Dawgs v. Cats, Stones Mix, Life in a series of Randy Newman Songs

Classic trap game this weekend for The Dawgs between the Hedges, but for the first time in a long time, I feel like they have turned a corner, what with Knowshon Supermannin these Hoes, and Stafford's newfound deft touch, and Mark Richt channeling Erk Russell. GOOOO DAWGS! Sic' Em!

An internerd friend of mine, who just happened to go to my same high school, and grow up literally around the corner from me recently asked me for a mix from my favorite band, and well, The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band: THE ROLLING STONES. Not a greatest hits, but more of a "sum up what this band means to you in a mix and mash of songs -- Yeah, like THAT'S possible. The Stones have so many eras, egos, and sounds, that evoke so many different emotions, from their early blues days, mid 60s pop and psychedelia, the best four album run in history, and even through the later years, and the LATE years that summing them in one mix is nigh on impossible, but this is my shot.

My buddy Charlie over at Kuchar Kuzma suggested blogging my thoughts on why I chose what I chose, and I figured, what else would I do on a friday?

Quick -- To the Tracklist!

1. All Down the Line (Acoustic Demo) -- this is from a disc of outtakes that a buddy of mine sent me, and it sort of sums up almost everything about the stones. It's a great, loud beast of a horns and holler track, reduced to Mick, moaning and acoustic guitar. It gets to the soulful heart of their ability.

2. Tumbling Dice (Live) -- This is from the recent Rarities disc, and is itself an outtake from "Stripped" their mid 90s acoustic tour warm up album from The El Mocambo in Toronto. The first verse is just Mick and *shudder* Chuck Leavell clappin his hands. It's one of their classic songs, re-done. But like the above, it gets right to what makes the amazing mess they are.

3. Let it Loose -- Taken from Side 4 of the Exile on Main Street LP, this song is all soul, haunting guitar licks, and one of the best come down songs in history. You can almost see the bloodshot eyes and the barely alerts expressions. One more and we're done, eh boys?

4. That's How Strong My Love Is -- A Sam Cooke cover that Mick makes his own. The instrumentation and vocal delivery remind me of a mid-60s slow dance. You know, fella has his close-tailored suit on, flower in his lapel, girl has a corsage on her wrist. Screw in the back of the car and have her home before her parents get too mad.

5. Under My Thumb -- The slinky bass groove says it all. The beginnings of the "misogynist mick" tag.

6. Stray Cat Blues -- "I can see you're only 15 years old, I don't want yo ID." Mean guitar lick and even meaner lyrics. This is what you call the debauched period. Keef on the nod, Mick on the prowl.

7. Let's Spend the Night Together -- I always said if I owned a bar I would end every night with a double bill of this and Rod Stewart's "Stay With Me." Love in the modern era, if just for one night.

8. Bitch -- What passes for a Stones' Love song. Some of the best "weaving" of the guitars, thanks mightily to Mick Taylor. Also, a horn section that will blow your doors off. Love, it's a bitch!

9. Connection -- "Oh I HATE that fucking rec-ord" is what Mick is quoted as saying about Between the Buttons, which is where this is taken from. The record is worth having for two reasons - 1. is this song, the first Keef lead vocal, and 2 is the Gerard Mankewiecz album cover - coming soon to my living room wall!

10. On With the Show -- From Satanic Majesties Request, a bizarre piece of chamber pop, with Mick doing his vocoder-ed Olde English accent as a sort of carnival barker in a burlesque club. Playful fauxpsydelic.

11. Cherry Oh Baby -- Keef likes reggae, Mick likes trends. I like this song.

12. Luxury - A bit more reggae, though from an earlier album. Suckin the Seventies, a bit of workingman's blues, channeling a newer form of black thought.

13. Saint of Me -- As long as we're chasing trends, let's queue this one up. An experiment with drum loops by the Dust Brothers on a late 90s tour fodder offering. One of the late late period gems.

14. Summer Romance - A blast of punk guitar from Emotional Rescue. It was a summer romance but it's gone.

15. Tops -- probably the "worst" song on this mix. Just slow, lecherous, monger moaning Micky J.

16. 19th Nervous Breakdown - Here it comes! This song and the next, I think, verily sum up the mid 60s pop single era swingin 60s Stones. It's all there, but with a bit of menace and malice not found in The Beatles, much less Herman's Mermits and whomever else.

17. Mother's Little Helper - Is it a 'lude, a valium or a speed pill...or all three? Mother needs something to make it through the day. Cracks in the veneer of post WWII prosperity. Dishwashers and microwaves don't make mummy any less depressed.

18. Live With Me -- Just a raunchy guitar lick that define the Let it Bleed-Beggar's Banquet double shot of the country manored life they started to enjoy. With a bit of acid and coke paranoia thrown in for good measure.

19. Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) -- I'm not sure if they have ever played a darker song on mainstream radio. Rare piece of social commentary. The 60s are over. New York is a junkie hell. The dream will never die.

20. Don't Stop -- From the 40th Anniversary greatest hits package 40 Licks, this one shows they keep on chooglin.

21. Respectable -- Get out of my life, don't fuck my wife, don't come back. This was a comeback album and, retrospectively, a last grasp at the elusive muse. Right before heroin completely took Keef over, and right before Mick started chasing his tail with every new sound. Anyone who tells me punk hated the Stones should turn this up full blast and play it all night long. A trashterpiece.

22. Shattered -- Mick's late 70s ode to The Big Apple. Again, how many ways can you say "a beautiful piece of trash"?

23. Hang Fire -- This song is Roadhouse all the way. Me and Tim Gassler and Chris Krauth drinking heavily and a piece of blaring pop comes over the stereo about life on the dole. Ah College.

24. Have You Seen Your Mother Baby (Standing in the Shadows) -- It's all about the horns. Another mid 60s single that gives a hint of the darkness.

25. Wanna Hold You -- Another Keef-helmed throwaway from 1983!'s Uncercover. They did this on the Bridges to Babylon Tour. I think I was the only one in America that knew every word.

26. Memo from Turner -- This is really Mick and Ron Wood, long before him joining the Stones was ever an option. I needed a piece of Ronnie on here, as he is my favorite Stone, and this is one of their darkest of the dark songs. From the movie "Performance" -- about a drug heavy and a rock star and their descent into paranoia. Sums it up nicely.

27. Rocks Off -- This usually begins mixes, but I'm going out with a bang. Rhythm heavy, horns, and a shot of love! I can remember exactly where I was the first time I heard this song, and for the next 5 years after that, I tried to LIVE it. It never got weird enough for me.