Keno's ROLLING STONES Web Site

BEGGARS BANQUET

Released - 1968, on London/Decca Records (now Abkco Records).  Produced by Jimmy Miller.

Personnel:

Mick Jagger - Lead Vocals, Harmonica, Percussion.
Keith Richards - Lead and  Acoustic Guitars,  Slide Gutiar,  Bass,  Backing Vocals.
Brian Jones - Slide and Acoustic Guitars, Sitar,  Mellotron, Tamboura, Percussion, Harmonica, Backing Vocals.
Bill Wyman - Bass, Maracas and other Percussion, Backing Vocals.
Charlie Watts - Drums and Percussion.

Additional Personnel:

Nicky Hopkins, Rocky Dijon, Dave Mason, Ry Cooder, Marianne Faithful, Anita Pallenberg, Ian Stewart, Rick Grech. Watts Street Gospel Choir

(Click on song for lyrics and song personnel)

REVIEW

The last complete album recorded by the original band and a masterpiece. A return to their roots after Satanic Majesties. With the song "Sympathy For The Devil", the Stones sealed their fate as far as being labled devil worshipers, etc., by Christian and other religious groups, but of course that's not what this classic tune is about. Its about the craziness that unfortunately has beheld mankind throughout history (yes, mankind is the devil in this song). By far the best written song ever by Mick Jagger or anybody else in rock, IMO. Keith Richard's guitar riff & bass on this tune also is A-1 as is Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts and Rocky Dijon's driving percussion, along with great back up vocals by the entire band. The rest of the album is just as classic, driving acoustic guitars and a sitar on "Street Fighting Man"; more great guitar riffs on the hard rocking "Stray Cat Blues" and "Parachute Woman", a fine harp on the country "Dear Doctor", plus outstanding slide guitar by Brian Jones on a great blues song, "No Expectations" and then again on "Jig-Saw Puzzle", a song Mick wrote about his then girlfriend, Marianne Faithful, who loved to do jig-saw puzzles.

This album isn't just for Stones fans, no. It really is for all people, yes, the ones Mick is singing about in "Salt Of The Earth", so yes, do spare a thought for us rag taggy people, let's drink to the salt of the earth!

- Keno 1998

*Old Ratings vs. New Ratings

The old ratings that you see here were from back in 1998 when I first rated the album for this site. Since time does change one's point of view, I decided to listen to and rate the album again, doing so in early 2005. Also note that I did not look at the old ratings from 1998 until after I placed my new ratings here, looks like I love this album just a bit more than I did back then.
But I'm not surprised at all, since when Beggars Banquet first came out, and for several years after that, I claimed it was my favorite Stones album.

To listen to some sound clips from BEGGARS BANQUET, or to buy the CD click here: Beggars Banquet  

To read fan reviews about this album, go here.

To see how Beggars Banquet's songs was voted on by fans, go here

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