The Rolling Stones Album: “Forty Licks”

FORTY LICKS is by far the recommended choice for those who only want one Stones set in their collection. Fans and collectors will only need the four new tracks (which are solid albeit non-essential cuts), but they may appreciate the novelty of having a career-spanning collection, all with upgraded sound quality. Taken as a whole, FORTY LICKS shows that the Stones absorbed a lot of influences, both inside and outside of the rock genre. The Stones manage the rare feat of maintaining a consistent albeit evolving group sound, usually without slipping into a predictable formula. Few artists with four decade-long careers have maintained this level of vitality for so long: as recently as 1997 they still could cut an outstanding, contemporary-sounding track (ANYBODY SEEN MY BABY?)

I would have preferred the tracks be presented in chronological order, but at least the 1960s-vintage tracks are on disc one, 1970s-present on disc two. If I counted correctly, FORTY LICKS manages to include 16 of 21 tracks on the HOT ROCKS collection, 15 of 23 out of the two THROUGH THE PAST DARKLY sets, and 12 of 18 from the JUMP BACK 1971-1993 anthology...and still squeezes in 7 recent-to-new cuts. While such key cuts as AS TEARS GO BY, MIDNIGHT RAMBLER, WAITING ON A FRIEND, HOT STUFF, 2000 LIGHT YEARS FROM HOME, LADY JANE, and TIME IS ON MY SIDE are missed, there just isn't enough room. In other words, it's impressive that most of the key tracks from past anthologies are now collected in one place.

This is the collector's edition, which comes in a large white box with a tongue that changes color. I liked the huge book with the photographs and the large poster of the original band with Bryan. It's worth the extra expense for any real Stones fan. But what really matters is the music....so here we go:

40 Licks was released worldwide on October 1, 2002. Obviously, there are 40 tracks including 4 new ones (the single Don't Stop, Stealing My Heart, Keys To Your Love, and Keith's Losing My Touch). This one is the 22nd compilation album the Stones have released. It is the 19th compilation in the UK and the 9th in the US. There are lots of opinions about what should and should have been included/left off (there are *25* single releases that were not included). Remember, if anyone ever releases the entire Stones catalog as a box set it will have to be packaged in a trunk that comes with a dolly to get it out of the store. Since everybody knows the songs anyway, how about if I list what is on it from when for you?

These songs are the most popular from the Rolling Stones Records releases. Here are the original US and UK release dates of each song (US release and re-release dates were often different during this period):

3-6-64 Not Fade Away

Here are the *25* single releases that are NOT on the album: Saint Of Me, Out Of Contol, Like A Rolling Stone, I Go Wild, Out Of Tears, Sex Drive, Highwire, Terrifying, Almost Hear You Sigh,, One Hit (To The Body), She Was Hot, Time Is On My Side, Going To A Go Go, If I Was A Dancer, Out Of Time, I Don't Know Why, Sad Day, Hot Stuff, Respectable, Waiting On A Friend, Harlem Shuffle, Rock And A Hard Place, Heart Of Stone, As Tears Go By, Tell Me, Dandelion

This information comes from "It's Only Rock And Roll: The Ultimate Guide To The Rolling Stones" by Karnbach and Bernson and from my own collection.

At long last it's here. Fans have been crying out for a proper Stones retrospective for aeons and, finally, the price is right for the respective record companies and 'Forty Licks' is the result. A double set, with the 60s Decca/ABKCO material on one album (plus 1971's 'Wild Horses') and everything post-'71 on the other, although the tracks aren't sequenced chronologically. All told 40 songs from four decades, including four new tracks.

Any an album that can boast 'Street Fighting Man', 'Gimme Shelter' and 'Satisfaction' as its opening three tracks is certainly onto a winner. Even though Mick Jagger's familiar pouting, snarling voice hurtles out from another place and another time, part of tracks that are now an integral part of our culture, it still sends shivers down the spine. Same goes for the opening chords, from 'Street Fighting Man's insistent, ringing acoustic opening to 'Gimme Shelter's menacing, serpent-like notes and, of course, the all-too familiar calling card of 'Satisfaction'.

The first album is as bulletproof a selection as you could want. From the breakneck cover of Buddy Holly's 'Not Fade Away', through the classic string of self-penned singles ('The Last Time', 'Satisfaction', 'Get Off Of My Cloud', '19th Nervous Breakdown', 'Paint It, Black') to the meltdown of 'Have You Seen Your Mother Baby?', this is the mid-60s documented in all its incense-scented, scandal-ridden, narcissistic glory.

That's the signal for the trip to get darker, though the provocative 'Let's Spend The Night Together' and the wistful beauty of 'Ruby Tuesday' proved that the band could still churn out incredible four-minute pop songs. Unsurprisingly, the nervous breakdown of a single that was 'We Love You', which documented their paranoid incarcerated summer of love, is omitted in favour of the light and airy 'She's A Rainbow'.

The second album also races out of the blocks, with the legendary riffs of 'Start Me Up' and 'Brown Sugar' followed by the disco shuffle of 'Miss You'. It's no secret what the Stones themselves consider their best albums of the later period, with 1978's 'Some Girls' getting three tracks, 1972's magnum opus 'Exile On Main Street' and 1994's semi-return to form 'Voodoo Lounge' two apiece.

Of the new tracks, 'Don't Stop' is a solid mid-paced rocker with a memorable chorus, the kind of single the Stones still seem able to churn out at will. But 'Keys To Your Love' and 'Stealing My Heart' are merely slight versions of what's gone before, the former with Jagger's falsetto vocal circa 1980-81 and the latter a countryfied ditty of the sort Sir Mick usually saves for his solo albums. Keith's 'Losing My Touch' is much better, though, the latest in a long line of slow-burning album closers he does so well.

As ever with compilations covering such a huge body of work, there are omissions - 'Little Red Rooster', 'Time Is On My Side', 'Rocks Off', 'All Down The Line' could have easily slotted in instead of the album tracks or a couple of the new ones. But to criticise a collection containing so many incredible songs would be churlish.

On the contrary, 'Forty Licks' exists as ample evidence that, away from the drugs, the women, the media manipulation, the huge stages filling one end of stadiums the world over, the Stones have got where they are because they've made music that has been, and will continue to be listened to and revered by generation after generation.

"Forty Licks" is at last a retrospective of the Rolling Stones entire career. The first disk contains the Abkco/Decca controlled material with Brian Jones through the early Mick Taylor era (mostly sixties). The second disk contains the Virgin material from the later Mick Taylor period through the Ronnie Wood years (seventies to present). The second disk also contains 4 newly recorded songs for this collection. The first disk appears to contain the new Abkco remastering but is not SACD compatible.

Disk one is priceless. It contains one classic hit after another. Material ranges from early R&B covers like "It's All Over Now" to the psychedelic "She's A Rainbow" and rockers like "Satisfaction". This disk shows the evolution of Jagger/Richards into one of the greatest songwriting duos in rock history. Cuts like "Get Off My Cloud" and "19th Nervous Breakdown" spotlight the tight rhythm section of Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman. Tracks such as "Jumping Jack Flash", "Gimme Shelter" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" are timeless classics. Disk one serves as a single disk summary of the material from the twin Abkco double disk sets "Hot Rocks" and "More Hot Rocks". I was pleased that lesser known favorites like "The Last Time", "Not Fade Away", "It's All Over Now" and "She's A Rainbow" were included. However, I would have omitted "Have You Seen You Mother Baby" in favor of "I'm Free", "Dandelion", "2000 Light Years From Home" or "Play With Fire" among others.

The second disk contains classic tracks like "Brown Sugar", "It's Only Rock 'N' Roll", "Start Me Up" and "Tumbling Dice". I was especially glad "Happy" one of my favorites form this period was included. The disk also contains 4 new songs. "Don't Stop" and "Stealing My Heart" are medium tempo rockers while "Keys To Your Heart" and "Losing My Touch" are more subdued with Keith taking the vocals on the latter. The new songs sound similar to their more recent material. After listening to the second disk I could not help but be a little disappointed. While not to knock Ronnie Wood it becomes evident that the Stones miss the creative versatility of Brian Jones and the stellar musicianship and stinging slide guitar of Mick Taylor. A drawback with the second disk is that a number of the songs appear in edited versions. Many excellent cuts from this time period are omitted like "Bitch", "All Down The Line", "Heartbreaker", "Star Star", "Crazy Mama", "When The Whip Comes Down", "Before They Make Me Run", "Going To A Go-Go", "She's So Cold", "Hang Fire", "Harlem Shuffle", "Rock And A Hard Place", "Like A Rolling Stone", and "Saint Of Me" among others. "Exile On Main Street" one the best double albums (remember them) in rock history and one of their best is only represented by two cuts.

While this set provides a good purchase for the novice or budget minded Stones fan, I would still recommend picking up "Hot Rocks" and "More Hot Rocks" as both contain essential tracks not included here. If you want the real story you must pick up their individual disks as each contain some hidden gems. Maybe sometime Virgin will get around to issuing a 2 disk compilation of their material with a bonus disk of rare non-lp b-sides, but until then this set will do nicely.

Or should I say 40? I used to think "Hot Rocks" was the best Stones collection. Well, "Forty Licks" has it -- uh, licked. It contains 16 of the 21 Rocks tracks and then goes on to kiss your ears with 20 tunes from their next 30 years, plus 4 brand spankin' new ones. Sure, you can point to lots of missing licks (Tell Me, Time is On My Side, Heart of Stone, As Tears Go By, Lady Jane, No Expectations, Stray Cat Blues, Midnight Rambler, Let It Bleed, Live With Me, Waiting on a Friend, etc.), but to cover *every* great Stones cut would take far more than 2 CDs.

With 12 Top Ten cuts on just the first CD of this set alone, it is probably the most solid 20 song CD this side of Beatles 1. The second CD has 10 Top Ten tunes, so it's hardly a slacker either. Seems like the 2 CDs are neatly divided into their London vs. Rolling Stones Records days. But don't expect the tracks to be in chronological order. The 4 licks from 2002 are all good, but "Don't Stop" is definitely the standout gem, destined to become a Stones classic. Even the liner notes surpass anything on the recent Stones Remasters [hello, Record Co, we want details in our package]. Forty Licks 24-page booklet lists the writers, year, and (indirectly) the personnel on every track. It also clarifies the 5 different Stones lineups in their 39 year career. And there are some wonderful photos of The Boys at various ages. Lick for lick, this baby really delivers a tongue lashing of the best from the Greatest Rock Band in the World! Hey, guys, Don't Stop! I know it's only rock n' roll, but I like it....