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Tattoo You: Rolling Stones.

I first heard this album looking out over a lake in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia and the variety and new music put out by the band was quite different from anything before. The view out over the lake complimented the slow sway of some of these new tracks, especially, 'Worried About You' and 'Waiting on a Friend'. The number one side was typical rock and roll Stones trademark music but the 2 side was filled with new and catchy sounds and Mick doing falsetto brilliantly. I took my son to a concert in 2006, where Mick performed 'Worried About You' and he was wrapped as it was one of his favorite songs put out by the band when he was just 11 years old in 1981. The album cover is very different and catchy in red and black and green, featuring Mick and Keith in full facial tattoo. It's a wonder it hasn't taken off as a fashion trend for it looks good on both of them. A tattoo in the South Pacific area, where Australia is situated, is usually done full body, especially in Samoa and New Zealand. It is done as as a symbol of body armour to keep the good spirits in and ward off the bad ones. So that in itself is a good omen for this album for the material is reflective on life and inherently good. For instance, "We used to ride around in a long black limousine, you in black and me in green" a song depicting the heady early days of the band glides in to the more mature, reflective tones of, 'Waiting on a friend'. It also shows Mick's versatility in playing piano. It was quite amusing when he announced in the bands Bigger Bang concert in 2006 that he was going to take to the piano and sing this song plus, 'Worried about you'. He prefaced these by saying, "And please don't liken me to Elton!"

'Start me up' was the classic rock song to come out of this album and has been the opener in quite a few concerts ever since. A great song for anyone who needs a boost to get on with things. Keith's Little T and A is typical of his love lost, mournful songs which he delivers so well. This one is almost a last hang on to the lifestyle he once had but now realizes he is drifting towards middle age and different perspectives of life. Why the last time he was interviewed and the reporter tried to evoke the good old days of sex, drugs and rock and roll, he said with a wry laugh, "Ah come on, I'm a grandfather now with a couple of grandchildren." 'No use crying' is a positive song about lost love and delivered with great melody.

This truly was a step in the right direction for the fans, for Tattoo You delivered the essence of the Stones with some ground breaking music also. They delivered and have done ever since. I guess most artists sing about lost love and Mick certainly did his share of that. It was almost to the point of a fan thinking, "Oh no, not another song about your love life Mick". I think he got it right on this album by singing about the deeper parts of relationships and it had a more world wide appeal rather than sad, sobby tales of his personal failures. 'Neighbors' is the only song that I don't really like but it is typical of what we all experience having neighbors.

All in all a very good album, in fact a classic. If you can get your hands onto it in vinyl, it is a much better and bigger picture of the clever art work on the cover and being in vinyl makes it a true classic. In the the words of a later song on Voodoo Lounge Album,"You got me rockin". You certainly have Rolling Stones and your music pulled me through some times in my life that otherwise would have been flat. Keep on Rocking! I for one reckon there's nothing like the energy of a Stones concert to say something about true rock and roll. Side 1 of Tattoo You will show you that.

Learn more about this author, Jishi Santos.
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