FORGOTTEN MUSIC #76: THEIR SATANIC MAJESTIES REQUEST By The Rolling Stones [50th Anniversary Edition]


It’s hard to believe that it’s been 50 years since The Rolling Stones unleashed Their Satanic Majesties Request on the world. This was the Stones’s response to The Beatles’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band which explains the costumes on the album cover (both cover photographs were taken by Michael Cooper).

Keith Richards claims in his 2010 memoir Life that “none of us wanted to make [Satanic Majesties], but it was time for another Stones album, and Sgt. Pepper’s was coming out, so we thought basically we were doing a put-on.”

I’ve always considered Their Satanic Majesties Request a quirky album. The variety of songs and styles constantly surprise with each listening. The “hit” on this album was “She’s a Rainbow.” This CD has been totally remastered in both mono and stereo. A vinyl edition is also available. Are you a Rolling Stones fan? What did you think of Their Satanic Majesties Request when you first heard it? GRADE: B+
TRACK LIST:
1. Sing This All Together
2. Citadel
3. In Another Land
4. 2000 Man
5. Sing This All Together (See What Happens)
6. She’s A Rainbow
7. The Lantern
8. Gomper
9. 2000 Light Years From Home
10. On With The Show

30 thoughts on “FORGOTTEN MUSIC #76: THEIR SATANIC MAJESTIES REQUEST By The Rolling Stones [50th Anniversary Edition]

  1. wolf

    This album was one of those I immediately bought – couldn’t wait for my friends and then copy it to tape …

    And for a Science Fictian fan like me of course ” 2000 Light Years From Home” was the number one!

    Reply
  2. Cap'n Bob

    I don’t think I’ve heard it since 1972 and the only song I remember is She’s a Rainbow! But I’ve always been a Stones fan and I’m sure I’d find plenty to like on this album if I bought it, which I won’t!

    Reply
  3. Deb

    Of course, I’ve listened to the entire album, but the only song that grabs me is SHE’S A RAINBOW. I’m more of a LET IT BLEED/STICKY FINGERS/EXILE ON MAIN STREET kinda gal.

    Reply
  4. Bill Crider

    I really like “She’s a Rainbow,” but I’m not a big fan of the rest of the album. I like the ones Deb mentions a lot more.

    Reply
  5. Patti Abbott

    Although I have enjoyed the odd song here or there, I was never much of a Stones fan. I can’t say why though. I think it was their swaggering performances that put me off. But I am tempted to go through their songs and see if I missed a lot all of these years.

    Reply
  6. Jeff Meyerson

    Other than “She’s a Rainbow” it left me cold. Give me LET IT BLEED (which I still play regularly) any day.

    PS – They – appropriately – used “Paint It Black” at the end of one episode of VIETNAM. I once heard a fascinating interview on my local station with Bill Wyman talking about the recording of that song, which has always been one of my favorites.

    Reply
  7. Maggie mason

    The only one I’m sure I heard is rainbow. I probably should get one and give it a listen, but I won’t. I agree with Deb and most others on better albums.

    Reply
  8. Rick Robinson

    Not an album I liked, or bought. I don’t remember any of the songs other than “She’s a Rainbow” being played on radio stations. I notice that “Paint It Black” ( a favorite Stones song) isn’t on the soundtrack album, though “Gimme Shelter” is.

    Other songs on that 2-CD album that I love are “What’s Going On?” by Marvin Gaye and “Get Together” by the Youngbloods.

    Reply
  9. Jeff Meyerson

    Rick, by coincidence I picked up the 2 CD collection of the FORREST GUMP (a movie I hate, by the way) soundtrack in the basement laundry room of our building, where someone discarded it. It was a surprisingly good collection of mostly ’60s music, including “Get Together.”

    Reply
  10. Jeff Meyerson

    FORREST GUMP soundtrack:

    Track Listings
    Disc: 1
    1. Hound Dog – Elvis Presley
    2. Rebel Rouser – Duane Eddy
    3. (I Don’t Know Why) But I Do – Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry
    4. Walk Right In – The Rooftop Singers
    5. Land of 1000 Dances – Wilson Pickett
    6. Blowin’ In the Wind – Joan Baez
    7. Fortunate Son – Creedence Clearwater Revival
    8. I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) – The Four Tops
    9. Respect – Aretha Franklin
    10. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 – Bob Dylan
    11. Sloop John B. – The Beach Boys
    12. California Dreamin’ – The Mamas & The Papas
    13. For What It’s Worth – Buffalo Springfield
    14. What the World Needs Now Is Love – Jackie DeShannon
    15. Break On Through (To the Other Side) – The Doors
    16. Mrs. Robinson – Simon & Garfunkel

    Disc: 2
    1. Volunteers – Jefferson Airplane
    2. Let’s Get Together – The Youngbloods
    3. San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers In Your Hair) – Scott McKenzie
    4. Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season) – The Byrds
    5. Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In – The 5th Dimension
    6. Everybody’s Talkin’ – Harry Nilsson
    7. Joy to the World – Three Dog Night
    8. Stoned Love – The Supremes
    9. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head – B.J. Thomas & Troye Davenport
    10. Mr. President (Have Pity On the Working Man) – Randy Newman
    11. Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
    12. Running On Empty – Jackson Browne
    13. It Keeps You Runnin’ – The Doobie Brothers
    14. I’ve Got to Use My Imagination – Gladys Knight & The Pips
    15. Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac
    16. On the Road Again – Willie Nelson
    17. Against the Wind – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
    18. Forrest Gump Suite – Alan Silvestri

    Reply
  11. Scott Cupp

    TSMR is my favorite Stones album being their most psychedelic followed by Let It Bleed and Sticky Fingers. For some reason I am not an Exile fan

    Reply
  12. kristian

    I always thought this was by far their greatest album ever. Can’t understand why I’m always the only one thinking so. For me “She’s a Rainbow” and “2000 Light Years” are their best songs ever – together with “Paint It Black” and “Ruby Tuesday”, but since both of the latter were non-album singles, that means Their Satanic is basically 2-0 on every other Stones album. On top of that you get the incendiary rock of “Citadel” and “2000 Man” and the gorgeous psychedelic jingle-jangle of “The Gomper.” I even like the “Sing This All Together” jam which everyone seems to hate. I think it’s wonderful – all over the place in a good way and with an undercurrent of something dark and dangerous. Altogether, by far their best album. Second place goes to Between the Buttons!

    Reply

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