This is my fifth-round choice from Hanspostcard’s album draft…100 albums in 100 days.
“Please allow me to introduce myself”
Beggars Banquet and Between the Buttons were the first two Rolling Stone albums I owned not counting Hot Rocks, the greatest hits collection. I played this album to death. As with most Stones albums you get what you get…rock, blues, and a little country thrown in the mix. I got this album when I was 12 and it opened my eyes wide to the Stones…much more than a collection of their hits would ever do.
This was the first album to start the stretch of 5 albums (Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main Street, and Goats Head Soup) that helped make the Stones what they are today. In 1967 after failing to live up to Sgt Pepper with Their Satanic Majesties Request (although I do like that album) they came back retooled with a new producer Jimmy Miller.
The Stones got back to doing what they do best…playing the blues…although with a different sound than Little Red Rooster. A weary Brian Jones was still in the band at this time and contributed to all but two songs…but it’s mostly Keith on guitar. Brian, because of the state he was in, was used more as a touch-up artist…filling in some holes with sitar, tambura, guitar, blues harp, and mellotron.
This album is not considered up there with Sticky Fingers or Exile On Main Street but I have the strongest connection to it. I’ve always related Beggars Banquet to the White Album. They were both released in 1968 and both were raw and honest. No studio trickery to either…a big departure from the psychedelic era of 1967.
I don’t think Jimmy Miller gets enough credit for their sound. That is not a knock against the Stones but the Miller produced albums are special.
The Jumping Jack Flash single (also Miller produced) was released in May of 1968 to signal a change was coming and this album followed on December 6, 1968.
Beggars Banquet was delayed for months because of the album cover. The original cover (which is now used) had a dirty toilet covered with graffiti. The photo was taken by Barry Feinstein in a tiny bathroom at a Porsche repair shop above Hollywood Blvd. and Cahuenga Blvd.
Mick and Keith were given crayons to add more graffiti for the back credits. Their record companies for America and the UK would not approve the cover. The Stones finally relented and released a plain “invitation” white cover…which is the cover I owned.
Now for the songs. Sympathy for the Devil and Street Fighting Man are the two most well-known songs off the album. Sympathy for the Devil is perhaps the Stones’ best-written song and with a samba beat that touches on voodoo. Street Fighting Man is maybe the most powerful song they ever wrote. “Well now what can a poor boy do
except to sing for a rock n’ roll band?”
Those two songs are classics but this album is a great collection of 10 songs. Prodigal Son has always been a favorite of mine. They really do the old blues well in this one. It’s a song written by Robert Wilkins, a reverend who recorded Delta Blues in the 1920s and 1930s.
No Expectations…Brian Jones’ slide guitar in this is great…it sets the mood for this song. Mick has said it was Brian’s last great contribution to the Stones. One of the best album cuts from the Stones.
Stray Cat Blues…Mick sounds so ominous in this track. The guitar is absolutely filthy as well. I feel the need for a shower after I listen to it. This song would not fly today. It’s raunchy and sleazy…but a great album cut. I hear the click-clack of your feet on the stairs
I know you’re no scare-eyed honey
My other favorite songs are Factory Girl, Salt of the Earth, and Jigsaw Puzzle.
The album peaked at #5 in the Billboard Album Charts, #3 in the UK, and #3 in Canada in 1969.
Looks like I have brought the first Stones album to our respective islands. If you get an urge to dance around a fire singing “whoo, whoo… whoo, whoo“…come on over and I’ll drop the needle on the vinyl and shake some maracas.
1. Sympathy for the Devil
2. No Expectations
6. Street Fighting Man
10. Salt of the Earth
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 
Track 1 sums up the brilliance in Jaggers lyrics. Plus what a great album cover! Don’t see a bottle of hand sanitizer in sight. lol
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Lol…Yea… Stray Cat Blues only the Stones or The Beatles could have gotten away with that song lol…I mean it’s sleazy with a capital S
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Like I mentioned at other site, “Street Fighting Man” is definitely one of their best rock songs. Was a bit surprised it was the first Rolling Stones album picked (my guess, albeit not necessarily my own choice, would have been ‘Exile on main Street’ or perhaps ‘Sticky Fingers’) but more surprised it took the ten of us 43 days to get to Mick & Keith.
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Yea I’m surprised.. even Some Girls..man I just love stray cat blues. It would never go over today but it’s a great track.
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I had this album on cassette and i listened to it all the time, till the tape broke.
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Yea that would stop it. I bought the album and later the cassette…then I got smart…I recorded the album on a blank cassette.
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it was influential enough for one of Britain’s biggest indie record labels to take the name from it.
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I’ve been looking at top ranked albums and in some polls this one is over Exile…if someone likes more blues/rock than just rock…this is the one. It depends on their tastes. I like the album tracks on this one…plus it was the first one that introduced me to the modern Stones.
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both very valid points.
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First of the great stones albums as you say. It’s kind of the bridge to the truly great ones (let it bleed, exile, sticky) while not quite reaching those lofty heights though many would disagree with me there. I still love this one particularly the slightly unpolished sound and country tendencies.
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There is no need to recommend this album to the Stones fans, they will appreciate this jewel. Anyone who likes the Rolling Stones of the modern age and would like to hear how they sounded in their very best time and what fantastic music they made back then will get an impressive lesson with “Beggar’s Banquet”.
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I never had the album, but love Sympathy for the Devil. My first two Stones albums were much, much earlier (as you’d expect!) One of them was Aftermath. You make me want to give it a listen now, all the way through… (your posts do have that effect on me!)
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It’s a great album. I hesitated posting the song Stray Cat Blues…but it’s one of my favorite tracks.
Aftermath… I never had that one but I had Between the Buttons by them… As far as Aftermath…The Beatles were going to name Rubber Soul “After Geography” as a take off of the Aftermath title.
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Hahaha, I didn’t know about ‘After Geography’!! Stray Cat Blues is a great song.
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I love the song but I thought I would hear blowback from it but I didn’t.
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Er, I meant the album you reviewed, to listen to all the way through, not Aftermath.
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While I prefer the Mick Taylor years overall, I also love the variety of sounds Brian Jones brought to their recordings. This is a fantastic album.
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Yea Mick Taylor was the best all around guitarist they ever had…with apologies to Keith.
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Great choice, Max. I’m only well familiar with “Sympathy For the Devil”, “Street Fighting Man”, “Factory Girl” and “Salt of the Salt.” But I feel just these four tracks already make this album a fantastic pick!
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Since you like the blues a lot…this album has a lot of it. No Expectations and Prodigal Son are more old time blues.
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