As one of the last surviving groups of the classic rock era, The Rolling Stones have managed to stay artistically relevant by trying their hand at various genres. Whilst this invention might not have always proven successful, with some of their material from the 1980s amongst their most questionable, it has been fruitful when they needed it most.
It makes a lot of sense that The Rolling Stones have experimented with many different styles, as, like with any band worth their salt, they have constantly tried to keep up with the changing of the times. Whether it be disco, soul or psychedelia, the musical zeitgeist of their most essential chapters can be found alive and well in their work from then.
One area that they’ve dipped their toes in deeper than most is the realm of country music. As an adjacent form to blues and rock, the two that are most familiar to the British band, and not to mention guitarist Keith Richards’ penchant for open tunings, it was a natural part of their arc.
One of the most notable offerings from this dalliance with country is ‘Dead Flowers’, a track taken from the 1971 album Sticky Fingers. The song was so impactful that even the storied country great Townes Van Zandt recorded a cover of it. Inspired by Richards’ friendship with The Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers legend Gram Parsons, in 2003, Jagger admitted that he thought the track was better suited to his songwriting partner’s voice than his.
He said: “The ‘Country’ songs we recorded later, like “Dead Flowers” on Sticky Fingers or “Far Away Eyes” on Some Girls, are slightly different (than our earlier ones). The actual music is played completely straight, but it’s me who’s not going legit with the whole thing, because I think I’m a blues singer not a country singer – I think it’s more suited to Keith’s voice than mine.”
In 1995, Jagger provided more insight into the track and explained why his take on country was “tongue-in-cheek”. He said: “I love country music, but I find it very hard to take it seriously. I also think a lot of country music is sung with the tongue in cheek, so I do it tongue-in-cheek. The harmonic thing is very different from the blues. It doesn’t bend notes in the same way, so I suppose it’s very English, really. Even though it’s been very Americanized, it feels very close to me, to my roots, so to speak.”
Listen to ‘Dead Flowers’ below.
