Enough of theological reflection, leadership development, church advancement, and even musings on the much deserved demise of a terrorist mastermind.
How about some good old fashioned rock & roll?
Along with Led Zeppelin and the Eagles, the Rolling Stones were the soundtrack of my youth.
Which means that they are still the soundtrack of my adulthood.
So here goes . . . my top five all time favorite Rolling Stones songs:
5. One Hit To The Body — An overlooked tune from the much-maligned Dirty Work album (1986). Yet there’s something about the frantic urgency and unbridled aggression of this song that I simply love. I may be the only one, but I can’t help it.
4. You Can’t Always Get What You Want — The closest Mick Jagger ever gets to being theological. We used to use this line with our children as part of telling them “no” to some request — “you can’t always get what you want, but if you try some time, you just might find, you’ll get what you need.” They failed to appreciate either the reference or the humor.
3. Brown Sugar — Regrettable subject matter, unforgettable riff. The riff wins out.
2. Beast Of Burden — This one came out just as my junior year of high school was beginning (1978). It makes me think of Led Zeppelin’s “D’yer Maker” in that it is atypical of the band’s style, yet infectious in its appeal.
1. Gimme Shelter — For sure one of my all time favorites, regardless of the band. Haunting and apocalyptic, it makes you feel the frenzy & fear of the late 60s all over again. And are there better background vocals anywhere in rock & roll?