The Rolling Stones Page

Albums in 1980's to 1990's

Emotional Rescue June 23, 1980 (UK) - (1): July 5 to 12 (US) - (1): July 26 to September 6 Same sound feature as "Some girls". Disco like and funky "Dance". Regae taste, "Send it to me". Does "Indian girl "describe the civil war in South America ? Bluesy "Down in the hole". Mick's falsetto vocal, "Emotional rescue". This song is great. (What does it mean that 'I will be your knight in shining armor, riding across the desert, on a fine Arab charger.'?) The last one is Keith's ballad, "All about you".

Tatto You August 30, 1981 (UK) - (2): September 12 (US) - (1): September 19 to November 14 Collection of outtakes. Some of them were recorded again for this album. Oldest one is "Tops" that was recorded during 'Goat's Head Soup' session. From "Start me up" to "Waing on a friend", compact good songs are in. "Start me up" is new masterpiece. Sonny Rollins played in "Neighbours" and "Waiting on a friend".

Undercover November 7, 1983 (UK) - (8): November 19 (US) - (4): December 10 to 17 "Undercover of the night", 'Smell of sex, smell of suicide. All these things I just can't keep inside.' "She was hot", 'Down the avenue into the lost bayou, into the tall bamboo, back to the human zoo. I wish you all the best. I hope we meet again on a cold Chicago night.' In "Too much blood" Mick tells a story of a Japanese living in Paris murders his girl friend. As he says, 'Truth is more stranger than fiction.' My wife, Youko, believes a person on the cover should be a man. Is it true ?

Dirty Work March 24, 1986 (UK) - (4): April 5 to 12, (US) - (4): May 3 to 10 Heavy "One hit (to the body)", (Lead guitar is played by Jimmy Page ?) hard "Fight", exciting "Harlem shuffle", hard and powerful "Hold back" and bluesy regae, "Too rude". Lead vocal is Keith. "Sleep tonight" is great and also sung by Keith. From 1984 to 1987 Mick released solo albums, 'She's a boss' and 'Primitive cool'. He also sang the main theme of a movie, 'Ruthless poeple', sang "Dancing in the street" with David Bowe and released a movie 'Running out of luck'. Keith made some concerts with Ronnie and he also released his solo album, "Talk is cheap". I felt the concentration was low for 'Undercover' and 'Dirty work'. Side B of each album seemed outtakes except some tunes. I was seriously concerned about the breaking up of The Rolling Stones.

Steel Wheels August 28, 1989 (UK) - (2): 8 weeks, (US) - (3): 20 weeks Three years later, Stones came back. Two rock numbers, "Sad sad sad" and "Mixed emotions". Bluesy rock, "Terrifying" and "Hearts for sale". Between two, hard rock "Hold on to your hat". (Here Ronnie plays bass guitar.) Country taste "Blinded by love". And "Rock and a hard place"! This is great thrilling Stones rock tune. These seven tunes show new Stones world. Keith sings "Can't be seen". Ballad "Almost hear you sigh". I like this. Players in Joujouka where Brian once recorded joined "Continental drift". This high tensed album ends with "Slipping away", ballad with Keith's lead vocal.

Voodoo Lounge July 12, 1994 Stones had a target to create this album like "Beggar's banquet" and "Exile on main st.". This is a first album since Bill left Stones. Masterpiece, "Love is strong". Slow bluesy rock with Mick's harp and Keith's guitar. "New face" is accompanied by harpsicord. Accorstic "Moon is up". Then slow ballad "Out of tears". Wild "I go wild". "Suck on the jugular" like Mick's solo album. I like "Blinded by rainbow". 'Did you ever kiss the child who just saw his father shot ?'.

Bridges to Babylon September 30, 1997 (September 27, 1997 in Japan) What is the heavy, gloomy and languid mood ? Did Stones take the fin-de-siecle decadent mood in advance ? In the cover, there is vast desert and the tower of Babylon stood. High speed rock, "Flip the switch" starts up this album. Languid bass leads "Anybody seen my baby ?" Mick sings 'She has gotten lost in the crowd.' Keyboard and spacy guitar accelerate the mood. "Low down", Stones rock with medium tempo, lamentation for a leaving lover. Then "Already over me", slow ballad. "Gunface", hard rock number, shows a guy who tries to kill his girl friend. The sixth one "You don't have to mean it". First relaxed one. Keith sings regae. 'I was in the city. I was out in the rain. I was feeling down-hearted. I was drinking again.' in "Out of control". Mick plays blues harp here. Next two songs, "Saint of me" and "Might as well get juiced", also describe decadent mood. But sounds are less gloomy. Ballad, "Always suffering". First major rock in this album, "Too tight". Finally Keith sings two ballads, "Thief in the night" and "How can I stop ?" In the last tune, Wayne Shorter plays soprano saxophone.

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