Music Review: The Rolling Stones - Goats Head Soup

The Rolling Stones had released in order, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, and Exile On Main Street. These three albums are rightly considered some of the finest rock ‘n’ roll releases of all time. Goats Head Soup had the unenviable task of being The Stones next release. While it did not quite measure up to the excellence of the aforementioned three albums; when taken on its own individual merits it is very good.

Goats Head Soup marked the beginning of musical change for the Rolling Stones. Their music was a little slicker and smoother in style. Ultimately, this would not be a positive development as it would move the band toward almost self parody and the constant need to re-invent themselves. This album, however, is only the beginning of that process and contains some very strong music.

The Stones recorded most of Goats Head Soup in Kingston, Jamaica. Keith Richards said many years later that Jamaica was the only country besides Switzerland that would let him in. While he was still deep into heroin addiction, he was more at ease in Jamaica and contributed at a fairly high level to the recording process. They rented a recording studio for four weeks, 24 hours a day, and produced more than twenty songs.

“Angie” would become their first number one single since “Honky Tonk Women.” The song featured an intimate Mick Jagger vocal set against Nicky Hopkins piano and a string section. This catchy ballad received massive radio airplay and was a look at what would be popular on play lists during the next few years.

The second single release from the album was “Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)” This song reached number fifteen. It was a typical Stones rocker and featured excellent dual guitar work by Taylor and Richards. This gritty song about a young girl’s addiction featured a dynamic vocal by Jagger with a horn section forming the background.

Article Author: David Bowling

I have been collecting vinyl records for over forty years and my collection is approaching 50.000 records. My wife Susan and children, Stacey and Amy, have learned to humor my passion. I am now settled in beautiful Whispering Pines, North Carolina …

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