Open Web Player
In 1968, the extended Summer of Love was OVER. "Peace and love" was not happening; a violent reality was growing across the nation. In the more idealistic period, the Stones had released a series of excellent stylish and trendy albums, but 1968's "Beggars Banquet" is different. Did the change in atmosphere nudge them toward more basic music? Whatever the reason, this album features blends of rootsy rock, blues, folk and country, rather than arty or trendy pop-rock. And it shows that the Stones were still in the game, while charting their own course.
The album's sound is very sharp; the guitar licks actually hurt my ears. I think the masterpiece of this album is the first track, "Sympathy For The Devil". The narrator is a polite (at first) and articulate character who introduces himself as "a man of wealth and taste". Things quickly get more serious. He tells us that he participated in many horrifying events: the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Russian Revolution, the blitzkrieg of World War II and the assassination of the Kennedys. He ends up warning us that if we ever meet him, we should have some courtesy, sympathy, and some taste, or else he will "lay your soul to waste". Musically, the track opens peacefully enough as an upbeat number with lively percussion, nice piano chords and rambling bass. Later we begin to hear slashing, blistering guitar licks, and the background shouts of "woo-woo!", at first sounding like good fun, after a while begin to seem provoking and slightly menacing. This track - music and lyrics - strikes me as a metaphor representing the "end of innocence" and the onset of chaos that the world was experiencing.
5 of the 9 remaining tracks have strong blues influence, of varying shades. "No Expectations" is lazy blues, while "Parachute Woman" is more aggressive, with grating guitar. "Jigsaw Puzzle" is a bluesy mid-tempo song that meanders on, repeating the same chord pattern. "Stray Cat Blues" is bluesy rock, and "Salt Of The Earth" is light blues tinged with gospel. "Dear Doctor" is totally country, while "Factory Girl" is more like country-folk. "Prodigal Son", written by Robert Wilkins, is straight acoustic folk; it is a re-telling of the parable found in the New Testament, and it is the only song not composed by Jagger and Richards. "Street Fighting Man" is a practically flawless hard rock delight which announces the times perfectly: "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". Definitely NOT the Summer of Love. Another thing to notice about the album's lyrics is that 4 songs ("No Expectations", "Parachute Woman", "Factory Girl" and "Stray Cat Blues") paint pictures of women who are far from being the classy specimens depicted in "Lady Jane" and "She's A Rainbow". In "Factory Girl", the guy is waiting for "a girl who's got curlers in her hair...Her zipper's broken down the back...she's got stains all down her dress"!
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
First CD copy of this album for me, and I think is great! My only complaint is that the cover is not the one advertised here (I thought it will be a removable sleeve, but nope).
Images in this review
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2021
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2023
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2022
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2023
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2023
Top reviews from other countries
Mark
50th Anniversary edition Beggars Banquet
Reviewed in Australia on February 12, 2020
