Goats Head Soup
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''Goats Head Soup'' is the 11th British and 13th American studio album by the English rock band
the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
. It was released on 31 August 1973 by
Rolling Stones Records Rolling Stones Records was the record label formed by the Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman in 1970, after their recording contract with Decca Records expired. The label was initia ...
. Like its predecessor ''
Exile on Main St. ''Exile on Main St.'' is the 10th British and 12th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 12 May 1972 by Rolling Stones Records. Recording began in 1969 in England during sessions for ''Sticky Fingers'' a ...
'', the band composed and recorded much of it outside of the United Kingdom due to their status as
tax exile A tax exile is a person who leaves a country to avoid the payment of income tax or other taxes. The term refers to an individual who already owes money to the tax authorities or wishes to avoid being liable in the future for taxation at what they ...
s. ''Goats Head Soup'' was recorded in Jamaica, the United States and the United Kingdom. The album contains 10 tracks, including the lead single " Angie" which went to number one as a single in the US and the top five in the UK. The album was the last to be produced by
Jimmy Miller James Miller (March 23, 1942 – October 22, 1994) was an American record producer and musician. While he produced albums for dozens of different bands and artists, he is most closely associated for his work with several key musical acts of t ...
who was a key architect of the Rolling Stones sound during their most acclaimed period which began with 1968's '' Beggars Banquet''. Bass guitarist
Bill Wyman William George Wyman (né Perks; born 24 October 1936) is an English musician who achieved international fame as the bassist for the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1993. In 1989, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member ...
only appears on three of the album's ten tracks, but the rest of the Rolling Stones, lead vocalist
Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
, guitarists
Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...
and
Mick Taylor Michael Kevin Taylor (born 17 January 1949) is an English guitarist, best known as a former member of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1967–1969) and the Rolling Stones (1969–1974). As a member of the Stones, h ...
, and drummer
Charlie Watts Charles Robert Watts (2 June 1941 – 24 August 2021) was an English musician who achieved international fame as the drummer of the Rolling Stones from 1963 until his death in 2021. Originally trained as a graphic artist, Watts developed an i ...
play on every track, with the exception of "
Winter Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures ...
", which does not feature Richards. In addition to the main band, the standard cadre of Rolling Stones collaborators also play extensively on the album, including saxophonist
Bobby Keys Robert Henry Keys (December 18, 1943 – December 2, 2014) was an American saxophonist who performed with other musicians as a member of several horn sections of the 1970s. He appears on albums by the Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Harry Ni ...
, organist
Billy Preston William Everett Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter whose work encompassed R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel. Preston was a top session keyboardist in the 1960s, during which he ba ...
, and pianists
Nicky Hopkins Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins (24 February 1944 – 6 September 1994) was an English pianist and organist. Hopkins performed on many popular and enduring British and American rock music recordings from the 1960s to the 1990s, most notably ...
and Ian Stewart. ''Goats Head Soup'' achieved number one chart positions in the UK, US, and several other world markets. However, it received mixed reviews from critics and audiences and is generally seen as the beginning of the band's decline after a string of critically acclaimed albums. The band supported the album on a tour of Europe following its release. The album was remastered and released in 1994 and again in 2009 by
Virgin Records Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. It grew to be a worldwid ...
and
Universal Music Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Netherlands, Dutch–United States, American multinational Music industry, music corporation under Law of the Netherlands, Dutch law. UMG's cor ...
respectively. It was remixed by
Giles Martin Giles Martin (born 9 October 1969) is an English record producer, songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist. His studio recordings, stage shows, TV and film works have been critically acclaimed and commercially successful around the world ...
for a 2020 reissue, including a deluxe edition with bonus tracks and unreleased outtakes. The re-issue returned the album to number one in the UK charts.


Recording

In November 1972 the band relocated to
Dynamic Sounds West Indies Records Limited (WIRL) was a recording studio in Kingston, Jamaica established by future Prime Minister Edward Seaga in 1958. Seaga recruited and recorded many artists such as Higgs and Wilson, and Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. As Sea ...
studio in
Kingston, Jamaica Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley Inter ...
.
Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...
said in 2002: "Jamaica was one of the few places that would let us all in! By that time about the only country that I was allowed to exist in was Switzerland, which was damn boring for me, at least for the first year, because I didn't like to ski ... Nine countries kicked me out, thank you very much, so it was a matter of how to keep this thing together ..." Of the recording process,
Marshall Chess Marshall Chess (born 13 March 1942, Chicago, Illinois) is an American record producer, the son of Leonard Chess who co-founded Chess Records. Chess Records Marshall worked for sixteen years with Chess Records; founded by his father Leonard an ...
, the president of
Rolling Stones Records Rolling Stones Records was the record label formed by the Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman in 1970, after their recording contract with Decca Records expired. The label was initia ...
at the time, said in 2002, "We used to book studios for a month, 24 hours a day, so that the band could keep the same set-up and develop their songs in their free-form way, starting with a few lyrics and rhythms, jamming and rehearsing while we fixed the sound. It amazed me, as an old-time record guy, that the Stones might not have played together for six or eight months, but within an hour of jamming, the synergy that is their strength would come into play and they would lock it together as one ..." Jagger said of their approach to recording at the time, "Songwriting and playing is a mood. Like the last album we did (''
Exile on Main St. ''Exile on Main St.'' is the 10th British and 12th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 12 May 1972 by Rolling Stones Records. Recording began in 1969 in England during sessions for ''Sticky Fingers'' a ...
'') was basically recorded in short concentrated periods. Two weeks here, two weeks there – then another two weeks. And, similarly, all the writing was concentrated so that you get the feel of one particular period of time. Three months later it's all very different and we won't be writing the same kind of material as ''Goats Head Soup''." On the sessions and influence of the island, Richards said, "The album itself didn't take that long, but we recorded an awful lot of tracks. There were not only Jamaicans involved, but also percussion players who came from places like
Guyana Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...
, a travelling pool of guys who worked in the studios. It was interesting to be playing in this totally different atmosphere.
Mikey Chung Michael Chung (1950 – 28 December 2021) also known as Mao Chung, was a Jamaican musician who played keyboards, guitar and percussion instruments. He was also an arranger and record producer of Jamaican music, and worked with a wide array of m ...
, the engineer at Dynamic, for example, was a Chinese man – you realise how much Jamaica is a multi-ethnic environment." The first track recorded at Dynamic was "Winter", which
Mick Taylor Michael Kevin Taylor (born 17 January 1949) is an English guitarist, best known as a former member of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1967–1969) and the Rolling Stones (1969–1974). As a member of the Stones, h ...
said started with "just Mick (Jagger) strumming on a guitar in the studio, and everything falling together from there". The main theme of the lyrics of the song go back to a 1968 outtake "Blood Red Wine". The song is also the only song on the album that does not feature Richards as a performer, with the electric rhythm guitar being played by Jagger. Mick Taylor would later record longer versions of "Winter" with Carla Olson for her ''The Ring of Truth'' album and "Silver Train" for their ''Too Hot for Snakes'' album. The album's lead single, " Angie", was an unpopular choice as lead single with
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
which, according to Chess, "wanted another '
Brown Sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...
' rather than a ballad". Although the song was rumoured to be about
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
's first wife Angela, both Jagger and Richards have consistently denied this. In 1993, Richards, in the liner notes to the compilation album '' Jump Back: The Best of The Rolling Stones'', said that the title was inspired by his baby daughter, Dandelion Angela. However, in his 2010 memoir ''
Life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energ ...
'', Richards denied this, saying that he had chosen the name for the song before he knew the sex of his expected baby: "I just went, 'Angie, Angie.' It was not about any particular person; it was a name, like 'ohhh, Diana.' I didn't know Angela was going to be called Angela when I wrote 'Angie'. In those days you didn't know what sex the thing was going to be until it popped out. In fact, Anita named her Dandelion. She was only given the added name Angela because she was born in a Catholic hospital where they insisted that a 'proper' name be added." According to ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'', the lyrics written by Jagger were inspired by Jagger's breakup with
Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (born 29 December 1946) is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single " As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British I ...
. This was the last Rolling Stones album produced by
Jimmy Miller James Miller (March 23, 1942 – October 22, 1994) was an American record producer and musician. While he produced albums for dozens of different bands and artists, he is most closely associated for his work with several key musical acts of t ...
, who had worked with the band since 1968's '' Beggars Banquet''. Miller had developed a debilitating drug habit during the course of his years spent with the Stones.
Bill Wyman William George Wyman (né Perks; born 24 October 1936) is an English musician who achieved international fame as the bassist for the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1993. In 1989, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member ...
only plays bass on three tracks on the album, with a majority of the bass duties being handled by Richards and Taylor instead. Aside from the official band members, other musicians appearing on ''Goats Head Soup'' include keyboard players
Billy Preston William Everett Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter whose work encompassed R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel. Preston was a top session keyboardist in the 1960s, during which he ba ...
,
Nicky Hopkins Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins (24 February 1944 – 6 September 1994) was an English pianist and organist. Hopkins performed on many popular and enduring British and American rock music recordings from the 1960s to the 1990s, most notably ...
and Ian Stewart. Recording was completed in January 1973 in Los Angeles and May 1973 at London's
Island Studios An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...
. The song "Silver Train" was a leftover from 1970s recordings at Olympic Sound, but was re-recorded in Los Angeles at Village Recorders. ''Goats Head Soup'' was also the band's first album without any cover songs since ''
Their Satanic Majesties Request ''Their Satanic Majesties Request'' is the 6th British and 8th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released in December 1967 by Decca Records in the UK and by London Records in the US. It is their first to be relea ...
'' in 1967. The sessions for ''Goats Head Soup'' were abundant with outtakes. Two of these – "Tops" and " Waiting on a Friend" – would surface on ''
Tattoo You ''Tattoo You'' is the 16th British and 18th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 24 August 1981 by Rolling Stones Records. The album is mostly composed of studio outtakes recorded during the 1970s, an ...
'' in 1981, and feature Mick Taylor on guitar; "Through the Lonely Nights" became the B-side to the "
It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It) "It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)" is the lead single from English rock band the Rolling Stones' 1974 album ''It's Only Rock 'n Roll''. Writing is credited to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and the single reached the top ten in the UK chart ...
" single and was released on CD for the first time on the 2005 compilation ''
Rarities 1971–2003 ''Rarities 1971–2003'' is a compilation album by The Rolling Stones that was released in 2005 worldwide by Virgin Records – as well as by the coffee-chain Starbucks in North America – and features a selection of rare and obscure materia ...
''. It is a soft rock ballad that features Richards on wah wah/Leslie speaker filtered guitar with Taylor playing a brief solo. In addition, "Short and Curlies" was started at the ''Goats Head Soup'' sessions and ended up appearing on the ''It's Only Rock n' Roll'' LP.


Release

At the time of release, Jagger said, "I really feel close to this album, and I really put all I had into it ... I guess it comes across that I'm more into songs. It wasn't as vague as 'Exile on Main St.''which kind of went on so long that I didn't like some of the things. There's more thought to this one. It was recorded all over the place over about two or three months. The tracks are much more varied than the last one. I didn't want it to be just a bunch of rock songs." The
lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...
, " Angie", was released on 20 August 1973 by
Rolling Stones Records Rolling Stones Records was the record label formed by the Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman in 1970, after their recording contract with Decca Records expired. The label was initia ...
, with "Silver Train" as the B-side. It sailed to number one in the United States and became a worldwide hit. ''Goats Head Soup'' was subsequently released on 31 August, with the catalogue number COC 59101, and also shot to the top of charts worldwide. The band attracted controversy with "Star Star", which was banned by the BBC in September due to its obscene lyrics. The song was originally titled "Starfucker" until
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
owner
Ahmet Ertegün Ahmet Ertegun (, Turkish spelling: Ahmet Ertegün; ; – December 14, 2006) was a Turkish-American businessman, songwriter, record executive and philanthropist. Ertegun was the co-founder and president of Atlantic Records. He discovered and ch ...
(Atlantic was the distributor of
Rolling Stones Records Rolling Stones Records was the record label formed by the Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman in 1970, after their recording contract with Decca Records expired. The label was initia ...
) insisted on the change. The Rolling Stones' autumn 1973 European Tour followed shortly after the album's release, in which four slots in the set list were given to the new material: "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)", "Star Star", "Dancing with Mr D" and "Angie" – although apart from a few earlier performances of "Silver Train" and "100 Years Ago", nothing else from ''Goats Head Soup'' was played live until the 2002–2003 Live Licks tour, when the band dusted off "Star Star". "Silver Train" and "Dancing with Mr D" were performed on the 2014 and 2017 tours.


Album art

The album cover was designed by Ray Lawrence and photographed by David Bailey, a friend of Jagger's who had worked with the Rolling Stones since 1964. The portrait of Jagger on the front cover was approximately life size in the original 12-inch LP format. Jagger was reluctant to be shot enveloped by a pink chiffon veil, which Bailey said was meant to look like "
Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...
in '' The African Queen''". The album's gatefold has Taylor, Wyman and Watts wrapped around a similar fabric, and Richards on the back.


Critical reception


Contemporary reviews

Critical reaction to the album was varied at the time. In ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'', Bud Scoppa called it "one of the year's richest musical experiences". On the other hand, Nick Kent of the ''NME'' found the record lacking in originality, stating, "on ''Goat's Head Soup'' the Stones have really nothing to say, but somehow say it so well that the results transcend the redundancy of the project in the first place". He called the album "truly great", giving praise to "Dancing with Mr. D" especially, and recommended that listeners "listen to it carefully". The ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
''s Lynn Van Matre agreed, finding the record uninnovative compared to prior works. Although she found it "more carefully put together" than ''Exile on Main St.'', she felt ''Goats Head Soup'' came across as a collection of songs rather than a cohesive project. Nevertheless, Van Matre praised the music, particularly "Heartbreaker". Charlie Gillett of '' Let It Rock'' magazine concluded that with ''Goats Head Soup'', the Stones "finally ousted their rivals" as "The World's Greatest Rock Band", and deemed it "their first LP which is unquestionably the best rockin' groove of its time". ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' called ''Goats Head Soup'' "another fine album characterised as always by a series of fine, hard rockcuts from Mick Jagger and Keith Richard and superb guitar work from Mick Taylor". The reviewer particularly praised the ballads "
Winter Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures ...
", "Can You Hear the Music" and "Angie". Writing for ''
Zoo World ''Zoo World'' was an American bi-weekly rock music magazine that operated between 1971 and 1975. Available throughout the United States, it was published in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and intended as a rival to ''Rolling Stone''. In early issues of ...
'', Arthur Levy considered the record on par with ''Sticky Fingers'' and ''Exile on Main St.'', adding that the three albums "are now the seeds of a new ''oeuvre''". By contrast,
Lester Bangs Leslie Conway "Lester" Bangs (December 14, 1948 – April 30, 1982) was an American music journalist, critic, author, and musician. He wrote for ''Creem'' and ''Rolling Stone'' magazines, and was known for his leading influence in rock music c ...
derided the album in ''
Creem ''Creem'' (often stylized in all caps) is a monthly American music magazine, based in Detroit, whose main print run lasted from 1969 to 1989. It was first published in March 1969 by Barry Kramer and founding editor Tony Reay. Influential criti ...
'', saying, "There is a sadness about the Stones now, because they amount to such an enormous 'So what?' The sadness comes when you measure not just one album, but the whole sense they're putting across now against what they once meant..." ''
The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...
''s Jack Lloyd admitted that the LP would sell well, but overall found the album failed to live up to the band's previous works. Greg Shaw of ''
Phonograph Record A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English), or simply a record, is an analog sound storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. The groove usually starts nea ...
'' said the record had "no redeeming qualities whatsoever" and found "nothing good" about it. A year later, when reviewing ''It's Only Rock 'n Roll'', Shaw considered ''Goats Head Soup'' to be the band's worst album up to that point, writing, " t's the albumin which the rock & roll was insincere and the 'sensitive' material seemed forced and out of character."


Retrospective reviews

In his retrospective review for
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
,
Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
writes: "Sliding out of perhaps the greatest winning streak in rock history, the Stones slipped into decadence and rock star excess with ''Goats Head Soup'' ... This is where the Stones' image began to eclipse their accomplishments, as Mick ascended to jet-setting celebrity and Keith slowly sunk deeper into addiction, and it's possible hearing them moving in both directions on ''Goats Head Soup'', at times in the same song." Reviewing the 2009 reissue, Michael Hann of ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' gave the album a highly favourable review, stating that those who dismiss it in comparison to its predecessors are "missing a treat". Hann wrote that the album foreshadowed the band's sound of the late 1970s and 1980s, and that "Angie" and "Coming Down Again" are among the best songs in their entire catalogue. In 2015, Michael Gallucci of ''
Ultimate Classic Rock Townsquare Media, Inc. (formerly Regent Communications until 2010) is an American radio network and media company based in Purchase, New York. The company started in radio and expanded into digital media toward the end of the 2000s, starting wit ...
'' felt that despite the inclusion of good tracks such as "Dancing with Mr. D", "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)" and "Star Star", the album represents the end of the Stones' "classic era". Reviewing the 2020 reissue, Gallucci commented that although the Stones did not "bottom out" until 1976's ''Black and Blue'', ''Goats Head Soup'' is where their decline began. Although he found that the new mix enhances the album, he stated: "It's still sludgy, it still drags at points and it still occasionally comes off as lazy coasting by a band that felt it didn't have to try anymore now that it was on top of the world." David Browne of ''Rolling Stone'' writes that the original album failed to live up to its predecessor and "made it appear as if the Stones had gone overnight from the coolest, possibly greatest, rock and roll band to something less than that – just another big, commercial rock act". He felt that even throughout the new mixes, the band sounds "burnt out, regretful, melancholic, ndeven at times vulnerable". He concluded that with the reissue, ''Goats Head Soup'' "now feels historic". Jem Aswad of ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' similarly felt that the 1973 album ended their "near-peerless streak" that began with ''Beggers Banquet''. Although Aswad deems ''Goats Head Soup'' a "good album", she felt the reissue's outtakes were "forgettable" and the unreleased live album was worth it alone. Conversely, Alan Light of ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...
'' called ''Goats Head Soup'' a bad album, saying that it ended "one of the greatest runs in rock & roll history". He cited the ballads as its highlights and commented: "It marked the moment the band stopped simply being the Rolling Stones and started playing the part of 'The Stones'." Michael Elliott of ''
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'' agreed, writing that ''Goats Head Soup'' ended "the greatest four-album run in rock 'n' roll". He states that the album is where "their ascension" began to wane and "the ''idea'' of the Rolling Stones became just as important as the band itself". Elliott nevertheless praised songs such as "Angie" and "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)", as well as the unreleased tracks, writing that "Criss Cross" would "easily" have been a highlight of the original record.


Reissues

In 1994 ''Goats Head Soup'' was remastered and reissued by
Virgin Records Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. It grew to be a worldwid ...
, and again in 2009 by
Universal Music Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Netherlands, Dutch–United States, American multinational Music industry, music corporation under Law of the Netherlands, Dutch law. UMG's cor ...
. The 1994 remaster was initially released in a Collector's Edition CD, which replicated in miniature many elements of the original gatefold album packaging. The first pressing of the 2009 remaster contains a censored version of "Star Star" that was on the original US vinyl release, but not on the 1994 Virgin CD; later pressings contain the uncensored version. The album was reissued once more in 2011 by Universal Music Enterprises in a Japanese-only SHM-SACD version, which includes the uncensored version of "Star Star" with a previously unreleased fadeout. On 4 September 2020, the album was reissued by
Polydor Records Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
, with a new mix by
Giles Martin Giles Martin (born 9 October 1969) is an English record producer, songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist. His studio recordings, stage shows, TV and film works have been critically acclaimed and commercially successful around the world ...
. Deluxe editions of the album featured never-before-released outtakes such as "Criss Cross", released as a music video on 9 July 2020, "Scarlet", featuring
Jimmy Page James Patrick Page (born 9 January 1944) is an English musician who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Page is prolific in creating guitar riffs. His style involves various alternative ...
, released as a music video on 8 August 2020, and "All the Rage". The album re-entered the UK albums chart at number one, 47 years after it first reached the top of the chart in September 1973.


Track listing


1973 original release


2020 Deluxe edition bonus tracks


Personnel

* Track numbers noted in parentheses below are based on the CD track numbering. The Rolling Stones *
Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
– lead vocals , backing vocals , electric guitar , harmonica , piano *
Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...
– electric guitar & backing vocals , bass guitar , acoustic guitar , lead vocals *
Mick Taylor Michael Kevin Taylor (born 17 January 1949) is an English guitarist, best known as a former member of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1967–1969) and the Rolling Stones (1969–1974). As a member of the Stones, h ...
– electric guitar , backing vocals , bass guitar , acoustic guitar *
Bill Wyman William George Wyman (né Perks; born 24 October 1936) is an English musician who achieved international fame as the bassist for the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1993. In 1989, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member ...
– bass guitar *
Charlie Watts Charles Robert Watts (2 June 1941 – 24 August 2021) was an English musician who achieved international fame as the drummer of the Rolling Stones from 1963 until his death in 2021. Originally trained as a graphic artist, Watts developed an i ...
– drums Additional personnel *
Nicky Hopkins Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins (24 February 1944 – 6 September 1994) was an English pianist and organist. Hopkins performed on many popular and enduring British and American rock music recordings from the 1960s to the 1990s, most notably ...
– piano *
Billy Preston William Everett Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter whose work encompassed R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel. Preston was a top session keyboardist in the 1960s, during which he ba ...
clavinet The Clavinet is an electrically amplified clavichord invented by Ernst Zacharias and manufactured by the Hohner company of Trossingen, West Germany, from 1964 to 1982. The instrument produces sounds by a rubber pad striking a point on a tension ...
, piano * Ian Stewart – piano *
Bobby Keys Robert Henry Keys (December 18, 1943 – December 2, 2014) was an American saxophonist who performed with other musicians as a member of several horn sections of the 1970s. He appears on albums by the Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Harry Ni ...
– tenor saxophone , baritone saxophone *
Jim Horn James Ronald Horn (born November 20, 1940) is an American saxophonist, woodwind player, and session musician. Biography Horn was born in Los Angeles, and after replacing saxophonist Steve Douglas in 1959, he toured with member Duane Eddy for f ...
– alto saxophone , flute *
Chuck Findley Charles B. Findley (born December 13, 1947 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania) is an American trumpet player known for his diverse work as a session musician. He also plays other brass instruments such as flugelhorn and trombone. His technical abilities ...
– trumpet * Jim Price – horn arrangement
Nicky Harrison
– string arrangement * Anthony "Rebop" Kwaku Baah – percussion *Pascal (Nicholas Pascal Raicevic) – percussion *
Jimmy Miller James Miller (March 23, 1942 – October 22, 1994) was an American record producer and musician. While he produced albums for dozens of different bands and artists, he is most closely associated for his work with several key musical acts of t ...
– percussion Technical *
Chief engineer A chief engineer, commonly referred to as "ChEng" or "Chief", is the most senior engine officer of an engine department on a ship, typically a merchant ship, and holds overall leadership and the responsibility of that department..Chief engineer's ...
and Mixer
Andy Johns Jeremy Andrew "Andy" Johns (20 May 1950 – 7 April 2013) was a British sound engineer and record producer who worked on several well-known rock albums, including the Rolling Stones' ''Exile on Main St.'' (1972), Television's ''Marquee Moon'' (19 ...
*Assistant engineers – Carlton Lee, Howard Kilgour and Doug Bennett. *Photography and sleeve design by David Bailey


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


References


Sources

* * *


External links

*
''Goats Head Soup'' on RollingStones.com
{{Authority control 1973 albums Albums produced by Jimmy Miller Atlantic Records albums Rolling Stones Records albums The Rolling Stones albums Virgin Records albums Albums recorded at Olympic Sound Studios