Sunday, April 20, 2008

Blue Turns to Grey

December's Children (And Everybody's)
Side 2, Track 5
"Blue Turns to Grey" – (Mick Jagger/Keith Richards) 2:29




What the hell? I thought "Gotta Get Away" was as "pop" as the Stones would ever get, but "Blue Turns to Grey" sounds like one of Spinal Tap's early 60s numbers – that is, a parody of a Beatles single. This is the strangest Stones song I have ever heard. Even though this was a period in their career when they had no established identity (ie post-crappy blues band, but pre-iconic rock and roll combo) this song is so utterly at odds with their strengths that I wonder where it came from. Something this bizarre almost has to be the idea of a studio executive.

2 comments:

Mondo said...

Do you do requests, and is there any chance of 'I'm Going Down'?- Not only is it one of the finest B sides EVER, but it's a template tune that bands like Primal Scream,The Black Crowes and Lenny Kravitz reworked endlessly for entire careers and albums.

there used to be a vid' for it on youtube somewhere

Nanker said...

Okay, I haven't been able to track down Metamorphisis, but it is my intention to blog every song that I can find, so I will get to "I'm Going Down" somehow. Plus it has the same title as one of my favourite Springsteen tunes.