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The Rolling Stones – “Beggars Banquet” Reviewed and Revisited

The Rolling Stones - "Beggars Banquet" Review

The Rolling Stones has had the history of classic rock n’ roll smile down upon them. Why not? They are, after all, the victors – the last gang standing in a game that’s proved to be deadly for so many. “Beggars Banquet” was the album where The Stones proved themselves the benefits of being themselves. A nasty blues-rock record that predicted their future, “Beggars Banquet” was a success upon its release and praised years after the fact.

But where does mythology end and reality begin? Is “Beggars Banquet” one of the finest hours in the Golden Days of Rock? I am reviewing the album, trying to overlook my own bias (I chose this as the Rolling Stones’s best album in a previous article), and trying to answer these questions.

The Rolling Stones - "Beggars Banquet" Review

The Long and Winding Road Outside of The Beatles’ Shadow

The Rolling Stones were brought together by a pure, shared love of the American blues. However, they were brought to the top of the charts by a pure understanding of the success of The Beatles. Cozying up to the Fab Four and acquiring some of the same business acquaintances meant that The Stones were always The British Invasions’ #2.

That still put the band consisting of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wymann, and Charlie Watts ahead of great bands like The Kinks, The Zombies, The Animals and, yes, even The Who.

But Jagger and co. were anything if not ambitious. They’d had great pop hits with songs like (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” or “Get Off of My Cloud.” With the help of their former leader, Brian Jones, they’d even experimented with the sitar and darker tones on the equally successful “Paint it Black.” But there had to be more to life as a creator and as a rockstar than this, right?

The Stones had marketed themselves as “the bad boys of rock n’ roll.” But that hadn’t stopped them from following The Beatles straight into their Indian-mysticism-influenced Summer of Love. The Liverpudlians had put out “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The best response The Stones could muster was “Their Satanic Majesties’ Request.”

Jagger had to relent. The Stones were no Beatles. But they had something that Lennon/McCartney songs could rarely produce. The Stones understood the blues. They could mold it, get inside its skin, and even power it into a rocket of a garage-rock sound.

The Rolling Stones - "Beggars Banquet" Review

“Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and Brian Jones

Released in 1968, just ahead of “Beggars Banquet,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” was the finest single The Rolling Stones had ever produced and a testament to their will to survive.

Gone were the pop hooks and the acid-rock lyrics about peace and love. In were dirty guitar riffs, mysterious Jagger-penned lyrics about magnetic figures, and a sound that fit the band naturally. The Stones could play garage rock and the blues. The band no longer needed to fear that this would cause their chart downfall.

This was also one of the last stands of the enigmatic, talented, difficult former leader of the band, Brian Jones. It was Jones who had started the band. Back then he just wanted to play slide guitar in a blues band.

Jones would contribute rarely but was always inspired to songs on “Beggars Banquet.” Yet, he remained unpredictable. The Rolling Stones, for all their bad-boy posturing, was a band of professional musicians and well-to-do capitalists. Jones had to go.

The Rolling Stones - "Beggars Banquet" Review

“Beggars Banquet” Review

At the time that “Beggars Banquet” was recorded, plenty of things were going wrong for The Rolling Stones. They had record label and management issues with ABKCO and Allen Klein. They were feuding with their guitarist, Brian Jones, and considering a replacement. And, their last album had offered the band their first flop.

But you wouldn’t be able to tell from hearing the music with which they were coming up. The songs on “Beggars Banquet” are a mix of garage rock a la “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and the blues. They are played effortlessly, snarlingly, full of bravado and animosity. It’s no wonder that The Stones would be the one British Invasion band that punk-rockers loved.

Album opener, “Sympathy for the Devil,” proves that “Jack Flash” was no fluke. In 1968, nobody could write evil rock songs like The Stones. Mick Jagger’s lyrics, quoting from the blues tradition or from Bulgakov, are inspired. The slow blues evolved, as Jean-Luc Goddard’s proto-music video showed, from a blues to a devilish chant.

For better rather than for worse, there are nearly no other moments like it on the record. “No Expectations” is a beautiful, lowdown acoustic ballad featuring Jones’ expressive slide guitar. “Dear Doctor” is a country number about dodging marital responsibilities. And, on “Prodigal Son,” Richards stakes his claim as “king of the guitar riff.”

“Jigsaw Puzzle” runs a little long but proves Jagger/Richards weren’t done trying to rival the more successful Lennon/McCartney partnership.

Street Fighting British Rockstars

The one song that is from the same “Jack Flash” mold is “Street Fighting Man.” While less melodically pleasing, the anthemic number positions The Stones, once again, as the one commercially successful British band still looking for fights and welcoming a revolution no matter from where it was bound to arrive. It’s a classic, albeit not a great song.

Instead, The Stones really shine when tackling an old blues number on “Prodigal Son,” a half-year before the release of “Led Zeppelin,” an album that also recycled the blues to great effect.

“Stray Cat Blues” shows that a Telecaster-wielding Keith Richard playing the blues is a dangerous, unpredictable thing. And, “Factory Girl” leaves the band unplugged and comfortable with themselves.

Who were The Rolling Stones in their minds? Album closer “Salt of the Earth” reveals just that. While their rivals, The Beatles, were busy being the prices of rock n’ roll, the Stones were telling audiences that they were comfortable down in the dirt, just like many of them.

“Beggars Banquet” is an understated masterpiece. I stand by what I said and do it at the threat of my personal security. This is the best album by The Rolling Stones.

The Rolling Stones - "Beggars Banquet" Review

Legacy of “Beggars Banquet”

“Beggars Banquet” set The Rolling Stones on an incredible run of commercial and artistic success. They quickly followed it up with three other albums. Many call this the best run of releases by any rock band. The other records are “Let It Bleed,” “Sticky Fingers,” and “Exile on Main Street.”

Upon its release, some music critics hated it. A few others praised it, and future punk-rockers embraced it as their own.

Years later, from Rolling Stone’s list of greatest albums of all time to Robert Christgau’s record guide, “Beggars Banquet” was placed near the head of the table. It’s a nearly universally praised record, albeit slightly less famous than the ones immediately following it.

“Sympathy for the Devil” has been covered by Guns n’ Roses, Jane’s Addiction, and will continue to be played by any rock band trying to sound evil and classy. “Beggars Banquet” has sold only 1.1 million copies of the 250 million moved by The Rolling Stones worldwide.

But if you’re looking for a record that captures The Stones at their best and not desperate to impress as they usually are, this is the one.

About author

Eduard Banulescu is a writer, blogger, and musician. As a content writer, Eduard has contributed to numerous websites and publications, including FootballCoin, Play2Earn, BeIN Crypto, Business2Community, NapoliSerieA, Extra Time Talk, Nitrogen Sports, Bavarian FootballWorks, etc. He has written a book about Nirvana, hosts a music podcasts, and writes weekly content about some of the best, new and old, alternative musicians. Eduard also runs and acts as editor-in-chief of the alternative rock music website www.alt77.com. Mr. Banulescu is also a musician, having played and recorded in various bands and as a solo artist.
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