Rolling Stones – Salt Of The Earth

Let’s drink to the hard-working people
Let’s drink to the lowly of birth
Raise your glass to the good and the evil
Let’s drink to the salt of the earth

This song is on my favorite Rolling Stones album, Beggars Banquet. There is not a bad song on the LP. This one and Prodigal Son I always liked. The album peaked at #5 on the Billboard Album Charts, #3 in the UK, and #3 in Canada in 1969.

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 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 were raw and honest. No studio trickery to either…a big departure from the psychedelic era of 1967 for both bands. I think the Stones and Beatles also owe a nod to The Band’s rootsy music (Music From Big Pink) which was influencing everyone around this time.

I learned that a greatest hits package from The Beatles and Rolling Stones was NOT enough. Those two bands taught me to buy albums and not just rely on the “hits” which even at that time were worn out. You never got the really good songs that lay hidden like this one. The two well-known songs off of the album were great like Sympathy for the Devil and Street Fighting Man but I liked some of the others just as much. Now with certain artists…yes, a Greatest Hits package is fine but not with the Beatles, Stones, Who, Kinks, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and a few more.

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. He produced them during their 5 album stretch golden period. Keith and Mick Jagger both sing on this with the Los Angeles Watts Street Gospel Choir singing background…Nicky Hopkins is on piano. It was written by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger.

The title refers to the working class…they are “The salt of the Earth.” Jagger later said: “The song is total cynicism. I’m saying those people haven’t any power and they never will have.” 

Speaking of albums. My friend Paul has a massive site with album reviews called The Punk Panther Music Reviews. I can almost promise you he will have what you are looking for.

Also, Graham has a wide selection of albums that he reviewed…it’s called Aphoristic Album Reviews. When I want to see album reviews I go to those two sites. I hardly ever do album reviews because frankly, I’m not that good at it but I still try once in a while.

Salt Of The Earth

Let’s drink to the hard working people
Let’s drink to the lowly of birth
Raise your glass to the good and the evil
Let’s drink to the salt of the earth

Say a prayer for the common foot soldier
Spare a thought for his back breaking work
Say a prayer for his wife and his children
Who burn the fires and who still till the earth

And when I search a faceless crowd
A swirling mass of gray and
Black and white
They don’t look real to me
In fact, they look so strange

Raise your glass to the hard working people
Let’s drink to the uncounted heads
Let’s think of the wavering millions
Who need leaders but get gamblers instead

Spare a thought for the stay-at-home voter
His empty eyes gaze at strange beauty shows
And a parade of the gray suited grafters
A choice of cancer or polio

And when I look in the faceless crowd
A swirling mass of grays and
Black and white
They don’t look real to me
Or don’t they look so strange

Let’s drink to the hard working people
Let’s think of the lowly of birth
Spare a thought for the rag taggy people
Let’s drink to the salt of the earth

Let’s drink to the hard working people
Let’s drink to the salt of the earth
Let’s drink to the two thousand million
Let’s think of the humble of birth

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

49 thoughts on “Rolling Stones – Salt Of The Earth”

  2. Badfinger,

    A lot of truth, wisdom and folly is expressed in the verses sung in this song., in my opinion.

    Thanks for a reminder about the meanings of the verses Salt of the Earth.

    Regards and goodwill blogging.

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  3. Great song max thanks for covering this. When Jesus gave His Sermon on the Mount he said, “You are the salt of the earth”, because he was addressing the common people, the fishermen, shepherds, and laborers who were worthy and virtuous.

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    1. I thought the same thing about the song also… I’m not sure if Jagger was completely serious about what he said also.
      I haven’t heard covers of this but it would be a good one to cover.

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  5. A bit like Randy, above …. I’d almost forgotten this one! Though I too have the album, I think I must have been guilty of lifting the needle as the song approached! I love the second half, with the psychy / gospel feel to it.
    Hey! It’s The Stones! They don’t do ‘album fillers.’ I, of all people should know that! 😀

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    1. LOL… When I listen to this album I listen to everything but the big two off of it because…well they are worn out…but Parchute Woman, Dear Doctor… just a great one. I usually will listen to this and The White album…I got them at around the same time.

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  6. Quite a decent song. If I’ve heard it before, I’d forgotten it. Decent lyrics and sound, it had a ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ kind of feel to me. Interesting point about them and the Beatles changing gears a little in ’68 and perhaps that being the influence of the Band.

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    1. With the Beatles and Stones…and others…I listen to all the albums…those albums during this period are so good…like I said…more than not…I like the album cuts better than the hits.

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    1. No problem Paul. I’m an album track kind of guy more than hits for the most part…especially the Beatles and Stones.
      I’m working on an album review right now…I’ve been working on it forever.

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      1. 🙂 My problem is when I do an album review I am compelled to cover it track-by-track, so I blather on and on.

        Unless it’s a band like ZZ Top or Motörhead, when a review of one track will do for all!

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      2. …or AC/DC.
        Well blathering on is what it’s about! I’m trying to highlight the ones I like and go quickly over the rest…it’s Tupelo Honey…not his best but a very radio friendly album.

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      4. It’s great for that! I agree…one of his best title tracks ever. The album does have some great songs.
        My favorite title tracks by him include that one and Saint Dominic’s Preview

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    1. He did a lot of “coloring” with different instruments and yes it gave them a huge sound.
      I never played one of those before Phil…it wouldn’t be good on your lap I don’t think but they look cool.

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  9. I gave this album to my sister for Christmas that year. I rank it up there with Let it Bleed. I always found it ironic for multi-millionaire rock stars to sing about the salt of the earth and street fighting men…but it didn’t stop me from listening to them.

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  10. Very good write-up, Max.

    When bands release a ‘best of’ album, I always see it as a yellow flag. It’s nice if a band has enough great songs to release one, but at the same time, it makes me think they are running out of ideas. When Hans was going through the Stones’ discography, I picked up several of their albums. I don’t remember this song from that album, but it’s decent, especially where Mick sings, “Let’s think of the wavering millions / Who need leaders but get gamblers instead.” Besides the other 2 big hits, I like “Factory Girl.”

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    1. Thanks Lisa…
      Yea for top 40 bands…yea it’s alright near the end of their career for bands like “America” but for the big ones….no. usually when one is released from either of these bands it’s the record company wanting more revenue.

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  12. Ah, Max I know what you’re talking about as far as pairing those two white covered albums at the same time. I did that in real time and you could hear that both bands were doing it so easily- no need for a hit to be hooked onto the album, they were chock full of sooo much it was a surfeit of riches.
    I like this one so much because it hasn’t been ‘Satisfactioned’ to death, and the way first Nicky Hopkins gives it a bit of urgency and THENCharlie kicks it along at the precisely right moment. Pure perfection.
    Also like it when the Stones do a (piss) take on Country, as per ‘Dear Doctor’ which, too be fair, is an obvious over-drawled dig at the genre. Hey, but that led them to ‘Girl With The Faraway Eyes’ which I can listen to seriously while still laughing.

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    1. I’m glad you felt the same ab out the two albums. They jsut fit each other so well and are similiar in a lot of ways. From…Magical Mystery Tour and Their Satanic Majesties Request…to this rootsy sound.
      Oh yes…I was going to mention Faraway Eyes if you didn’t when you brought up Dear Doctor. It’s pretty much a paraody I guess…but I like them.

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      1. My two brothers -one gone now- used to talk along in sync with the spoken intro of ‘Faraway Eyes’ on road trips. Ah, good times. Now, how does it go? ‘So I ran twenty red lights in his honour…’

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      2. well, that is a fun thing to memorize. That is it! When the Rolling Stones played in Nashville in 1997 I believe …they actually play that song but of course it fit.

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  13. I’m so bad at seeking out the Stones’ deeper cuts. They have such an extensive number of hits that I never go looking for more from them. But I can see why you rank Beggar’s Banquet high among their albums. This is a nice song. I’m glad to be reminded of it. I don’t know when I would have last listened to it before today.

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    1. I am bad about doing more album cuts but…some of the reason is I’ve already posted most of the hits by a lot of bands…but I truly like these just as much or more. One of the reasons is something we have talked about…radio burn out of the hits.

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  14. Pingback: Rolling Stones – Salt Of The Earth – MobsterTiger

  15. When you really want to get to know an artist or band you like, I agree it’s generally a good idea to go beyond greatest hits or other compilations. While the latter are a good starting point when you’ve new to the music act, they tend to be very chart-driven and oftentimes leave out great songs. I didn’t know “Salt of the Earth” for the longest time. Unfortunately, I can’t remember when I heard it first. I dug it right away!

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    1. Some bands YES…a greatest hits you would do…Like the band America…I would not dig down for their deep cuts…but the huge artists…the albums are the way to go at times. And don’t get me wrong…I like America

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      2. There are many bands like that…The Little Rascals were awesome! But…they will even say…they were a singles band along with the Lovin Spoonful…and that is not taking anything away from either one.

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