Dissection of Ronnie Woods recording of "If You Don't Want My Love"

What a beautiful song, and I compared it to the original by Bobby Womack, RW hands up.

But I had a number of queries. First, KR is on the album some album tracks, but is he reported to do uncredited work on that song? I remember MJ was on the first RW release without credit, right?

If you listen very closely on the left hand channel, there is some guitar work that sounds for much like Keith, and in a lower range I swear I hear him doing choruses.

Womack, what a voice, and I noticed that he is layered on both channels, but you can hear Woody's scratchy voice without confusion. On the right hand channel, it seems to be BW doing the jazzy guitar work along with Woody's guitar/slide, while on the left hand channel, you not only hear Woody, but there is a guitar doing what sounds like KR riffs. I think there are actually six guitar parts on this song, but I could be old. I have had this album since it first came out, but managed to play really loudly recently and was surprised.

 

Probably my favourite song on the album. I love that mid-70's soul/R & B type vibe. Yep, lots of guitar tracks going on there, but I don't think Keith Richards is on "If You Don't Want My Love" at all, though he certainly makes his presence known on the next song on the album- the guitar that starts off "I Can Say She's All Right" is clearly Keith, and a classic Keith open-G intro at that. I think Keith only plays on the tracks that were I've Got My Own Album To Do leftovers, except for "It's Unholy" which features Mick Taylor instead (some of my favourite Taylor slide playing, by the way)

I had no idea that Ron's version is actually a cover of a Womack song- I thought it was a Wood/Womack collaboration. You learn something new everyday...

It's discussions like this one that are one of the things I like about this forum: where else would you find a thread dedicated to some obscure Ronnie Wood solo song? (Except maybe a Stones forum where such a discussion would inevitably be invaded by a bunch of Mick Taylor fanatics who would probably crap all over the discussion and turn it into a "Wood VS Taylor" debate)

 

To be honest, I actually liked RW better BEFORE he joined the Stones. I know KR wanted to do the guitar weaving, but what a talent Woody had before 1975. I think the last song he did killer work with the Stones was "Hey Negrita"----oooops, can I say that in today's environment?

Cheers

Carlos

 

No question, Ronnie's talents were totally wasted in the Stones- one listen to the Faces or his solo albums will tell ya that!

 

I like Ron Wood's solo albums better than the later Stones albums. Wish "Gimme Some Neck" had been recorded better.

 

Roy Thomas Baker made of a mess of Neck. Apparently, he was down to produce Emotional Rescue, but Mick and Keith heard his work on Ronnie's solo album, and declined.

 

Speaking of RW, yesterday was his 70th circuit around the sun, but Wiki is slow

1 June 1947 (age 69)
Hillingdon, Middlesex, England

 

Well there's a thing.

I remember hearing this at the time when Now Look came out - probably on Nicky Horne but not since.

But it kept popping into my mind and I couldn't for the life of me recall who sang it.

So thanks!