Release Date: June 9, 1978
Label: Rolling Stones
Popular Songs:
Songs You Need to Listen To:
Review Written By: Andy Trcka
June 9, 2019
Some Girls is an evolutionary and classic Stones album (#270 on Rolling Stones Top 500). As evolutionary albums do, it angers listeners who prefer a band to stick to their roots. Often bands revisit their origins/influences to produce an album – Some Girls is no such case. Gone are the rootsy, Buddy Guy’ish, blues-soaked sounds of their early career. Instead, Some Girls is the Stones response to modern sounds, namely punk and disco. The later is ignored, instead of bending towards punk, Mick and company prove rock and roll still is a mouthpiece for angst, lust, joy, and love. With fun dance inspiring songs like “Respectable,” “Lies” and “Some Girls,” Mick and Keith show disco can be done right. Imagine what the musical landscape would look like (even as far as today) if Some Girls was the template for the disco sound. Some Girls demonstrates a band can combine contemporary influences to create a truly classic and categorically strong album.
To differentiate great from good on Some Girls, I suggest applying the methodology of what is played live. To this end, there are many great tunes: “Just My Imagination,” “Beast of Burden,” “Far Away Eyes,” “Shattered,” “Miss You” and “When the Whip Comes Down.” When listening to this album, my wife Chels, noted: “there are at least four songs on this album that I love.” In my opinion, “Beast of Burden” and Just “My Imagination” are examples of the Stones finest content. An excellent live offering from this era is Some Girls Live: Austin, Texas 1978. Ian McLagen’s organ on “Miss You” is capable of pulling even the most nervous of wallflowers onto a dance floor. “Just My Imagination” is a rolling sort of rocker that is light-hearted fun to hear live. If you are lucky you’ll see Mick contribute guitar! From Let It Bleed onwards, Stones albums featured a song or two with Keith on lead vocals. Stones fans treasure the live Keith songs. “Before They Make Me Run” is a little quicker-paced than many of Richards tunes…let me cut to the chase – it’s just a flat-out enjoyable tune (unofficial release).
Gram Parsons is rumored to have taught Keith how to play country guitar. The two were fantastic friends. I mention this because there isn’t a bad song on the album. The closest to bad is what my brother (Joe) pointed out, “I don’t think Far Away Eyes fits in.” Outwardly, the country ballad doesn’t meld with the other dance-inspiring, disco-tinged rockers. While it might not “fit,” it is still an excellent song. “Far Away Eyes” is some sort of tongue-in-cheek homage to country. It’s included in the album as if they dangle their talent tauntingly. I wonder how Gram would have appreciated Far Away Eyes. Interestingly enough, on a rocking and rolling album, it does provide a calming moment. Kinda like a siesta in the middle of a hot day. When viewed as a time to relax and exhale, I say the song fits perfectly…sorry Joe!
While the Stones were commercially successful through the 70s, some felt the quality of their album was diminished after Exile on Main Street. This is a bit of a resurrection album – from the onset it was received positively by fans and critics alike. It has entered into the annals of rock as a classic. Some Girls is also a return to form, the sound centers on the basics of rock instrumentation: drums, guitars and bass. Being a superbly constructed return to form, tunes from Some Girls have been exhaustively covered and are frequently part of Stones’ setlists. “Far Away Eyes” is regular fodder for any Alt-Country/Americana band. Check out this version from Todd Snider (unofficial release). And as Buckwheat Zydeco said, “The Rolling Stones didn’t realize they’d written a bayou classic!”
When to Listen…
Some Girls is truly a classic album and is thus approachable in many listening venues. It is a fantastic party listen while also complex enough for an intense listening session amongst music aficionados. It is a fun album that serves as a time capsule in the sense the Stones accommodated contemporary influences (i.e. disco) in a fashion that strengthens their catalog. While some would prefer the Stones never stepped away from their Beggars Banquet sound, Some Girls sets the tempo for the remainder of their career – ROCKING.
| Track # | Title | Notes |
| 1 | Miss You | ! $ |
| 2 | When the Whip Comes Down | B |
| 3 | Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) | + * $ |
| 4 | Some Girls | $ |
| 5 | Lies | |
| 6 | Far Away Eyes | + B |
| 7 | Respectable | ! |
| 8 | Before They Make Me Run | + |
| 9 | Beast of Burden | ! + |
| 10 | Shattered | ! |
Some Girls: Released 6/9/1978 by London and Decca Records – reviewed by Andy Trcka of Andy’s Stones
Legend: ! = hit, single or famous track, B = B side to single, + = top track recommended by Andy’s Stones, $ = notable instrumentation or singing provided by supporting cast member (e.g. piano by Nicky Hopkins or percussion by Charlie Watts), * =Songwriting credits = Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
Postscript and Sources
- Tracklists and information about recording personal were retrieved from Some Girls’ liner notes
- B Side not included on album = “Everything Is Turning to Gold” (b side to “Shattered”)
gramsghost.com 