Start Me Up by the Rolling Stones
Released in 1981, this song started out as a reggae influenced jam 3 years earlier that the band decided to abandon after a dozen attempts. As the 1980's started, the band was looking to go out on tour and it was suggested that the set list should contain songs from their vault that hadn't been released. This song turned up and the rock version of the song became the starting point for their next album. It eventually made it to #2 on the US charts, so what they consider junk, the rest of us consider musical gold.
Guitarist and co-songwriter, Keith Richards opening riff would be an instant trademark. Unmistakable, its instantly recognized. But if you watch the video, you'd wonder what made this song so popular. Keith, lead singer (and co-songwriter) Mick Jagger and guitarist Ronnie Wood are mugging it up for the cameras and just generally doing what they usually do during a Rolling Stones concert, but watch bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts. They have spent the better part of twenty years at that point being the backbone of this band full of egos. Not that its a bad thing but can you imagine what their world was like? Just trying to play some music and here's three hams trying to out pose each other. At least they were extremely rich so they could at least afford to take a few weeks off from the ego parade.
I'll only briefly mention Mick's inability to lip-sync to his own song, because, lets face it, video was not how Rolling Stones records were sold at any point in their career. But its seriously bad. I'm not even going to mention Mick's shirt.....because it was the 1980's and this was not a WTH? moment we experience now. You've been warned.
Please enjoy......the song, not the video.
Bill and Charlie do look like they're indulging the crazy ass antics of children!!
ReplyDeleteKeith's outfit is cool but not only is Micks shirt god awful (despite being pretty lavender) but those white pant things are worse. At least he is dressed for his aerobicize class!!