Friday, August 19, 2011

she's my little rock and roll

Ever since the internet and downloading killed indie music for me I started focusing on listening to rock and roll from the 60's and 70's. The one defining band of my late twenties and into my thirties is the Rolling Stones. I grew up listening to my mom's Beatles records but somewhere along the line I found myself on the dark side with a passion for the Stones (much to her dismay).
To say you're a fan of the Stones appears generally uncool. I sometimes wonder if people assume you just Googled "What is Rock and Roll" the other day. Oh well, there is a very good reason they ARE - not arguably here - truly, the greatest rock and roll band. There wasn't a single day from 2007 to 2010 that I didn't listen to them on a daily basis. Their songs are so steeped in my life through the years I got thinking about what some of their music has meant to me over the past years.

Get Off My Cloud - dancing to this song at Blow-Up (a brit-pop dance night at the El Mocambo) in 1999 made me realize how much I liked the Stones and need to hear more of them. The rough sound of the album Flowers reminds me of what it was like to begin listening to the Stones.

Exile on Main Street - listened to this album daily for the year of 2008 with good reason. This album stands the test of time with an amazing story behind what it took to record it. The best rock album of all time.

Loving Cup - had to have this song played at my wedding reception.

Angie - first trimester in my pregnancy being so hormonal letting all the lyrics read like a Harlequin novel. This came on the radio one day and I had to pull over and sob at the side of the road. *rolls eyes*

Wild Horses - If pregnancy hormones weren't bad, nothing compared to the sentimality and attachment I felt being a new mom. Although it's essentially written about Anita Pallenberg, this song was about Keith not wanting to leave Marlon to tour with the band. This song meant so much to me in the first three months of Owen's life.

Gimmie Shelter - This is a crazy good song that never grows old with me. I wish I lived in the days when Let It Bleed was just released and could have seen them preform it live. But when I need some rock an roll in my life and I wish I could get out and see live music I just pop in the documentary Gimme Shelter and it hits the right spot.

Sticky Fingers - This album is only slightly better than Let It Bleed. It has Sway and Can't You Hear Me Knocking on it. Nuff said!

Goat's Head Soup - I just discovered this album within the past 4 years. I avoided it because I assumed it wasn't any good but it is definitely right up there with Let it Bleed and Sticky Fingers.

Satisfaction - my absolute favourite song of all time. This song is the cure-all for shitty moods and anytime it comes on I instantly feel better. Even the DEVO cover is great.

Now Owen walks around wearing Rolling Stones shirts. I also wear a Stones shirt with their logo and Owen loves to see it on me. He names off "Lips, Tongue, Stars." By no stretch are we blasting sing-alongs to Starfucker or Some Girls (although when those songs come on my iPod I still chuckle). We listened to Rolling Stones Rock-A-Bye Baby in the first year and these days I sing You Can't Always Get What You Want and Satisfaction to him.

Who do I love more, Mick or Keith? I gave up trying to decide.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Have you seen the video for "Moves like Jagger"? It has great clips and the impersonations are funny. Hope you're all well. Maryanne