“Beast of Burden“ is a song by English rock band The Rolling Stones….which was featured on the 1978 album Some Girls….when in 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song # 435 on their list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”….and # 433 on the “500 Greatest Rock and Roll Songs of All Time.” A “beast of burden” is an animal, usually domesticated, that labors for the benefit of man, such as an ox or horse. The music and some lyrics were primarily written by Keith Richards….as in the liner notes to the 1993 compilation disc Jump Back, Richards said Beast of Burden“was another one where Mick (Jagger) just filled in the verses. With the Stones, you take a long song, play it and see if there are any takers. Sometimes they ignore it, sometimes they grab it and record it. After all the faster numbers of Some Girls, everybody settled down and enjoyed the slow one.”
“Respectable“ is also a song by The Rolling Stones from their 1978 album Some Girls written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. In the liner notes to the 1993 compilation album Jump Back: The Best of The Rolling Stones….to which Jagger said, “It’s important to be somewhat influenced by what’s going on around you and on the Some Girls album, I think we definitely became more aggressive because of the punk thing…”
“Shattered” is another song by The Rolling Stones from their 1978 album Some Girls. The song is a reflection of American lifestyles and life in 1970’s-era New York City….but also influences from the English punk rock movement can be heard.
“Brown Sugar“ is another Rolling Stones song…..which is the opening track and lead single from their album Sticky Fingers in 1971…..when Rolling Stone magazine ranked it # 495 on its list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”….and at # 5 on their list of the “100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time.” Though credited, like most of their compositions, to the singer/guitarist pair of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards….the song was primarily the work of Jagger….who wrote it sometime during the filming of Ned Kelly in 1969. The song was written by Jagger about Marsha Hunt….who was Jagger’s secret girlfriend and mother of his first child Karis, in mind.
As seen in this video herewith…..The Rolling Stones perform “Beast of Burden”…..“You’re So Respectable”…..“Shattered”….along with “Brown Sugar” live on stage at Saturday Night Live in 1978.
