Let’s Take A Moment Day 501

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

Hi everyone. Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing. But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

I know we are still facing a serious situation but a new year gives us hope for the new days, seasons, opportunities & moments ahead. Still, music is something that will never change for me. It is my refuge, the most comforting part of my life & the one thing I consistently count on. So until a more normal semblance of life returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Tomorrow marks the 98th birth anniversary for a man who introduced us to some of the greatest artists in music history. Ahmet Ertegun, president and co-founder of Atlantic Records, was born on July 31, 1923 in Istanbul, Turkey. He was the man who launched the careers of John Coltrane, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Otis Redding, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Aretha Franklin, to name a few.

I cannot imagine my life or this world without the likes of Redding, Clapton or Franklin, let alone the rest of that group. But to choose a way to salute the man we remember today comes down to one word: genius. And no one comes closer to that word than Ray Charles. Thank you, Ahmet Ertegun, for bringing us some of the most profound music of the 20th century.

“She saves her loving, just for me
Always loves me, so tenderly
I got a woman, way over town
She’s good to me, oh yeah“.

Top (L-R): Ray Charles and Ahmet Ertegun circa 1956. Bottom (L-R): Charles and Ertegun circa 2002. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Ray Charles: “I Got A Woman” (1954, written by Ray Charles and Renald Richard)

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

26Jul2021

Let’s Take A Moment Day 497

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Mick Jagger was born on July 26, 1943 in England making today his 78th birthday. He & the rest of his bandmates in The Rolling Stones have been making music together for nearly 60 years. In that time Jagger has established himself as one of the most recognizable & iconic lead singers of all time.

Today’s song is from the band’s 1966 album, Aftermath. It was released with two slightly different song listings for both a US & UK edition. It was the group’s first record to have all original songs written by Jagger & Keith Richards including “Mother’s Little Helper”, “Under My Thumb” and “Paint It Black”. But I consider today’s track to be my favorite. Here’s to 100 more birthdays for Sir Michael Philip Jagger.

“The girl who wants to run away
Discovers that she’s had her day
It’s no good your thinking that you are still mine
You’re out of touch my baby“.

Top: The Rolling Stones circa 1965 clockwise from lower left: Brian Jones, Charlie Watts, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman. Bottom: Jagger circa 2010. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

The Rolling Stones: “Out Of Time” (1966, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

12Jul2021

Let’s Take A Moment Day 483

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Sixteen years after they released their first record together, The Rolling Stones had the #1 album in America on July 15, 1978 with Some Girls. But over a decade earlier, on July 10, 1965, the band had the top hit in the country. It stayed in the #1 spot for four consecutive weeks and went on to become one of their signature songs.

The backstory is Keith Richards wrote this in his sleep. He actually does not remember waking up to write it down but when he got up in the morning, there it was scribbled on the pad on top of his bedside table. If there was any doubt that man was not suppose to have a legendary career in music, that one story alone ended the speculation.

It has been used in dozens of TV shows & movies with great effect. For me it was most memorable when it played as Don Draper walked out of the New York Athletic Cub into the blaring hot summer sun after he started swimming to keep his drinking in check during the season 4 episode 8 of “Mad Men”. When my favorite songs collide with my favorite shows, all is right in my world.

“When I’m watchin’ my TV and a man comes on and tells me
How white my shirts can be
But he can’t be a man ’cause he doesn’t smoke
The same cigarettes as me”.

The Rolling Stones circa 1965 (L-R): Bill Wyman, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Brian Jones and Charlie Watts. (Image found online. Original source unknown).

The Rolling Stones: “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

2Jul2021

Let’s Take A Moment Day 473

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

On June 17, 1972 The Rolling Stones had the #1 album in the United States with Exile On Main Street. It was released a month earlier and reached the top spot with some help from today’s song. It was the record’s first single released in April of the same year which became a #7 hit for the band.

Linda Ronstadt did an excellent cover of this tune on her 1977 album Simple Dreams. Her version was featured as part of her concert footage for the 1978 movie “FM”. It has more of a pop/country feel where The Stones original track possesses a soulful edge courtesy of three fabulous female R&B singers on backing vocals.

“Honey got no money
I’m all sixes and sevens and nines
Say now baby, I’m the rank outsider
You can be my partner in crime”.

Rolling Stones, Jagger, Mick & Richards, Mick

Top: The Rolling Stones’ 1972 album, Exile On Main Street. Bottom: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards on stage at MSG, NYC. July 24, 1972. © Bob Gruen / http://www.bobgruen.com (Images found online. Original sources unknown).

The Rolling Stones: “Tumbling Dice” (1972, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

1Jun2021

Let’s Take A Moment Day 442

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

We have two Rolling Stones birthdays to begin this new month with. Guitarist, & songwriter Ron Wood, born June 1, 1947 in England, turns 74 today. June 2 marks the 80th birthday for drummer Charlie Watts, also born in England, in 1941.

The band released today’s song in the US on June 1, 1968, which happened to be Wood’s 21st birthday. But it would be seven years before he played his first show with the group that would later make him a member. Before that he was a member of The Jeff Beck Group where he met Rod Stewart.

The two men went on to form The Faces in 1969. Together they wrote one of my favorite songs of all time, 1971’s “Stay With Me” (Day 218). The same year, Wood played & contributed songs to Stewart’s 1971 breakthrough album, Every Picture Tells A Story. In 1975, Wood joined The Rolling Stones but remains friends with Stewart, whom he joined for his MTV Unplugged show in 1993.

Watts has been in The Stones since their formation in 1963. His grew up listening to jazz music & started playing the drums when he was 14. He also attended art school & worked as a graphic designer in addition to his work in the band, Blues Incorporated. Playing shows with them in and around the London club circuit is how he came to meet the members of The Stones.

Today’s song was a #3 hit for the band in 1969. In 1986, when it was covered by Aretha Franklin for the movie of the same name, it hit #21. Wood & song co-writer Keith Richards played guitar on her track & appeared in the video as well. Her version is, of course, spectacular because Franklin is The Queen. But it was The Stones version that was used in the movie “Pirate Radio” when Gavin Kavanagh returned to the airwaves, so that makes it my favorite version forever. Happy birthday Ron Wood and Charlie Watts. May you both see 100 more.

“I was drowned I was washed up
And left for dead
I fell down to my feet
And I saw they bled“.

Top: The Rolling Stones circa 1978 (L-R): Charlie Watts, Mick Jagger, Ron Wood, Bill Wyman and Keith Richards. Bottom: The Stones circa 2008 (L-E): Watts, Richards, Jagger and Wood. (Images found online. Original sources unknown.)

The Rolling Stones: “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” (1968, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

27Mar2021

Let’s Take A Moment Day 376

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Fifty years ago The Rolling Stones famous logo made its debut. On March 26, 1971 the band’s lips and tongue trademark appeared on their VIP passes for the Marquee Club show in London, making their emblem one of the most identifiable ones in the world.

The same year today’s song hit #1 in four countries including the US and it peaked at #2 hit on the UK charts. It features another one of the band’s iconic guitar riffs and a smoking sax solo by Bobby Keys. The track is from the Stones 1971 Sticky Fingers album which had another legendary picture related to the group-the infamous Andy Warhol designed photo of a man’s crotch area featuring a functional zipper. The Rolling Stones were masters of both innovative music & iconic images.

“I bet your mama was a tent show queen
And all her boyfriends were sweet sixteen
I’m no schoolboy but I know what I like
You shoulda heard me just around midnight“.

Top: The Rolling Stones lips & tongue logo. Middle: The Sticky Fingers album cover. Bottom: The Stones circa 1971 (L-R): Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor. (Images found online. Original sources unknown.)

The Rolling Stones: “Brown Sugar” (1971, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

28Feb2021

Let’s Take A Moment Day 349

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

The stories of bands throughout history seem to follow one of two paths: They fight with each other and when they fail to achieve success they break up. Or, they fight with each other, achieve great success and break up. In both instances they may reunite again after some time passed but not always. Rarely does a band stay together for too long and it is almost unheard of that one stays together for nearly six decades. That esteemed privilege belongs to The Rolling Stones.

Of course, there have been many changes to the band in those 60 years. Personnel changes, personal changes, musical direction changes, addiction issues, legal issues and so on. And the very first storm they weathered was the loss of the man who founded the band, Brian Jones.

He was born 79 years ago today on Feb 28, 1942 in England. Both of his parents played the piano and passed their love of music on to their son. Jones played in a few groups before placing an ad in 1962 for a blues band. Mick Jagger answered it & brought Keith Richards along for a rehearsal where he joined the group as well, forming the nucleus of the band Jones would name after the Muddy Waters song, “Rollin’ Stone”.

Their success began with today’s song, a cover of a Bobby Womack song which was the group’s first #1 hit in the UK in 1964. Despite the success of the record the group’s manager & producer encouraged the band to write their own songs like The Beatles were doing. Once the Jagger & Richards songwriting team started to see success, the group started moving away from the blues to more of a rock sound.

Thus began problems between Jones & the rest of the band, which when combined with his drug arrests, paternity issues, alleged mood swings and other issues led to him being fired from The Stones in June 1969. A month later, he was found dead in his swimming pool at the age of 27, drowned presumably as an involuntary result of substance abuse. A very sad ending for a man who gave us The Rolling Stones.

“Well, she used to run around with every man in town
She spent all my money, playing her high class game
She put me out, it was a pity how I cried
Tables turn and now her turn to cry“.

The Rolling Stones circa 1964 (L-R): Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman and Brian Jones. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

The Rolling Stones: “It’s All Over Now” (1964. written by Bobby Womack & Shirley Womack).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

15Jan2021

Let’s Take A Moment Day 305

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

During The British Invasion of the 1960’s, The Rolling Stones were one of the biggest bands on the planet. But “The Ed Sullivan Show” was even more popular so the group agreed to be on the program on January 15, 1967. They wanted to perform today’s song which was their new single but Sullivan said no. He did not think the track was appropriate for his audience. But then an agreement was reached allowing the band to sing the new record if they changed the lyrics. Done. What the parties did not agree on, however, was how the singer would act while he performed. Mick Jagger rolled his eyes several times as he sang the new line making Sullivan furious. He banned The Stones from coming on his show again. But the host changed his mind and the group appeared on the program again in November 1969. Thank you Ed Sullivan for lifting the ban. Now it is time to correct the other wrong.

“I feel so strong that I can’t disguise, oh my
But I just can’t apologize oh no
Don’t hang me up and don’t let me down
We could have fun just grooving around“.

Mick Jagger rolling his eyes on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1967. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

The Rolling Stones: “Let’s Spend The Night Together” (1967, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

30Dec2020

Let’s Take A Moment Day 289

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

I know we are in a serious situation, but I need a break from the gloom, doom and bullying by way of hoarding. Music has always been my refuge and watching those beautiful Italians singing to each other from their balconies reaffirmed my belief that music is the answer. So until the old normal returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Time for our last mid-week Motown break of 2020. On December 6, 1965 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles released today’s song from the album of the same name. It was the first record after the group changed their name to signify Robinson as the headliner. The Rolling Stones released their own version in 1982, and because it is by The Stones it is a fabulous rendition with a smoking sax arrangement. But I truly love the original because a Motown record always means greatness times two-from the artist & The Funk Brothers.

“It doesn’t matter where you are
A go-go can’t be far
You’ll see the people from your block
And don’t be shocked
If you see your favorite star“.

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: “Going To A Go-Go” (1965, written by Pete Moore, William “Smokey” Robinson, Bobby Rogers and Marvin Tarplin).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

28Dec2020

Let’s Take A Moment Day 287

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

At some point in the 1970’s Mick Jagger was reported to say that The Rolling Stones did not want to be singing “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” when they were 40 years old. Well, this year Jagger turned 77 and so did his bandmate Keith Richards, who hit that number on December 18. Clearly they changed their minds.

The band has been together for nearly 60 years. They have been through a few personnel changes since 1962 but the core of the group-Jagger, Richards & drummer Charlie Watts-has been together since 1962. Jagger & Richards are the songwriting team that has carried them through almost six decades. And while front man Jagger’s on-stage persona & numerous affairs have kept him in the spotlight all these years, there is no denying the legend Richards is. His musicianship aside, he has survived drug abuse, the loss of a child (a son died from SIDS in 1976), the death of an original bandmate (Brian Jones), and a close friend (Gram Parsons) plus numerous other life happenings.

As for his guitar work, he has been called “the creator of “rock’s greatest single body of riffs” by Rolling Stone magazine. Think about The Stones songs and it is easy to see why: “Gimme Shelter” (Day 4), “Satisfaction”, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”, “Start Me Up” and today’s song are just a few examples of his remarkable gift. Of course Jagger is the singer, but on a few occasions Richards has taken the lead and he does not disappoint. That is another reason why I love today’s song so much.

“Well I never kept a dollar past sunset
Always burned a hole in my pants
Never made a school mama happy
Never blew a second chance, oh no“.

Top: The Rolling Stones circa 1964 (L-R): Brian Jones, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts (seated). Bottom: The Stones circa 2015 (L-R): Watts, Richards, Jagger and Ron Wood. (Images found online. Original sources unknown.)

The Rolling Stones: “Happy” (1972, written by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

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Lilacs & Rust

Music & makeovers! I swoon for chippy paint, a gorgeous patina and a fabulous song!!! I love great music (read: Bruce Springsteen & Otis Redding), white lilacs, walking in freshly fallen snow, the Golden Girls, road trips and the fall!!!

Tag Archives: The Rolling Stones

Let’s Take A Moment Day 501

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Top (L-R): Ray Charles and Ahmet Ertegun circa 1956. Bottom (L-R): Charles and Ertegun circa 2002. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Let’s Take A Moment Day 497

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Let’s Take A Moment Day 483

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Let’s Take A Moment Day 473

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Let’s Take A Moment Day 442

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Let’s Take A Moment Day 376

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Let’s Take A Moment Day 349

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The Rolling Stones circa 1964 (L-R): Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman and Brian Jones. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Let’s Take A Moment Day 305

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Let’s Take A Moment Day 289

Let’s Take A Moment Day 287