Well love is love and not fade away
Growing up, I was never a huge fan of the Rolling Stones. Sure, their music was good (who doesn’t love Gimme Shelter?), but because they were so popular, I didn’t particularly like them. Even now, I’m not a huge fan of nostalgia. I prefer new music these days–Alt, they call it.
But over the last year I’ve been drawn back to the Stones. Now I find that I play them for hours at a time a couple of times a month. I blame Rob Schwartz who has a “Not Obvious Rolling Stones” Spotify playlist. I had that damn playlist on repeat for a week last December. Listening to these songs made me realize just how talented these guys are. And how much they influenced my life–whether I accept it or not.
Well I’ve accepted it. And here are my all-time top 10 Rolling Stones songs.
#10 Paint It Black – 1966. Very well could be the most rocking song ever recorded.
#9 Rocks Off* – Gritty, bluesy, and full of soul.
#8 Shattered – I was 13 when this song came out. Living in the Deep South, this song gave me an indelible mental image of New York City. Such great wordplay.
#7 Moonlight Mile* – In the last year before sobriety, I was in a dark place–literally, a windowless basement apartment in Flushing, Queens. Far, far away from home. This song kept me sane.
#6 doo doo doo doo doo (Heartbreaker) – This song is from 1973. Not much has changed.
#5 Dead Flowers* – My favorite country music song of all time.
#4 Bitch – Some days this is #1.
#3 She’s a Rainbow – “The prettiest and most uncharacteristic song that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards ever penned.”
#2 Tumbling Dice – Everything about this song is great.
#1 Can’t You Hear Me Knocking* – From the electric opening riff to one of the best endings in rock history, this song is the Rolling Stones.
* – Sticky Fingers was released 23 April 1971, but I didn’t really hear it until twenty years later. I bought the cassette three times because I kept wearing it out on my commute into the city every day. Just me, the 7 train, and the Stones.
