The Beggars Banquet Rave (The Rolling Stones' Greatest Album)

When it comes to raves, some things are simply more deserving than others. And while some newer things, such as The White Stripes, are definitely deserving of a rave, certain older things are in a whole other class and not only renew their rave worthiness year in and year out, but actually become better and better with each passing decade. One such thing, clearly, is The Rolling Stones' 1968 album "Beggars Banquet". A masterpiece if ever one was created! Heavily steeped in the blues, yet not a blues album, just a classic piece of rock 'n' roll perfection.

I grew up a huge Beatles fan and I'm still a big, if not huge, fan to this day; however, I became much more of a Stones guy during university. It's not an either/or discussion, as they're both amazing, but for me The Stones, with their blues and country influences, were simply the better rock 'n' roll band (pre-1973). I got really heavily into them when I was about 19 or 20, which is when I bought a whole lot of their old stuff, including the 4 classics they released in just 3.5 years between December 1968 and May 1972 ("Beggars Banquet", "Let It Bleed", "Sticky Fingers" and "Exile On Main Street" - all 4 albums being works of pure rock 'n' roll magic, pure rock 'n' roll brilliance). Simply put, it's some of the greatest rock 'n' roll ever recorded. I love all 4 albums, but from the time I originally purchased it right up until now, "Beggars Banquet" has always been my favorite Stones album by far. Before buying it back in 1986 or '87 I had simply been a "Hot Rocks" man. "Hot Rocks", of course, being the fantastic double album collecting all The Stones' biggest hits from between '64 and '71. But after just a couple of listens to "Beggars Banquet" I was hooked. Bands really don't come any tighter than The Stones were on this album. A classic!

Alas, it never sold anywhere near as well as later stuff like "Tattoo You" and "Some Girls" and it's more than likely that you don't own it yourself. If that's the case and you happen to be a fan of rock 'n' roll then there's really no way you should carry on another day without going out there and purchasing your very own copy. Then again, perhaps you're more into "The Sound Of Music", to which I can only say: May God have mercy on your soul!!

I guess this would be the appropriate time to ask you what you think was the best selling album of the 1960's in America? Was it a Stones album? Or one by The Supremes? Or maybe it was Led Zeppelin's first album? No, it's got to be a Beatles album, right? Wrong! The best selling album of the 1960s was - no, you didn't guess it - "The Sound Of Music". And, no, that's not ok. The universe will stay unbalanced until we help undo the crimes committed by the fools of yesteryear. And so I beg you to please do your part in righting this gigantic wrong by going out and buying "Beggars Banquet" today.

We're talking about a perfect album here. Every single song is excellent. Forget about the hits ("Sympathy For The Devil" and "Street Fighting Man" - both great songs, obviously), this is really an album dominated by relatively unknown songs of pure brilliance, such as "No Expectations", "Dear Doctor", "Factory Girl", "Salt Of The Earth", "Parachute Woman", the old blues song "Prodigal Son" and, especially, "Jig-Saw Puzzle" and "Stray Cat Blues".

Come on people, if you don't know this stuff you're simply denying yourself one of the great pleasures in life. Do yourself a favor, do yourself some good, do for yourself what you know you should've done long long ago and go out and buy "Beggars Banquet" today (all Julie Andrews fans excepted, of course).


Oredakedo (Mike Cowie)
Thursday, April 6th, 2006