Posted by The Godfather of Anti-Grunge on May 22, 2000 at 15:34:55:
In Reply to: Re: Beggars Banquet posted by Beggars is Overrated on May 22, 2000 at 14:36:25:
: It's a good album, IMO, but definitely not the best Stones album. In fact, I think it's their most overrated ever. It wouldn't make my top ten list of fav studio releases, but again, it's still good. Lyrically, it IS one of their best. Jagger's words are chilling, provocative, and utterly brilliant at times. It's the music that drags this album down for me. Sure, "Sympathy" and "Street Fighting Man" are near the top of the band's musical output. "No Expectations" is one of their most beautiful songs ever and "Stray Cat Blues" is one of the most musically fierce. Keith's stinging lead rips your heard off on that one. The rest of the album just doesn't measure up to the level of those great songs. Stones country is great--"Torn and Frayed, Dead Flowers, etc., etc." But Stones REDNECK Bluegrass is not. "Dear Doctor" is one of their worst songs ever, IMO. "Factory Girl" was terrible until the great live version from FLASHPOINT. "Jigsaw Puzzle" needs a killer Keef riff, but more than that it needs a melody. It's nothing more than filler to me...
: "Salt of the Earth" is one of their most overrated songs. It's good, but not even close to great. Same goes for "Parachute Woman." This album could've been so much better. No excuse for not including "Jumpin' Jack" or "Child of the Moon" at the very least. "Family" and "Downtown Suzie" are better than half the songs that made it on the album. In short, BB is one of the Stones best albums--lyrically. Musically it doesn't compare to the three classics that came right after it.
I agree that BB, at least compared to the next three albums that followed it, is somewhat overated. Once you get past Sympathy and SFM, the songs are very good, not great, with one exception: Prodigal Son.
It's one of the most dignified blues covers they ever did. Almost as good as Love In Vain and better than You Gotta Move.
Which reminds me -- that might be a good poll question: What is the best Stones cover of a blues tune?
Prodigal Son
Love in Vain
You Gotta Move
Stop Breaking Down
I Can't Be Satisfied
King Bee
Little Red Rooster
The list goes on ...
Hope I didn't steal any future thunder, Keno.