Meaningful songs #11 - THE ROLLING STONES

This is the eleventh in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990. 

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "Angie", released in 1973, is by a group called THE ROLLING STONES.

Angie in on the Goats Head Soup LP

Hear the song here

Ostensibly a bitter-sweet ballad about separation because of poverty, its composer Keith Richards (Stones' guitarist) said, in his autobiography, that the name Angie was a pseudonym for heroin and this song is about his attempts to quit using, while detoxing in Switzerland. I feel this is probably true as a poem/lyric, but the song tempo and Mick Jagger's delivery leads us to believe it's a love song.

ANGIE

Angie, Angie

When will those clouds all disappear?

 

Angie, Angie,

Where will it lead us from here?

  

With no loving in our souls

And no money in our coats

You can't say we're satisfied

But Angie, Angie

You can't say we never tried

Angie, you're beautiful, yeah

But ain't it time to said goodbye?

Angie,

I still love you

Remember all those nights we cried?

All the dreams we held so close

Seemed to all go up in smoke

Let me whisper in your ear

Angie, Angie

Where will it lead us from here?

Oh Angie don't you weep

All your kisses still taste sweet

I hate that sadness in your eyes

Angie, Angie

Ain't it time we said goodbye?

With no loving in our souls

And no money in our coats

You can't say we're satisfied

But, Angie, I still love you baby

Everywhere I look I see your eyes

There ain't a woman that comes close to you

Come on baby, dry your eyes

Angie, Angie

Ain't it good to be alive?

Angie, Angie

They can't say we never tried

   

There is a musical link to Golden Brown by The Stranglers, in that both songs appear to be love songs but relate to the use of Heroin.

Return to the first article in this series or hear the first song in this series.

Read the next article in the series or hear the next song in the series.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here.

I have a great fondness for this song, for more information start here.