I haven't heard, but "Stray Cat Blues" gets my vote. Strangled me the first time I heard it, esp. the intro before Mick comes in that Chris mentioned. There's something in that intro that I can't quite put my finger on that a lot of other bands have copied since (and the Stones probably copied, too, but humor me).

― mattbot, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 15:39 (twenty-one years ago)

"Live With Me"

― briania, Wednesday, 19 November 2003 15:43 (twenty-one years ago)

"'Stray Cat Blues' before Mick comes in"
but but but Mick starts croaking mere seconds into the song...

― Beta (abeta), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 16:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I know, that's what's so great about it. Just those few stray guitar licks and tumbling drums.

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 23:36 (twenty-one years ago)

"Hand of Fate" again, yeah!
"Dance"

― Sean (Sean), Thursday, 20 November 2003 00:56 (twenty-one years ago)

eight years pass...

Mick Taylor kills it on "winter" imo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frt_f0eP_Hs

― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Thursday, 22 March 2012 17:36 (thirteen years ago)

"Moonlight Mile"

― Jean-Luc Poncey (lpz), Thursday, 22 March 2012 18:59 (thirteen years ago)

Flight 505

― kornrulez6969, Thursday, 22 March 2012 19:09 (thirteen years ago)

man having fewer song spaces on your ballot than years the band's been recording is unfair :(

― internet somebody (some dude), Thursday, 22 March 2012 19:16 (thirteen years ago)

"The Worst"

― konybrony (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 22 March 2012 19:16 (thirteen years ago)

^^ good one

"Summer Romance" (loooove the Mick-Ronnie-Keef guitar sound of the late seventies)
"Heaven" (Mick's weirdest performance)
"Yesterday's Papers"
"Winning Ugly"

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 March 2012 19:18 (thirteen years ago)

"Heaven" is great, one of the best New Wave Stones songs.

― Mike Love Costume Jewelry on Etsy (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 22 March 2012 19:20 (thirteen years ago)

A savage "Summer Romance" outtake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_Hrt2xCgDA

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 March 2012 19:22 (thirteen years ago)

"Heaven" definitely grabbed me today when wandering through their catalog on Spotify

― internet somebody (some dude), Thursday, 22 March 2012 19:23 (thirteen years ago)

beautiful melody and Keef nowhere in sight: it's just Mick, Bill, and Charlie.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 March 2012 19:24 (thirteen years ago)

"Winning Ugly"

I heard this maybe 20 times before I knew it was a Stones song, and not a solo Jagger song. Watts is unrecognizable. Still, the song's kind of grown on me over the years.

― we can be gyros just for one day (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 22 March 2012 19:25 (thirteen years ago)

From A Bigger Bang: It Won't Take Long

― kornrulez6969, Thursday, 22 March 2012 19:51 (thirteen years ago)

"The Spider and the Fly"
I was obsessed with this song for far, far too long: something in the way Jagger sings "keep fi-de-li-ty in your head" and the classic couplet "she was common, flirty / she looked about thirty" and it's o so lazy and unrepentant.

Same here. I'm not sure he ever sounded more louche. Which is saying something given that he's built a 50 year career around that vibe.

― bendy, Thursday, 22 March 2012 19:57 (thirteen years ago)

Oh yeah, "It Won't Take Long"!

― Mike Love Costume Jewelry on Etsy (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 22 March 2012 20:00 (thirteen years ago)

That album has loads of goodies: "Laugh I Nearly Died," "She Saw Me Coming" (Keef shouting like a bawdy woman), "Let Me Down Slow."

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 March 2012 20:03 (thirteen years ago)

Lotta stuff I like from "Bridges to Babylon" and the last one.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 22 March 2012 20:10 (thirteen years ago)

Also, "INfamy", "Rough Justice" (a single just over 3 minutes!)

― Mike Love Costume Jewelry on Etsy (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 22 March 2012 20:11 (thirteen years ago)

Yeah, "Rough Justice" is one I was thinking of. Also, the Keef songs.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 22 March 2012 20:34 (thirteen years ago)

is there a handy list of Richards lead vox anywhere on ilx or elsewhere? want to see if i should consider voting for anything besides "Happy" and "Thru And Thru"

― internet somebody (some dude), Thursday, 22 March 2012 20:37 (thirteen years ago)

could be: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Richards#Lead_vocals_on_Rolling_Stones_tracks

― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Thursday, 22 March 2012 20:52 (thirteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiQQllcj88s

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 22 March 2012 21:13 (thirteen years ago)

The only Richards songs that aren't fantastic in their own right or at worst changes of pace are "Wanna Hold You" and whatever his second song on A Bigger Bang is called.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 March 2012 21:21 (thirteen years ago)

have we polled Keefsongs yet?

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 March 2012 21:21 (thirteen years ago)

"Almost Hear You Sigh" was a Keef song originally, no? that's a fab one.

― Euler, Thursday, 22 March 2012 21:23 (thirteen years ago)

yep!

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 March 2012 21:25 (thirteen years ago)

My favorite Keef ballad after "All About You": "Sleep Tonight."

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 March 2012 21:26 (thirteen years ago)

Is "She's So Cold" heralded? I have no idea, but I love it. Cold cold cold like a toooooombstone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrRSEVRgqVY

― Paul Smon (La Lechera), Thursday, 22 March 2012 21:28 (thirteen years ago)

have we polled Keefsongs yet?

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, March 22, 2012

Not quite:

POO: Keith Richards' ballads
C/D Keith Richard's vocals on "Happy"

― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Thursday, 22 March 2012 21:46 (thirteen years ago)

two years pass...

I'd say for the 60s tunes, my choice would be "Memo from Turner" which is one of the Stones meanest songs. It's ruthless.

I have to say "Down in the Hole" is a really wicked blues. Sonny Blue's harp on this track is really great. This tune almost has that broken blues feel that Tom Waits would get around Rain Dogs.

― earlnash, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 00:58 (ten years ago)

Jigsaw Puzzle!!!

― when is the new Jim O'Rourke album coming out (spazzmatazz), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 01:12 (ten years ago)

That's a good one too.

― earlnash, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 02:56 (ten years ago)

walkin' the dog

― Mr. Snrub, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 03:01 (ten years ago)

lotta good album tracks on tattoo you ive never heard on the radio

― casual male (will), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 03:06 (ten years ago)

Somebody here had a great description of Tattoo You on another thread, something along the lines of "Side A: Party In The Living Room/Side B: Afterparty In The Bedroom"

― Don A Henley And Get Over It (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 03:10 (ten years ago)

"Heaven"!

― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 03:13 (ten years ago)

Senses be praised
Senses be praised
Your my saving grace, saving grace
Nothing will harm you
Nothing will stand in your way
Nothing, Nothing
Nothing will stop you
And nothing will stand in your way

― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 03:14 (ten years ago)

daddydrunk daddy drunk himself to death when he was 35 years old

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Khg6Y93nFjU

― casual male (will), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 03:17 (ten years ago)

Early Stones version of Money is bratty and good.

― earlnash, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 03:22 (ten years ago)

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