The root difference between the emotional impact of "Honky Tonk Women" and "Honky Tonk Man" and indeed between rock and roll and country comes from the sense of consequences. After a good reckless binge, Johnny knows he's going to be running out of money, and sucking up to the old lady still sitting back home. Likewise, even in the moment as Hank was "Settin' the Woods on Fire" he knew that "tomorrow morning I'll be right back plowing." You could also run that forward through Steve Earle's "Week of Living Dangerously" with the wife at home to help get him back on track. All through these songs runs a basic presumption that the party can't go on forever.

The Rolling Stones have not in forty damned years conceded that point. Horton sang "I'm a honky tonk man, and I can't seem to stop." It would never occur to Mick and Keef to want to. They didn't come up as white trash during the depression, or seriously face the possibility of fighting in a war. [Can you imagine Jagger or Richards at a draft induction? Sweet, sweet comedy.]

Nope, the Stones were rich boomers who correctly presumed that the world was their oyster. They could do whatever they liked without negative consequence. Free love and free dope- woo hoo! This turned out to be correct financially: Mick would never be reduced to saying "when the money's all gone, I'm on the telephone saying 'Hey, hey mama, can your daddy come home?'" Even Keith has managed to escape any severe consequences for his legendary chemical indulgences.

They did not, however, count on the emotional ramifications of their indulgences. But even these simply became fodder for later masterworks like the "Memory Motel" and "Wild Horses."

Mick's just turned 60, and the party keep on rollin'.