Keith Richards Talk Is Cheap Song by Song Thread

Now's as good a time as any to point out a couple slightly later collaborations between Bernie and Keith -- on Bernie's 1990 solo album Funk of Ages (presumably recorded in 1989, barely a a year after Talk Is Cheap - and including some of the same personnel. This song in particular seems not too far removed from the vibe and sound of some of Talk Is Cheap, and features a tasty Keith solo towards the back half of the tune (some might find this more meandering than tasty, but it's a grower, trust me -- not unlike "Rockawhile").

One could also argue that Steve Jordan is probably as much of an influence on the overall sound here, as anything (these are the only two tracks that Steve plays on, on this Bernie solo album -- or at least plays drums on). And Steve also co-wrote "Y Spy" too -- which presumably bolsters my theory that some of the 'sound' being the same is his influence.



Line-up on this track, at least according to Wikipedia, is...

"Y-Spy" (Worrell, Steve Jordan, Charlie Drayton) 4:27

• Clavinet, Synthesizer, Organ, Lead Vocals: Bernie Worrell

• Drums: Steve Jordan

• Bass, Snare, Lap Steel Guitar: Charley Drayton

• Guitar: Keith Richards, Steve Jordan

• Percussion: Steve Jordan, Charley Drayton

• Vocals: Steve Jordan, Gary Cooper, Loren Qualls

 

And the only other tune with Keith, from that same Bernie solo album...



Personnel, at least according to Wikipedia...

"Funk-A-Hall-Licks" (Worrell, Bootsy Collins, Gary Cooper, Doug Duffey) 5:20

• Clavinet, Synthesizer, Organ, Lead Vocals: Bernie Worrell

• Bass: Bootsy Collins

• Drums: Steve Jordan

• Keyboard: Herbie Hancock

• Guitar: Keith Richards, Jimmy Ripp, Bootsy Collins

• Saxophone: Maceo Parker

• Background Vocals: Gary Cooper, Sheila Washington, Jody Bell, Doug Duffey

 

Pointless saying anyone is No Nicky Hopkins!

 

I love those opening chords from Keith, and the totally propulsive groove that follows! The most joyful song on the album.

 

"Rockawhile" IMO is another track like "I Culd Have Stood You Up" that worked better live.

I reckon "How I Wish" might have made a better lead off single for the album than "Take It So Hard" was.

 

Both should have been singles. What order is debatable.

 

Rockawhile has a nice groove but leaves little impression on me. One of the weaker songs on the album

 

Outstanding album!!

 

Little late to this thread, but agree with all that say this is better than anything the Stones have released in the last 30 years. My favorite is “You Don’t Move Me”. Yes, it’s a great kiss-off to Mick, but the staccato guitar and galloping percussion hooks me every time.

 

Double A-side, maybe?

"You Don't Move Me" is a classic example of Keith's "introduce something new every thirty seconds" arrangement philosophy. There's always another guitar, more percussion or backing vocals popping up at choice points in the song. Brilliant arrangement.

 

Whip It Up:

And now we have another classic Keith rocker in Whip It Up, which features Patti Scalia from the E Street Band On backing vocals. Keith mentioned that the Beatles’ early records influenced how they approached the vocals on the early records. I can vaguely hear that, particularly Twist and Shout, but it’s not exactly Beatles like.
A punchy, catchy riff opens the track up as Steve sets a nice funky pocket up and its again more of a groove tune. Love the horn line by Bobby, it’s just a great Memphis-esque hornline. And even the handclaps are cool! And they usually suck in songs!
This song is another winner for the album, I love it!

 

I've been waiting for this one, my favorite Keith solo song period. During the long period adrift with all of us Stones fans lost at sea during the famous Mick-Keith mid 80s split, this album was like a life line thrown to us all. I agree with many that it's success shook Mick up and emboldened Keith leading to the reunion of the band in '89. Hell, I even liked Mick's Who's the Boss album in it's time somewhat but then this Keith album came out. To date this, I only had Mick's on cassette, but was fully CD by the time of Keith's release in October '88 and I bought it right at release, that CD still tucked safely in my music room and ripped to Flac for the Fiio to listen on repeat while typing this.

I agree with many that the drum, especially snare, sound is disappointing on this album. That is no criticism of Steve Jordan's ability, he's great and energetic, but Charlie Watts established a cracking snare sound that works best to match with Keith's start-stop riffing technique, especially in his famous open G tuning. At least on Whip It Up, that air between the drums and riff is present, the tension and gaps in the riff and drums match many Stones classics. But, the prime #1 highlight is the absolutely wicked chord in the left channel at 1:19. Is that Waddy? It's vicious and perfect weaving counterpoint to Keith in the right channel. The horns answering the riffs are perfect as is the honking solo by the legend Bobby Keys and Keith's vocal is amazing, silky smooth for a guy who was beginning to croak on stuff like Happy as early as the 1975 tour (and that is said out of love, even missing half the lyrics I love Keith doing Happy on any tour!).

Well, I've listened to this at least 5 times writing this and could go 10 more times without it getting old. A solo masterpiece. Jeez, the mastering on this 1988 CD sounds amazing. This song just explodes out of the headphones.

 

Love the intro riff "Whip It Up" is another one that seems more like a jam than an actual song -foreshadowing Main Offender in that regard- but it's cool just the same. I like Keith's multitracked adlibs in the outro as well.

 

Whip It Up - Not one of the album's best songs but quite fun.

 

Whip it up is such a classic. Better than a stones tune

 

Good album cut for side two, but not my favorite. I did listen to it twice fresh after @tdavis0903 response on the song though! Never really noticed how cool, and just enough, the handclaps and background vocals are

 

^bump

 

Whip It Up is a solid album track but I think the horns are a bit intrusive.

 

I love the machine gun rolls by Jordan near the end of Whip It Up.

@guidedbyvoices so right on the background additions!

Easy to interpret the lyrics on this album as references to Mick and the long Stones chill period, but these below always seemed like a perfect shot that way, even though could be directed at a woman or any relationship.

"If I ain't good enought for you
Then maybe baby you ain't good enough, good enough for me"

Glad the yin yang of Mick-Keith came back for more after this period.

 

This is getting tedious. Another killer riff, and my favorite moment might be the ascending bass entrance at 0:19. Great Keith vocal, and some of his dirtiest rhythm playing on the record. Concise Bobby sax solo, and then they just rock into the fade. Another winner.

 

@Musicman1998

Bumparooni!

When I started up the Ron Wood album by album thread it occurred to me, "Hey, we haven't finished discussing Talk Is Cheap yet!" We only have two songs left to go, people!

 

Locked Away:

And now we reach the second ballad with Locked Away, which features Michael Doucet on violin and Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural On accordion, which came from Keith listening to South African music at the end.
We get some wonderful guitar work from Keith and Waddy, and the aforementioned guests add an excellent touch to this track. This is a killer Keith ballad, not this Sleep Tonight bulls**t or How Can I Stop or whatever trite song you want to point to, this one is miles better than any of the ones he did afterwards.
This is a fantastic song that gets better with each listen.

 

I loved it from day one, both studio & live. Poignant intro, subtle backing vocals and thoughtful and inventive guitar phrasing in the break that are very tasty and tasteful. Jealousy can drive us to f'd up behaviour and thought processes and Keith nails that with this song too both lyrically and in his emotive delivery!
Q. What should be Locked Away?
A. Keith's ballads on A Bigger Bang!

 

"Locked Away" is a beautiful song, one of Keith's best ballads for sure. And indeed, the violin and accordion push the song over the top, the extra touch that means so much.

Amen to that, brother...A Bigger Bang was the first Stones album where I did not like Keith's tracks at all. IMO Keith's songs sorta stole the show on Voodoo Lounge and Bridges To Babylon, so hearing "Infamy" and "This Place Is Empty" was a bit of a letdown for me.

 

@Zoot Marimba

One song left to discuss, gang, IT WOULD MEAN A LOT if we actually discussed it!

(One o' these days I'll resurrect the Ronnie Wood album by album thread so we can finish that puppy off as well, it sorta died a death once we finished discussing his 70's albums!)