Let It Bleed - The Rolling Stones

B returned home today armed with duty free Hendricks gin so tonight's martinis were particularly sensational. And wouldn't Keith Richards be happy with us. Again we break our rules, pulling out albums from the basket until we find one that suits our mood. Let It Bleed, the Stones' eighth album from 1969, is perfect. 

The liner notes state in capitals, "THIS RECORD SHOULD BE PLAYED LOUD". Roger that. 

It's worth thinking about the time this album was released. Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy were assassinated the year before; Nixon had just become POTUS; Woodstock was held; there were massive protests about the Vietnam War, gay rights and Soviet aggression. Apparently Delia Smith was an unknown food writer when she contributed the cake to this album cover. The Rolling Stone magazine review at the time marked this album as the end of the sixties. "Gimmie Shelter is a song about fear; it probably serves better than anything written this year as a passageway straight into the next few years." 

The party was well and truly over. Although it was only just beginning for Keith, who "drifted into heroin" around this time. The British Government had a program where you could register with National Health "as a being a herion addict and then you got pure little heroin pills, with a little phial of distilled water to shoot it up with". His autobiography is one of the best books of the decade - bursting with the most ridiculous stories. And because he only took "pure, pure, pure" stuff, he remembers it all. 

Honky Tonk Women. According to Keith "it's one of those tracks you knew was a number one hit before you finished the motherfucker". The well-known version was released a single, but it's the country version that appears on the album - Country Honk. Jackson instead of Memphis. Let It Bleed was the Stones at their whisky-soaked blues best. They were pulling in the the opposite direction of the self-involved and contrived prog rock of some of their counterparts - stripping back their rhythm and blues till it was raw.

The title track, Let It Bleed is sexy, dirty blues. We understand that the Stones were rock'n'roll sex fiends, but did Mick have to drawl "you can cream on me"? On You Got the Silver Keith takes the vocals (to share the workload, he explains in his book). It's an earnest 12-bar blues number, demonstrating that Keith is the equal of any bluesman of the century.

B grew up listening to his dad playing the Stones: when we were kids, my sister, brother and I loved You Can't Always Get What You Want. It was a common request on road trips with us forming a choir for the opening. I loved this song when I was eight. I love it now I'm thirty. I will love it when I'm sixty. What begins as plaintive wail of resignation turns into a fatalistic celebration. It's joyous recognition that in spite of the shortcomings and limitations of life, what we have can not only be enough, it can be everything we need.

How many bands peak eight albums into their career? Ok, the early albums were mainly covers, but we can't think of a modern band that has even released eight albums. This is the second album in the four album run that is considered the Stones' finest period. The three others, Beggar's Banquet; Sticky Fingers; and Exile on Mainstreet are all in the basket so don't worry, there is plenty more Stones hyperbole and Keith quotes to come.

Nebraska - Bruce Springsteen

I've defied our random basket rules and decided that my favourite winter's night alone album is this week's classic album. Bruce Springsteen released Nebraska in the year I was born, 1982. Bruce (because we're on first name terms), has been one of the most important men in my life for some time. Thankfully, my father and my husband agree. My mother and most other women I know disagree. Bruce is not the Boss, he is a demi-god. Finding another Bruce lover is like expanding a secret chapter. It's unhealthy I know.

While Born to Run is the most classic of Bruce albums, Nebraska is where my heart is. Nebraska is a hauntingly beautiful album. Recorded on a four track in a bedroom away from the E Street Band, it's nothing but vocal, guitar and harmonica.

Nebraska is dark. The title track opens the album with a serial killer. Nebraska is full of hard people with hard lives. Bruce embodies characters and their struggle. Love is mostly on the periphery.

Atlantic City is the most well-known song from the album and it epitomises the struggle and beauty of Bruce's worlds. "Put your make-up on, fix your hair up pretty and meet me tonight in Atlantic City". There is the fantasy, the romanticism. "Now I been lookin' for a job but it's hard to find. Down here its just winners and losers and don't get caught on the wrong side of that line." And there is the struggle.

Highway Patrolman is honest and raw. "I got a brother named Franky. And Franky ain't no good.... Man turns his back on family well he just ain't no good". The brilliance of Bruce as a songwriter is that in two minutes he makes you mourn for Franky.

Despite the stillness of the album, there is a desperate urgency to Johnny 99. The song starts with a high pitch wail. Every character on This album is no good. Done no good. But they don't mean it.

In the still of the night State Trooper sounds like it's chasing you. The closing shrill scream jolts you awake again. The devil is still snapping at your heels in My Father's House. You want to escape the pessimism, the sadness, the disappointment but it won't let go. I'm not sure I want it to.

Top 5 Songs for When the Other Half is Away

For the next two weeks we're apart for Classic Album Martini Saturday as B is travelling o/s for work.  Be warned. I am home alone and I am woman. Cue show tunes, bad singing and ridiculous dancing. Here are my top 5 songs for when my other half is away.

1. Crazy in Love - Beyonce feat Jay-Z. Honestly, I can't think of a better pop song. The horns, the voice, the hook, and it's all topped off by Hova. This white public servant is a long way from Brooklyn...

2. One - A Chorus Line. Ah the gold and glitter, the high kicks, the leotards, the synthesizer. Songs from this musical could make up the rest of the top 5, including Dance Ten Looks Three. I should have had my "tits and ass" done as well and shipped off to make my name on Broadway.

3. Similar Features - Melissa Etheridge. The opening track from Ethridge's debut album is haunting, heartbreaking and sexy. This is the woman I sing loudly along with while hanging out the washing. And drinking gin.

4. Son of a Gun - Janet Jackson feat Missy Elliot. Ok so I'm cheating by combining these two fine ladies, however this is such a killer song. And why can't I spend my top 5 fantasizing about boys who do me wrong? Get the hell out of my house!

5. Glory Box - Portishead. When I'm done dancing around the coffee table like a silly teenage girl, I finally fall into the couch, pull out a book and savour the beautiful sounds of Portishead. Beth Gibbons' voice never fails to help me just slow down, be quiet and be just a little less aggressive.

And now for the other side. 

Music I listen to when the companion isn’t home falls into three categories: Songs From My Youth; Songs She Hates; and Songs I’m Ashamed I Like.

1. Leash – Pearl Jam. Leash is from my youth. With their second album Pearl Jam went from being a band I liked to a band I spent most of my time with. Leash has everything I love about Pearl Jam. A driving riff that makes me jump around the living room and a kicking chorus: “drop the leash, get out of my fucking face”. 

2.     I’m Only Sleeping – the Beatles. The next three songs fall into the Songs She Hates category. My favourite Beatles album is Abbey Road, but L kind of likes that one so I save Revolver for when she’s not at home. I’m Only Sleeping has it all. Twee lyrics, sappy harmonies, syrupy melodies. Sweet, sweet pop music.

3.     Lost! – Coldplay. My guiltiest pleasure is Coldplay. I know there’s so much about them that should annoy me (and does annoy the companion), but I still love them. I think Viva La Vida is their most accomplished album and Lost! is a straight-out uplifting anthem. The percussion takes a good song and sends it into the stratosphere. I know some of the lyrics are lame, but hey, it’s Coldplay.

4.     Bye Bye Badman – the Stone Roses. I’m not sure why she doesn’t like the Stone Roses. But I do. This song is about getting revenge on a bully (I assume) and has a damn catchy chorus. This will grow on her, wait and see.

5. So Much Love to Give – DJ Falcon. Firmly in the Songs I’m Ashamed to Like category. I mainly listen to these in the solitude of jogging. I hope no one ever sees the ‘most played’ list on my ipod. This would be up there, as would These Words by Natasha Bedingfield and Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani/Akon. I have nothing to say in my defence.