Sticky Fingers - The Rolling Stones

The 1971 number one album Sticky Fingers was the first album released by The Rolling Stones on their own label, Rolling Stones Records. It was also the first in 8 consecutive number one albums released by the band. The album cover famously had a man in tight black jeans, with a working zipper on the front that revealed white cotton briefs, I kid you not, it was designed by non other than Andy Warhol. However it did have a tendency to destroy other record sleeves stacked beside it!

It is a dark album with over half the songs on the album mentioning drug use, and the rest alluding to it. Its bluesy sound with a country twinge is amply aided by the magnificent musicians the Stones called in to the sessions. Ry Cooder, Jack Nitzche and Paul Buckmaster all grace the albums tracks.

Sticky Fingers opens with Brown Sugar a heady mix if Heroin, Inter-racial sex and slavery. It easily became a number one single. The second track on the album Sway, is one of the Rolling Stones finest album tracks. Written about the many friends of the band who had fallen fowl of the rock and roll lifestyle, it features Paul Buckmaster on guitar.

Aside from Brown Sugar, Wild Horses is the best know track on the album and one of their most popular. It is a serious country song that tugs at the heart strings from the first chords.

Sister Morphine was originally released by Mariane Faithful however due to its drug refrences it was banned from many shops and sold poorly. It was co written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards but Faithful went uncredited so she would not have to pay royalties to her manager. She recieved one third of the royalties anyway. Ry Cooder and Jack Nitzche also play on the recording.

The album is rounded off by two wonderful songs, Dead Flowers (A reference to Heroin) and Moonlight Mile. Moonlight Mile ends the album on a weary note. This ballad shed light on the trials of being on the road and maintaining the rock and roll image.

Dark and seemingly ramshackle, Sticky Fingers proved difficult to record but this difficulty was ultimately rewarded in what became an incredible album by an incredible band.


Track Listing
1. Brown Suger
2. Sway
3. Wild Horses
4. Can't You Hear Me Knocking
5. You Gota Move
6. Bitch
7. I Got The Blues
8. Sister Morphine
9. Dead Flowers
10. Moonlight Mile