The Rolling Stones threw everything but the kitchen sink into their 1972 double album Exile On Main St. Actually, come to think of it, you might be able to hear the sink somewhere buried in the mix in one of the dense mixes.
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The band displayed their incredible handle on all forms of roots music on the record. Here are some of the trivial tidbits you might not know about this incredible record.
The Atmosphere Impacted the Songwriting
The title of Exile On Main St. refers to the fact that the band had hustled out of Great Britain to escape the punitive tax burden placed on them. Instead, they settled in France. They failed to find a recording studio that fit their needs. So, they simply set their mobile unit up in the basement of Keith Richards’ rented villa. The atmosphere was stale and dank. It makes sense that the songwriting might reflect that. Hence, “Ventilator Blues”, which hints at the fact that easy breathing wasn’t something that could be taken for granted while the album was recorded.
Recordings Were First-Come, First-Played
Since they were working far from where the record company could keep tabs on them, the members of The Stones weren’t always punctual when it came to sessions. That’s if they showed up at all. But the tapes were always cued up and ready to run in the mobile studio. As such, a song could come out of nowhere and be recorded with whoever was available. Case in point: “Happy”, which was first laid down with only Keith Richards, saxophonist Bobby Keys, and producer Jimmy Miller (playing drums) on the track. It turned into one of Keith’s signature songs.
They Sneaked in a Protest Song
The Rolling Stones weren’t the type of band from which you could expect protest songs. They were far more likely to depict the darkness of the world as it was than rage against it. But “Sweet Black Angel” offered up a topical take, albeit one that’s hard to discern with the somewhat muffled nature of Mick Jagger’s lyrics. Jagger was referencing a civil rights activist named Angela Davis, who was in prison on murder charges at the time, Davis was acquitted on all charges not long after the album was released.
Blues Heroes Were Honored
There was a time early in their career when the bulk of the Rolling Stones’ catalog consisted of cover songs. By the time of Exile On Main St., the songwriting team of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards was peaking. They churned out so many classic blues-inspired songs on the album that the cover songs almost sneak by. But they’re in there. There’s the harmonica-fueled “Shake Your Hips”, a Slim Harpo classic, and “Stop Breaking Down”, a thrilling groover sourced from Robert Johnson, perhaps the band’s ultimate muse.
Brian’s Presence Was Felt
The Stones pretty much kept right on rolling following the tragic death of Brian Jones in 1969. He died not long after he’d been fired. Replacement guitarist Mick Taylor helped them along to their most artistically fruitful period. But the band clearly hadn’t forgotten about their fallen friend. To that end, they included “Shine A Light” on Exile On Main St. Mick Jagger had begun writing the song while Jones was still alive. After his death, he completed it, making it both a solemn tribute and a joyous wish for Jones’ well-being in the afterlife.
Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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