Happy 50th Anniversary to The Rolling Stones’ eleventh British and thirteenth American studio album Goats Head Soup, originally released August 31, 1973.
Goats Head Soup asks the musical question, “How the hell do you follow-up the acclaimed Exile on Main St.? The Rolling Stones found themselves in a no-win situation because of the inevitable comparisons to their iconic 1972 LP. They were doomed before they even started the recording sessions.
Many critics were quick to write the band's obituary. In November 1973, Greg Shaw of Phonograph Record wrote, “There is nothing good about the new Rolling Stones album. No redeeming qualities whatsoever. Not even anything that can be turned around and stretched and imagined to signify something positive. Nothing at all.” In a September 2020 review of the Goats Head Soup Deluxe Edition, Alan Light of Esquire contended, “It marked the moment the band stopped simply being the Rolling Stones and started playing the part of ‘The Stones.’”
Not every LP of a legendary group like the Stones is going to be a life-changing experience. Although Goats Head Soup is not a masterpiece, it is still a decent album that deserves a fair assessment. In my opinion, it isn’t the worst Stones LP. Maybe we can have a chat about their 1976 LP Black and Blue sometime. While some of the band members have a lukewarm response to Goats Head Soup, Mick Jagger, in a 2020 interview with Pat Ryan of USA Today, had a different take. “I think there’s some good things on it. It’s quite varied. The lead-off track (‘Angie’) is a very wistful ballad with strings on it and couldn’t have been more different from what had come before on Exile. The rest of the album is nothing like that—that’s the only track that goes in that direction. You’ve got ‘Heartbreaker,’ a social comment that is still a bit true these days.”
Goats Head Soup marked a transitional period for the band, when each member seemed to go off in different directions. Bassist Bill Wyman only appeared on three tracks (“Angie,” “Winter,” and “Star Star”). It would also be the last album produced by Jimmy Miller, who was at the helm for Beggars Banquet (1968) through Goats Head Soup.
“Angie” was a number one hit that continues to be one of The Rolling Stones’ most cherished ballads. Jagger's vocals are both powerful and emotional, complementing Richards' beautiful acoustic guitar work and Nicky Hopkins' masterful piano playing.
Listen to the Album:
The album also features other notable tracks like “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker),” a gritty rock song with socially conscious and still-relevant lyrics, and “100 Years Ago.” The Rolling Stones display versatility with varying styles on "Dancing with Mr. D" and Latin rhythms on "Can You Hear the Music."
While not as raw and cohesive as its predecessor Exile on Main St., Goats Head Soup has its own charm. The band members' musicianship is exceptional and the production quality is solid. Mick Jagger’s vocals are as powerful as ever, and the guitar interplay between Keith Richards and Mick Taylor is remarkable. Though some tracks may not have the same lyrical depth as the band's earlier works, they still connect with the listener and exemplify The Rolling Stones' songwriting talent.
Goats Head Soup may not be the group’s most groundbreaking or influential work, but it marks a significant transition into their next phase. The sessions for Goats Head Soup produced a wealth of outtakes and unused material. The songs "Tops" and "Waiting on a Friend" would appear on 1981’s Tattoo You with Mick Taylor on guitar.
There is no way to sugar coat it. Goats Head Soup is a decent album that doesn’t measure up to its predecessor and we shouldn’t expect it to. If you get the urge to give it a listen, do so with an open mind.
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