This week on Left of The Dial, we will be looking at Sticky Fingers by The Rolling Stones. The Stones are an early rock band from London, England, and on this record, the band consists of Mick Jagger on vocals and guitar, Keith Richards on guitar and vocals, Mick Taylor on guitar, Bill Wyman on bass, and Charlie Watts on drums. Almost everyone in the band played some other instruments, but I omitted the extras to keep the list simple. Sticky Fingers is their 9th album in Britain, but also their 11th album in the US (they had released two US-exclusive albums in 1964 and 1965 respectively, hence the difference between countries), released in 1971. On top of that, Sticky Fingers is considered one of the band’s best albums! So how about we give this record a spin and test that statement, shall we?
Side 1
Side 1 features “Brown Sugar,” “Sway,” “Wild Horses,” “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking,” and “You Gotta Move.”
“Brown Sugar” is a classic, describing the narrator’s love for a black woman. Looking at the track purely based on sound, it’s excellent. The funky rhythm has a way of getting your body moving. However, the song takes on a completely different meaning once you look at the lyrics, alluding to slavery, raunchy sex, and other uncomfortable subject matter. I suppose it’s a product of its time, and I can’t say for sure what Jagger’s intentions were when he wrote this, but he’s expressed some regrets over the bluntness of the lyrics on this track. Let’s call this one a stalemate and move on.
“Sway” slows things down considerably, taking on a bluesy tone compared to “Brown Sugar.” Even though I chastised Jagger’s bluntness earlier, I don’t hate that he writes like that. When he can channel his feelings into a song and not overdo it, it can be beautiful, like in “Sway.” It’s a poetic take on depression and how it digs deep into your psyche. Jagger refers to life as a demon in the lyrics, and it’s a fitting title when your outlook is so poor. The instrumentals also flow like a current, sweeping the listener up “in its sway” like the narrator of the song is.
“Wild Horses” carries the blue mood, as well, touching on the subject of dissatisfaction with your current situation. I don’t have much to say about this song, as it flows a bit too slowly for my liking. That, combined with the longer run time of 5:38, makes it a bit of a slog to sit through. It doesn’t help matters that the lyrics don’t make too much sense either.
Lucky for us, “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” is a much-needed shot of energy. This track appears to be about being up late at night and aching for companionship, though the lyrics are clearly second-fiddle to the instrumentals. The lyrics wrap up around the 2:45 mark, and the song gives way to a groovy jam. We’re treated to solos from the saxophone and guitar. It can be tough to keep the engagement going during lengthy breakdowns like this, but the instrumentals in this song are changed up often enough to keep things from getting boring.
The final track of Side 1 is “You Gotta Move,” a cover of the song of the same name by Fred McDowell. Since the song has African-American origins, Jagger decided to adopt a Southern black dialect for his vocal performance. The instrumentals also pay tribute to the original, making good use of an electric slide guitar and keeping the structure pretty simple. This cover was a live staple for The Stones, and that was likely why it showed up on Sticky Fingers. Its placement highlights the constant fluctuation of the record’s tone, which makes sure each track stands out against each other. However, my personal preference is for the faster tracks, so it’s hard for me to enjoy these slower-paced ones. That doesn’t make them terrible; maybe you prefer the slower, bluesy songs. In that case, don’t let me stop you from enjoying the slow stuff!
Side 2
Now it’s time to turn to Side 2, featuring “Bitch,” “I Got the Blues,” “Sister Morphine,” “Dead Flowers,” and “Moonlight Mile.”
“Bitch” is easily my favorite song on the record, describing the difficulties of trying to be cool for your lover and failing miserably. The upbeat tone of the instrumentals gives the struggle a humorous edge, which helps make the feeling relatable. The song is carried by an excellent guitar riff, which is accented with a brass section. Like in “Brown Sugar,” it makes you want to move with the music.
“I Got the Blues” is about as straightforward as they come, I probably don’t need to describe what this track is about. At this point, I should say that lyrics are not The Stones’ priority when crafting music; they tend to put the focus on the instrumentals and making great jams. On the subject of the instrumentals, the atmosphere established in “I Got the Blues” is top-notch. The song is punctuated with subtle horns and builds to a beautiful organ solo. The band took inspiration from Otis Redding’s work, particularly “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long,” so the blues/gospel feel is fitting.
“Sister Morphine” takes a darker tone, telling a shockingly coherent story about drug abuse. Our narrator is hopelessly addicted to morphine and cocaine, and appears to be at Death’s door still begging for the relief of the drugs. He describes the hallucinations he’s seeing and how badly he’s suffering in gruesome detail. The instrumentals are heavy, with the piano echoing in the background to accentuate the feelings of disassociation from being drugged. This is another personal favorite of mine, mostly for how well it creates an atmosphere to match the lyrics.
“Dead Flowers” is a bitter take on a breakup, where both parties are in totally different situations. The girl is living the good life with expensive furnishings and cars, while the narrator is a sloppy heroin addict bitterly kissing her off. This was part of The Stones’ experiments into country music, and I’d say this was a successful take on the genre. Jagger’s southern drawl is laughable, but the acoustic guitar work and simple structure make up for it in spades. The vocal harmonies in the chorus are a highlight, as Richards and Taylor execute the drawl better and by association make up for Jagger’s shortcomings.
Finally, Side 2 and the record as a whole wrap up with “Moonlight Mile.” Like “Wild Horses” before it, it describes the misery of being on the road all alone. Here, the atmosphere it sets up is powerful. Jagger’s desperate vocals paired with the barebones guitar and pounding drums set up a sense of isolation that really sticks. The way the instrumentals intensify only adds to the desperation and the way it all crashes down by the end is potently emotional. It’s one of those songs that really stays with you long after the album is over.
I’d be lying if I said Sticky Fingers was a flawless album, but I still love it despite its occasional stumbles. My top three tracks would be “Bitch,” “Sister Morphine” and “Moonlight Mile.” I’m struggling to pick three tracks to put at the bottom, as there aren’t any that are irredeemably bad, so I’ll only pick one, which would be “Wild Horses.”
Rating: 8/10
Feature Photo by Becca Fauteux