The Rolling Stones "Dirty Work" in retrospect

Dirty Work is probably the most maligned of all the Stones' albums. The Stones themselves like to pretend it doesn't exist, excluding any song from it on any compilation discs. It was recorded as the band was disintegrating in mid-late 1985; Founding member, pianist and the guy who kept things glued together, Ian Stewart, died during it's recording, and the relationship between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards fully collapsed after several years of friction. No tour was done in support of the album, and the Stones' dove into their solo careers. The band, which hadn't toured since 1982, wouldn't meet again until 1988, and would not tour again until 1989--The Stones were, for a time, broken up. Dirty Work could easily have been the Stones' final record had the allure of a massive moneymaking tour not allowed Jagger and Richards to forget the problems in their marriage.

So, what is Dirty Work? IMO, it's the last Stones album that doesn't try to play it safe. It's immediate follow up--Steel Wheels--while a great album, is a slick, polished, perfect late '80s adult rock record, and it pleased the masses. The perfect comeback record. Perhaps too perfect. Voodoo Lounge and onward would see the Stones trying to recapture their early '70s sound, tailoring their songwriting and style to meet fan and press expectations--and to great success.

Dirty Work isn't a classic by any means, but more than any record, it's the Stones adapting to changing musical times, flourishes of '80s production, without jumping on any band wagons as they had with Emotional Rescue and Undercover. There's '80s production, but there's no Disco, Dance or New Wave flavored songs. They're also not playing catch up with Hair Metal here. It's just the Stones. It's an album of raw, angry rockers. There aren't any Brown Sugars to be found, but it's not the turd everyone seems to like to think it was. It's the last Stones' album that's rough around the edges.

What makes Dirty Work a great record is it was the last album where they didn't give a damn about pleasing the masses. Unlike Black and Blue, the songs aren't half baked, but they're not polished either. This album is the first in years--and the last--to be dominated by Keith Richards, who in 1985 was 8 years sober, wanting control of the band, and gave his all to make this record work. And it shows. It's the last great driven album they made, featuring really great hooks, riffs and solos; It's the only Stones' album where Ronnie Wood made any significant contribution as he co-wrote most of the songs with Keith due to Mick being utterly disinterested in being a Stone. And his work ain't half bad--He's no Mick Taylor, but jells perfectly well with Keith on this record.

It's a hell of a lot better than the slick, teased hair hard rock offerings that were popular in 1986.

I think had the band been functional, had there not been so much public tension and discord between Mick and Keith, had there been a tour to support it, it'd be remembered more fondly. Because of all the negative publicity, it's overlooked and dismissed as the "Stones break up album."

So, in retrospect, can we give Dirty Work a little mercy, a little sympathy, and take a relisten to it?

 

Harlem Shuffle is one of their worst. Truly a product of the times.

 

I like that you are making a case for this maligned album ... but five "great"s describing this album and the success of the subsequent ones is probably five too many.

 

I've always thought it was a better record than folks give it credit too. I was working at a record store when it came out. We played it to death in the store. Probably didn't help that the lead single was kind of weak "The Harlem Shuffle". "One Hit To The Body" is a great tune. I reach for the volume knob on the rare occasion it comes on the radio.

 

I think has the ugliest production of any Stones album, and weak tunes, too. It's one thing I don't miss about the 1980s.

 

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/rolling-stones-album-by-album-thread-part-13.353309/

 

The bass sound on "Winning Ugly", Pure 80s

The slick, polished production of "Harlem Shuffle", pure 80s

The generic album cover featuring the band in pastel shirts, pure 80s


If anything, The Stones gave too much of a damn about pleasing the masses, and churned out this turd.

 

I've always wondered if the intent of the red shrink wrap on the LP was intended to hide an incredibly hideous album cover.

 

I give it a 4/5 myself.

 

At the same time that was released Alan Parsons released a album in Blue shrinkwrap.

 

It's an album of "raw, angry rockers." This isn't the worst thing, except that they forgot to write songs around those 'angry rockers.' I think I've gotten over the 80's production, but realize almost none of the songs are remotely memorable...the best thing off it is the understated Keith ballad at the end.

 

My favorite part of that album...

 

Not so! "Harlem Shuffle" is on Jump Back, Rarities 1971-2003, and Grrr!

I think an album called Bridges to Babylon would like to have a word with you. It doesn't sound like the 70's, at all.

I don't know about that, he plays really well and thereby contributes to the best moments on many other LPs. Yes, he gets more writing credits, but is that the only way to contribute significantly? I think not.

Dirty Work is about half good, half awful. Now that we can program our favourite tracks on CD players and digital playlists, more of it is getting the attention it always deserved. I've never played it all the way through more than a handful of times, however.

 

I'd add Keith's vocal on "Girl Too Rude" as the only other highlight.

 

After a few beverages, I can sometimes find myself defending Undercover, but that's not the case for Dirty Work. (Only Robert Christgau and the OP seem to have love for it.)

One memorable song ("One Hit") does not a great album make. And this is coming from the Stones #1 fan in 1986. It was a disappointment then, and it still is in 2014.

 

Dirty Work - my least favorite Stones album, and I own them all on disc and vinyl

 

Must've been the last week of my senior year in high school when I picked up both "Dirty Work" and "5150" during the same shopping trip to Musicland at the mall. Needless to say, 5150 became the soundtrack to that summer and Dirty Work... well, Dirty Work didn't even live up to my expectations as a follow-up to "Undercover." The fact the Stones refused to tour for a second consecutive album was, in my 17-year-old mind, a gigantic "FU" to me now that I was old enough to attend concerts.

Of course, over time, 5150 (and basically anything that Sammy Hagar did post-1978) turned into a regrettable, dated pile of clown pants-wearing **** (YMMV) and Dirty Work, while not having the catchiest hooks or greatest songs, became more of a curiosity. A decent effort, with some stripped-down arrangements on about half the tunes that I thought sounded more like unfinished demos at the time. Still not a huge fan of "Harlem Shuffle," but I like the anger from tunes like "Had It With You" and the title track. The problem is, when the album is bad (again, YMMV), it's REALLY bad ("Winning Ugly," "Back to Zero," the garish album artwork).

It's a hard album to like, and one I never played the grooves off of when it came out. It's probably the least of the post-ABKO albums that I have an attachment to, but I won't skip through any of the songs when they appear in my playlists. I do recall "One Hit to the Body" being in heavy rotation on the local classic rock station that fall.

 

I rate it a little higher. It's my fifth favorite Stones album behind Exile, Fingers, Some Girls and Tattoo You, and the last great Rolling Stones record. I will physically fight all of you on this one if it comes to that.

 

I always forget about that, since my go-to is the far superior X-Pensive Winos version.

 

it's no classic but i'd take it over anything that came after.

 

I've seen a video of him performing that song with the X-Pensive Winos. And yeah it's terrific.

More than anything, I'd love for Keith to cover Lee Perry's "Curly Locks".

 

I don't mind the '80s, in general. But I don't like that '80s.

 

Even though I normally strongly disagree with his reviews, Christgau got this one right IMO:

http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/music/stones-86.php

 

I love Dirty Work. This is an album not a hits plus filler kind of thing. More importantly there is an unnerving energy to it since Jagger and Richards were not getting along at the time. That plus Lilleywhite's claustrophobic production is maybe why it is maligned. It's an uncomfortable listen but that's Rock n Roll to my ears. I want to be unnerved. I hate the follow up album Steel Wheels because it is so bland. Critic Robert Christgau nailed it in his essay from '86 http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/music/stones-86.php
The quote below is dead on. Side two is the meat.
"Harlem Shuffle" is hardly the first good song betrayed by its promo, and now please turn the album over--the second side is the prize. I give you "Winning Ugly," "Back to Zero," and "Dirty Work," their meanest political statements in 15 years, and not for want of trying. These songs aren't about geopolitical contradictions. They're about oppressing and being oppressed. Jagger always plays dirty, always robs the other guy, and it's beginning to get to him; he misuses the jerks, greaseballs, ****ers and dumbasses who clean up after him and that doesn't make him feel so good either; and for all his class he's another nuclear subject who's got no say over whether he rots or pops even though he'd much prefer the former. For once his lyrics aren't intricately ironic. They're impulsive and confused, almost jottings, two-faced by habit rather than design, the straightest reports he can offer from the top he's so lonely at. They're powerful because they're about power, a topic unpretty enough to fit right in. And together with the hard advice of "Hold Back"--"Don't matter if you ain't so good-looking/If you ain't sharp as a blade/Don't be afraid/Don't hold back/Life is passing you by"--they're winning hints of a moral center somewhere in the vicinity of the singer's perpetual disillusionment. They contextualize the ironic persona-play of "Fight" and the unrecontructed send-off of "Had It with You" and the found sexism of "Too Rude" and the slum-hopping groove of "Harlem Shuffle." They set up the dog-tired compassion of "Sleep Tonight," which Keith turns into the Stones' most poignant ballad since "Angie."

 

I've posted Christgau's Dirty Work review at least two previous times over the years, but it never makes anyone come to their senses.