Music Tuesday: Miss You by The Rolling Stones

As some may remember, I’m a big Rolling Stones fan.  This past Sunday was Mick Jagger’s 72^nd birthday.  What a life this man has lived.  And they’ve still been touring now. So much Stones news lately.  In addition to the tour, which seems to be doing fabulously, especially when you consider they age, Keith Richards has a new solo album coming out in September.  A single has been released and you hear it here.     But the really big news is that once the Richards solo album is out, the Stones will gather and record a new album!  Oh yeah!!  Their last one was A Bigger Bang in 2005.  That was ten years ago.  Goodness how time flies. 

For Mick’s birthday, I wanted to post a very Jagger-esk song, the wonderful “Miss You.”  This song and the summer of 1978 will forever be linked together for me.  This is the only song all summer on my mind and lips. 

I’m going to embed video with the lyrics because I think they are so great.  Most pop songs are three verses divided by a chorus.  "Miss You" just takes you on a journey into central character’s dejection.  Notice the emotional range, from melancholy, dejection, acceptance.  There’s a contrasting voice of the friend who calls him, there’s a drunken induced walk, and there’s that wonderful melody that pulls the whole song together.  The song starts with anticipation—waiting on that call—and ends with the realization that she’s “been fooling with [his] time.”  And let’s not forget the funky, interweaving guitars, the sax that carries so much emotion two thirds of the way into the song, and that layer of the high pitched harmonica.  And special kudos must go to the rhythm section, Bill Wyman (bass) and Charlie Watts (drums); they were at their best. 

There are also extended versions of this song, which add lyrics and instrumental solos.  They are as good as the final studio.  You can find them on youtube.  The Stones have had so many great songs, but I think “Miss You” was their greatest composition.