The Rolling Stones changed the aura of rock and rollers as a whole by presenting an image that was anything but squeaky clean and sensitive. And they’ve long sustained that reputation, even as they remain active today, long after most of their 60s peers have hung it up. But along the way in that long journey, these bad boys of rock have occasionally let us see their softer side. Here are five songs that display the sensitive Rolling Stones!
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“Tell Me” from ‘The Rolling Stones’ (1964)
“Tell Me” doesn’t get a ton of mention today among the songs that the Stones released in their early years. But it holds a little bit of a distinction in that it was their first ever US Top 40 single when it was released in 1964. This was when the songwriting team of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were just getting their sea legs. They were shaking free of the blues and R&B covers on which they had so heavily relied. And while “Tell Me” isn’t a masterpiece by any stretch, it’s striking in terms of the heartfelt emotion on display and how authentically it’s conveyed.
“She Smiled Sweetly” from ‘Between The Buttons’ (1967)
The back-to-back 60s albums Aftermath and Between The Buttons represent The Stones in their baroque pop era. Jagger and Richards were flowering as melodicists during that period, so they often used some unique instrumentation to highlight that shift. Many of those tuneful songs came equipped with tart lyrics, though not so for “She Smiled Sweetly”. For most of the song, the narrator worries non-stop about the problems in his life. But then his girl hits him with a grin, and all is well.
“Till The Next Goodbye” from ‘It’s Only Rock ‘N Roll’ (1974)
Following the incredible run of brilliant albums that ended with Exile On Main St. in 1972, The Stones entered a period where they were really good more than out-and-out great. Albums like Goat’s Head Soup and It’s Only Rock ’N Roll reliably delivered the goods, and there were just enough surprises sprinkled about to keep the band from too much of a rut. From the latter album comes “Till The Next Goodbye”, a lovely, sad number with some nice acoustic guitar work and sweet vocal harmonies.
“Always Suffering” from ‘Bridges To Babylon’ (1997)
The Rolling Stones drastically slowed down the pace and got more sensitive in the 90s. It became less important for them to have a new album out before they went on tour. They still rocked as hard as ever. But the extra running time afforded by CDs allowed them to change the pace a bit more often. Mick Jagger took advantage of that on “Always Suffering”. You can probably tell by the title that the song isn’t exactly a laugh riot. That being said, it earns some uplift as it progresses, thanks to both the sweep of the music and Mick’s potent vocal effort.
“Losing My Touch” from ‘Forty Licks’ (2002)
It’s hard to argue against the late 60s and early 70s as the greatest cumulative era in The Rolling Stones’ recording career. But one of the wonderful developments that took place after that was a greater reliance on Keith Richards’ lead vocals. The Stones would often save the last song on an album for a smoky ballad from Richards. Why not do the same on their 2002 compilation Forty Licks? “Losing My Touch” is an end-of-the-night, woozy ballad, featuring great work on piano from Chuck Leavell. Keith offers some touching vocals as he ruminates on fading prowess.
Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns
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