'Exile On Main Street' At 50 .... And Still The Greatest Stones Album!

One of the best down and dirty rock records ever! The best? YEP!

 

Their best. No mean feat considering Beggars Banquet and Let it Bleed

 

If I could only keep one Stones album, it would have to be Exile.
Side 2 is probably my favorite side with Loving Cup in my top 3 Stones songs of all time. Watt's drumming on it really drives the track along with some tasty keyboard work from none other than Nicky Hopkins.
The album also contains Richard's best song he ever wrote and sang on, "Happy".

 

By far the best Stones song he ever did. Runner up :' You Got The Silver'

 

Loving Cup is so damn good. What an incredible song.

 

I think it loses steam towards the end.

 

Great album that probably has more flavors than any other Stones album- rock, pop, country, blues and jazz.

IMO, it lacks the monster singles to be their best. Tumbling and Happy are good but, not top tear Stones songs.

 

Where do you rate that Bluray?

 

While You Got the Silver is undeniably great, my runner up would be,
Before They Make Me Run.

 

I listened to most of the songs off Exile after some prodding in another thread a few months ago; I hadn't heard many, or even any, of them. I found them unmemorable, unlike the slew of great and memorable singles they had in the mid-'60s. So I don't really need much more than the two Hot Rocks comps, plus It's Only Rock and Roll for Time Waits for No One).

 

I place Exile as 6th.

 

I think side 4 is the best side.

 

That's a classic comment to read as i wonder if you realise that has been a pretty common early response from many that later "got" and came to love the album.

 

Yep, that happens to me too sometimes! Love's Forever Changes was one classic example ...

 

Just scratching the surface with this narrow selection.

 

My least favorite Stones album. Too murky, too druggy, too country, too bluesy for me. I love "Tumbling Dice," "Happy," "All Down The Line," "Rocks Off," "Rip This Joint" and "Sweet Virginia" but never warmed up to rest (even after revisiting it several times since first hearing it in the late-80s).

 

Maybe, but their '60s material is so much better IMHO, on the whole

Tumbling Dice has always been a favourite, just outside my top 10

 

Sounds like it's too Stonesy for you.

 

Give me It's Only Rock & Roll any day.

 

As much as I love the Stones, I just never liked Exile.

Sticky Fingers is their best IMO.

 

Considering the atmosphere in which the album was made, it couldn’t help but have that “just on the edge of disaster” vibe to it. Perhaps one of the last great dirty rock n roll albums created by drugged and drunken musicians who just happen to be at the top of their game. Reflects the true nature of Keith Richards’ personality.

 

Dice is one of their greatest songs ever & has that epic outro/fade-out. Exile in general is loaded with songs that have great, extended outros.

 

Never liked it much. A sloppy uninteresting mess for me. I'd much rather listen to almost anything they made prior to this album.

 

Let's have some cover art, shall we?