Beggars Banquet

In 1997, my mom took my brother and I to see The Rolling Stones on the Bridges to Babylon tour at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. At 16, I had only been to a few concerts prior to this and, if only because of the sheer number of inebriated middle aged people I was witness to, this concert left an indelible mark on me. I don’t know if you ever been in a place with 70,000 drunken 50 year olds at 16, but it’s an experience. No exaggeration…because I wasn’t old enough to drink, I immediately became one of the most responsible people in attendance. For further context, I had been to separate concerts by Metallica and Pantera within a year of this Stones concert and for the first time, I was legitimately concerned about something seriously bad happening at a concert. These Stones fans were out of control. Here’s two examples: Giants stadium, like every other football stadium on earth, is essentially a bowl. Our seats were in the nosebleeds: on the third level and about 1/4 of the way up. Let’s say row 8 of 32. Not great seats, but also not the worst. A few minutes prior to the Stones’ set, and shortly after the Foo Fighters had finished, a man began making his way back to his seats (two rows in front of mine) after returning from the concession stand. He was drunkenly balancing a cardboard drink tray with 4 very large plastic glasses of beer in it and not doing it very well. His seats were in the middle of the row, so he had to navigate around about a dozen concertgoers, in the cramped walkway, to reach his destination. About four people in to his row, he lost his balance and fell, sliding downward over three rows of seated people, which sent his four beers flying into the air, drenching probably a dozen people in Bud Light. Luckily, the drunk and the half dozen people he fell on/over all ended up being ok. That was death-defying act number one. Number two occurred shortly before the end of the concert: If you’ve been to a stadium concert, you know they usually don’t sell seats behind the stage, because, well…no one wants to pay to watch the back of the band. Turns out there’s another good reason for that, as well…. As the band was nearing the end of their set, my mother pointed to the area behind the stage, in the upper bowl of the stadium, and said “Look, there’s somebody up there behind the stage. What’s he doing up there?” I watched the guy intently, thinking maybe he was a stage hand or maybe he was also so drunk that he would fall down the upper level of the stadium as well, but this time there would be no other concertgoers around to slow his descent. About a minute in, I see a few security guards quickly approach the man, and what looked like an argument ensued. The man didn’t seem to care about the security guards directives, but eventually, they grabbed him and removed him from the area. As they were escorting him down the stairs of the upper level, Mick says “this is our last song”, the band kicked off “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and a massive barrage of fireworks launched from behind the stage, from almost exactly where the drunk was hanging out a minute earlier. Those security guards likely saved this guy from a pretty serious trip to the hospital and did so right in the nick of time. “So what does this have to do with Beggars Banquet?”, you’re probably thinking. Honestly, not much…It’s just a Rolling Stones anecdote I needed put out into the world, but I’ll tie it together any way: Beggars Banquet is arguably the first record where the Stones became the band that everyone knows today: they found their blues, country and honky tonk swagger, solidifying their status as a band that’s synonymous with the hard-partying rock and roll lifestyle. So, without a record like Beggar’s Banquet, I may not have ever experienced the accidental near-deaths of two 50 year old drunks in 1997, and in turn, you wouldn’t be here reading about it. It’s truly a rock and roll version of the butterfly effect.

Genre: Roots Rock 2/5 It's 1968. Rock 'n Roll is continuing to progress at an alarming rate. The Beatles are experimenting with heavier instrumentation in songs like Happiness Is a Warm Gun and Helter Skelter, forecasting the psychedelic blues movement that was about to explode out of the UK with acts like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Jimi Hendrix is breaking down the rock barriers in an even bigger way, writing and playing some of the most influential pieces of guitar music ever written and played. The Velvet Underground was also foraying into new-fangled territory: a more raw, dissonant, experimental sound that would influence musicians for ages. And then you have The Rolling Stones, who are still making songs with harmonies that sound like choo-choo trains. Beggars Banquet is an album with one big fat, juicy single, Sympathy for the Devil, which features the aforementioned choo-choo's, and 9 other completely stale blues rock offerings that really make you wonder what the heck was going on. As the rest of the music world was progressing and moving forward, the Stones did the exact opposite, and they did it in the most bland and milquetoast way possible. The album does one thing right, it's immaculately produced and mixed, and sounds wonderful, but nothing is happening that leads me to believe this album belongs on the list besides its name recognition. Decent solos here and there, too, but really not enough to make it worth it. Sorry to any Stones fans, this just wasn't for me.

During the height of Stalin's regime, Mikhail Bulgakov secretly wrote a wonderfully surreal tale filled with disappearances, mass disillusionment, inexplicable deaths and sudden hysteria. Bulgakov explains that these mysterious happenings are due to the arrival of a big fat cat (Behemoth) and his sidekick (Azazello) who accompany Satan (Professor (Lord) Woland(emort)) and a vampire (Hella). The story is ludicrous, ridiculously fun and deeply traumatic. The cruelty of Stalin's reign could not and can not be comprehended. It is easier to believe that a flamboyant Satan rocked up in town with his whimsical entourage and wrecked havoc, than to face the real events. After reading The Master and Margarita, Mick Jagger was inspired to write Sympathy For The Devil, 6 minutes of derivative blues where Jagger lists off various atrocities and asks "what's my name?" with all the mischief of a wayward schoolchild. There's some interesting percussion at the beginning, but that's about the highlight of the song, and sadly, the album. I have never understood the comparison between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. One band instigated a cultural revolution which still shapes the way we dress, talk, socialise, dance, play music and enjoy life to this day. The other band were a bunch of posh English boys playing at being American bad boys. Sympathy For The Devil indeed.

woo woo, woo woo, woo woo, woo woo,woo woo, woo woo, woo woo, woo woo,woo woo, woo woo, woo woo, woo woo,woo woo, woo woo, woo woo, woo woo. that ones really good. not so keen on noncey mick and his 15 year old. take the singles off and there are a couple of alright tracks, but stuff you'd expect from some no name, nothing to back up the reputation this album has that consitently gets it into top 100s of all time. but yeah woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo is dead good.

Is there a good Stone's album? Does this really deserve to be on the list? Is there a Stone's album that's chock full of hits or is completely listenable for its entirety? Maybe I'm not boomer enough, but having two slappers dispersed into snoozers is not indicative of a good album. Rather, it seems as if the Stone's longevity is due to the consistent release of one or two fantastic songs on each album. I'm not denying their talent, just that this album deserves to be on here when many other albums are more complete and polished. This is a 2/5 for two good songs.

There are two songs on this album that I am very familiar with, and the rest of the songs on the album are easily identifiable as the Rolling Stones. This album is a good representation of the problems I have with the Rolling Stones. Beggars Banquet has an interesting mix of music, including a solid amount of rock and roll that reaches into the blues and even some country. The Stones are good musicians and wrote some catchy songs. But, once the lyrics settle in my ears, I can only think about what a creep Mick Jagger is. I can find rock and roll elsewhere and easily not listen to the Stones. It's too bad that it wasn't the Beatles who had a chance to play well into their old age.

Thinking about this review, I tried to peel the music away from the Stones' reputation, and I almost gave this one three stars because, while some of the tracks are great (Sympathy is one of my all-time favourites), many are to me little more than country rock instrumental music with mumbling or half-yelling layered on top, without a strong theme.

"Beggar's Banquet" is a bit of a roller coaster of an album. It's blues, it's rock, it's got some country-ajacent moments ... it's kinda all over the place but everywhere it goes is good. It's a raw sound in all the best ways. This is where The Stones came back to their roots, tried a bunch of stuff out, and decided who they wanted to be musically and culturally. These songs are objectively great. The recording, however ... well, there are some significant issues with the production which pulled it back a star for me.

Out of the blocks fast, before belly flopping. They should steer clear of the ballads. Hey, you hear that, Mick? It's probably too late. Yeah, just checked it out, The Rolling Stones have had loads more songs since this. How can you have an album with Sympathy for the Devil as the opener and the follow it up with such filler crap? It picks up again a bit, but I was angry after tracks 2 and 3.... well not angry, but disappointed.

Just always way too much Stones on this list. Given that, for some reason I enjoyed this album more than the others I received, but man did I just forget it immediately and will not listen to it. Just bluesy bar band rock music. Not for me and certainly way too over represented on this list. I guess it is what it is.

Last Stones album with Brian Jones (who had become almost useless by this stage), and the beginning of their imperial period. The mix of blues, country and rock was really what made the Stones of this period what they were at their best. Some great songs (and, of course, Sympathy for the Devil). generally, the recording has enough grit in it to catch my attention, the arrangements are becoming more ambitious (choir on Salt of the Earth, exotic percussion all around), without sounding too much like they are just trying hard to be the Beatles. there was better yet to come, but this really is a classic album, and the first of the Stones records I really love.

This may be sacrilegious to say but this was just an okay album for me. None of the songs really stood out, except for a couple of the tracks were incessantly long.

The Rolling Stones always struck me as an elaborate practical joke on the Western world. Hey, look Boomers! Blues music repackaged by some limey honkeys! Oh, how edgy - they're singing about sex and Satan! That'll stick it to your parents who won the war, built the economy, and gave you jerks a head start not experienced by any generation prior or since! But Charlie Watts is pretty tight.

Was listening to this fairly regularly from 04-07. The songs sparkle just as much now as they did then. Great storytelling, wonderful slinky and spare guitar work. Everything on this album works and feels lived in while feeling just slightly rough. It's like visiting an old friend.

It tells the story of a man that forgot his own name, and he keeps asking people to guess it...

I've never really understood Sympathy for the Devil. It's completely boring to me. No Expectations is also rather dull and repetitive. The vocals on Dear Doctor are so annoying. Stupid honky tonk sound pallet adds nothing. Jigsaw Puzzle is mildly more interesting than the first few tracks. This album is much more bluesy and folkesy than I was expecting. You wouldn't call it a rock album like some of the work the Stones are known for. Prodigal Son probably my favourite song on the album so far. Is this someone other than Mick Jagger singing? The voice is way less annoying than normal. Factory Girl has somewhat more interesting instrumentation. I won't be rushing back to this one. 2.1/5

Already the most disingenuous band of the age, this is where the Stones outgrow any notion that their songs are about them, throw on the gaudiest costumes they can find, and take their heroic rock theatre to a grander stage than anyone else. Their world-beating revue features everyone from Satan to Bob Dylan to abdicatin' sweethearts to revolutionaries to perverts to Alan Sillitoe protagonists to everyday proles.

A classic album. Sympathy for the Devil is incredible - the lyrics, the intricate and uncommon musical arrangements, Jagger's delivery. It's a great kickoff to an album full of different styles that show the depth of ability of this band. The Stones aren't one of the greatest bands of all time for no reason. Hugely talented and man do they play on this album. Love the blues sound on Parachute Woman - simple, stripped down, and forceful. Prodigal Son is also has a cool bluesy sound. If you like Street Fighting Man (which I do), check out Rage's version of it on their cover album Renegades (also very good). Salt of the Earth is a beautiful song to end the album; great lyrics too.

The first album in the Stones golden period (68-73). They went from a rock and roll/bluesy cover group to worldwide stardom. Their honky tonk influences are starting to show up here, but the heart of this album is still blues. Obviously has one of their biggest hits in Sympathy for the Devil, but has some good deep cuts that combine Keith Richards’ marvelous guitar composition with Jagger’s passionate vocals. This would also be the last album to feature founding member, resident douchebag genius Brian Jones playing on all songs (he would play on Let It Bleed for two tracks but was basically tuned out because of alcohol and drugs) before he drowned in 1969. Not my personal favorite of this period or their music, but has some of my favorite songs. Favorite song: Street Fighting Man Least favorite song: Factory Girl

This album is just very meh to me. But I'll give it a pass since The Rolling Stones are iconic and they have really stood the test of time. With this album also being the last to feature Brian Jones before his untimely and tragic death, it really set the change in the Stones' sound as it sounds more complex and musically ambitious than any of their other records. Good album but very bland when it comes to other albums by them in comparison. Favorite Songs: Sympathy For The Devil, No Expectations, Street Fighting Man Rating: 3.5/5

s'alright

So much of the Stones is just over-played. It becomes tired and cliche. Thanks American radio! Even listening to it now, I’m surprised at the variety in the music. I sometimes forgot I was listening to ‘68 Stones, as it felt like other bands from other decades – who no doubt were borrowing from here. But the Stones were no doubt borrowing (quite openly, I’d say) from the Blues. It’s hard listening now after 50+ years of borrowing, copying and rehashing to think about listening with fresh ears.

Beggar’s Banquet I love all 4/5 albums from their imperial phase, but the patchwork, rootsy, folky, country-blues of this has always stood out to me, feeling more fractious and less country-fied then LIB and Sticky Fingers and less louche and decadent than Exile, maybe because Street Fighting Man and Sympathy for the Devil are more contemporarily socio-political than much of what was on the albums that followed. It’s also remarkable how much the acoustic (and slide) dominates, forming the backbone of the album, with only SFTD, Street Fighting Man and Stray Cat Blues not being built around acoustic guitars. Despite the fact I’ve played it to death, Sympathy for the Devil is ageless, and still sounds fantastic everytime I hear it. Street Fighting Man is the same. No Expectations I think is one of their best slow blues/country blues, the slide is great and the whole atmosphere is excellent. Dear Doctor is a great little country ditty, but Parachute Woman is a definite favourite, the bass is superb and the whole murky blues groove is great. Prodigal son is another great little country blues and I love Charlie’s drum pattern on Stray Cat Blues, I always think it sounds like it could be used for a hip hop or DJ Shadow track, and the guitar is superb. Filthy words but a banging track. Factory Girl’s folk flavour with eastern percussion is another one of my favourites, it may be rather throwaway but I love the tune and simplicity of it. And salt of the Earth is a great gospel inflected track, similar to You Can’t Always Get What You Want in vibe, despite the slightly laughable verses coming from Jagger, although the middle 8 does undercut the verses somewhat Great, great album. Obviously a 5. 👿👿👿👿👿 Playlist submission: Could be a few, but I’ll go obvious and Sympathy for the Devil

There should be a special sixth star because there's a lot of albums I gave five stars to that don't sit anywhere near this album. Should be on every short list, and I wouldn't quibble if this was going to be the one rock and roll record you were going to put in a time capsule. Jigsaw Puzzle is one of my very favorite Stones tunes.

I bought a used copy of this album at a record store in Chicago during my first week of college. I then listened to it obsessively in my dorm room to the point where people asked me to stop. By far my most favorite Stones album, and I wonder if I'm the only one who thinks Prodigal Son and Stray Cat Blues and Factory Girl are among the Stones greatest songs? Don't know; don't care, side two is a masterpiece and you can pry this album out of my cold dead hands.

My favorite Stones album with my favorite Stones song opening it. I recommend the mono box set version. The mix has a much stronger rhythm section and piano. No Expectations is a sentimental ballad and the perfect choice for the track that comes after. The slide guitar the Brian Jones adds to the track is what takes the song from ordinary to extraordinary. I could go on for paragraphs but I'll just highlight a few more things that make this album great. Jigsaw Puzzle has some great bass playing by Bill Wyman and the coloring that mellotron adds at the end is great (Brian Jones again!). Street fighting man is another stones classic. The Sitar makes this song stand out by being just being in the right spot in the mix so that you know it's there but not dominating the track. Stray cat blues has that great instrumental in the last minute and a half of the song. Love the fiddle in Factory Girl. Salt of the Earth is one of those rare moments that feature Keith on lead vocals (if only for a bit) and the song is a fine tribute to the common man and makes a great closer to the album. Easy easy easy 5 stars here!

I don't have anything particularly interesting to say about this album. Its a good listen, bluesy rock and roll, just what you would expect from The Rolling Stones. There is nothing that takes me by surprise at any point. Just the classic blues, country, folk, guitars, bass, bit of harmonica, slide guitar. And that is of course more than enough for a top album. There are a few excellent tunes of course. If I'd not already heard Street Fighting Man and Sympathy For The Devil 1000 times I would likely have been more blown away. That's not to say I don't really love those tracks. Its mad to think this is the last album where we hear any of Brian Jones input. Anyway, it would be a 7/10 if not for the two 10/10 tracks that bring the overall score up to any 8/10. Favourite song - Sympathy for the Devil.

The beginning of the Stones' classic run of albums. They've ditched the psychedelic posturing to focus on what they do best - playing blues/rock with a dash of country/folk on the side. Devils, doctors, sickness, jilted lovers, returning sons, revolution and everything in between is covered. Best Tracks: Sympathy for the Devil; Street Fighting Man; Factory Girl

If you remove the hits, it’s mainly a blues and country album, and a good one at that. You can see how much more genuine they sound playing the music of their roots.

This was unlike how I expected the rolling stones to sound, but in a good way. It wasn't incredible and I imagine they have better stuff in their discography but I would listen to some of these tracks again.

It's fine. I know the Stones are one of the most recognizable groups in music but this is just... fine?

Yet again, the Rolling Stones put out an album with a world class opener and follow it with whatever they had lying around. That's not to say that I only enjoyed the one song, my favorite song of theirs by far, it's just that Sympathy For The Devil is tiers above. A decent album that probably would've gotten another 2 from me if it weren't for that intro. Favorite songs: Sympathy For The Devil No Expectations Salt Of The Earth

I really tried to give the rolling stones a chance. They just sound flat and dated to me.

I don't really mess with the rolling stones. Sympathy is the best song and even it's pretty boring by the end. Will I listen to again: 1%

White people can have this album

I don't hate the music. I get the appeal. I love the blues. But if you take away the music they blatantly stole from African Americans with inadequate recognition, there's nothing left. 2/5 - 2 only bc there are some good guitar licks

not kanye

0.5/5 Worst Album I’ve listened to yet, worst album I’ve ever listened to

Album #53: Beggars Banquet - The Rolling Stones Genre (W): Roots rock, country blues, hard rock Singles: Street Fighting Man / No Expectations I have listened to this album once before. Thoughts?: I love the blues and country influences in this album, plus the experimentation with otherworldly musical styles, like the Latin influences. My favorite part of the album is the lyrics, Jagger and Richards’ lyrics are timeless. If bands want to get into classic rock, they should study Beggars Banquet. Favorite songs: All of it!!

Amazing album except Stray Cat Blues lyrics are fucked up

Wow, a surprising album. People seem to really like Sympathy for the Devil. It's a good song to me, but I feel the rest of the album really shines, with only very few lulls and misses, with no songs being fully duds. Rootsy, blues rock that I find sits on a good note for just the right amount of time before changing up sounds. I'm partially really impressed by this album because it's a genre I don't tend to enjoy, but the Stones bring together different influences in a very gratifying way that defies stale.

Starting with Sympathy for the Devil is PEAK 🫶🏻

The only song I had heard off this album is Sympathy for the Devil and while it has a great hook and savage lyrics, I felt it just went on and on, leading me to say out loud “for Pete’s sake just get on with it!” I am sure I have heard live versions of this track which were scalding hot but the album cut was a bit dull. After that it got so much better-from the beauty of “No Expectations” and the interesting tale told by “Dear Doctor” to the brilliant posturing of “Stray Cat Blues”. I absolutely loved it – it was so surprisingly introspective and while clearly tinged with blues rock, it made it accessible to someone like me who doesn’t like this genre.

The Duality of Mick: on one hand, he's lazy, amoral, and unabashedly scummy. (The lyrics of "Stray Cat Blues" have probably been read aloud in a deposition at some point.) On the other hand, when he gives a shit he's downright inspiring ("Sympathy for the Devil," "Jigsaw Puzzle," "Street Fighting Man"). And how come "Salt of the Earth" hasn't been on a gazillion ads at this point? I mean, I know why - enough talk about the Brotherhood of Man and people might get the idea you actually believe in something.

Fantastic album. Not a complete no-skip album but all the songs work well together

Favorites: Sympathy for the Devil, Street Fighting Man, Salt Of The Earth I’ll always have a soft spot for classic Stones record, so it doesn’t surprise me that I still love this one. Just one great track after another.

Album really showcases their breadth of sound. And for me, sympathy for the devil is one of their most conceptually creative songs.

Sounds a lot like the other Stones albums. Forgot how much I liked Street Fighting Man. 4/5

When The Stones are good, they’re very good. When they’re not …they aren’t. Here, The Stones are good! I enjoyed this a lot. I’m sure we’ll get one or two 5 stars from them at some point? I’m generally lukewarm on Mic Jagger, but I think Keith Richards is a great musician. “Mediocre frontman, fantastic musician” seems to be a theme for me: Zeppelin, Guns ‘n’ Roses, The Doors. But Mic is better than those guys.

Maybe I’ve taken their albums for granted.

Stray Cat Blues...not cool man

Now I get why Bob Dylan's name is on the cover. Jeez, he was an absolute influence. Listening to this just reminds you how so many of those massive '60s rockstars were basically just blues fans with louder amps. You can hear it in the storytelling bones of every track. It’s interesting that the most famous track, Sympathy for the Devil, doesn’t really encapsulate the general mood of the album at all. For instance, in Street Fighting Man, I felt a certain Beatles influence, mostly from the Revolver era... But I could be wrong. Not my favourite Stones album, but a decent one. Great songwriting and consistent themes.

I have come to the conclusion that the Stones are best when they're doing gospel songs, instead of their usual blues thang. The wall of sound in Street Fighting Man may have been the first time this was used in rock? It certainly sounds more like a modern indie track in points, which is amazeballs. Still, aside from that and Sympathy for the Devil, noting else really jumped out at me as great.

I liked this one despite it being very different to the other Rolling Stones songs I'd heard before, that being said I find it surprisingly unmemorable. I've now listened to the album three times over the last week and still struggle to pick out particular songs I liked or what the majority of the music sounded like.

It's a killer album except for the song about statutory rape, fuck off with that and shame on us all for indulging it

I don't see myself listening to the rolling stones after this project ever again.

If the album was more like the first track it might be 5. But it’s not so it isn’t. Kinda boring after track 1.

Has one total classic choon with Sympathy For The Devil, one semi-classic choon with Street Fighting Man and then is mainly a bunch of yawny, country-infested bluesy roots music. The third actual best rockin song is probably Stray Cat Blues which is about having a threesome with a 15 year old, so a teensy bit dodgesville. And as classic and electrifying as the majority of Sympathy For The Devil is, it is the guitar licks in the outro that stop it from flagging because the woo woos do get slightly old after the millionth time and Jagger does his best to wreck the song by squealing around tiresomely in tongues. So overall a bit of a mixed Rolling Stones bag.

3.5 Stars: After years of playing the Stones on the air, and listening to classic rock radio, and hearing their hits on various playlists...I still can't find my way into this band. I've tried and I just don't get it. Their music's fine, but overall it's just not for me. Don't get me wrong. The writing on this record is great. And the hits on Beggars Banquet are the best in their oeuvre, but I can't help chalk the group as a whole as a "you just had to be there" type of band.

loved sympathy for the devil, perfect opening song. No expectations is also great. I was pleasantly surprised by how much i enjoyed the instrumentals and melodies. However i feel the rest of the songs are pretty weak. Stray cat blues has the rock and roll i am looking for but its about fucking a homeless 15 year old. Ending felt abrupt. 5/10

The more I've explored the Stones' catalogue, the more I've realized I'm fine with the hits. Obviously "Sympathy for the Devil" is one of the most iconic rock songs of all time, and "Street Fighting Man" is one of their great songs. The rest are good to hear, but won't bring me back. Well, maybe "Stray Cat Blues" to marvel at how problematic it is.

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: Sympathy For The Devil Sympathy For The Devil is awesome, but other than that, I was kind of expecting the album to be a bit more classic rock, high-energy, like Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd. This felt more like an acoustic, bluesy album; More mellow and plodding. Definitely not bad, just not what I was expecting.

Sympathy for the Devil is obviously utter genius. But beyond that, although there were some OK moments, nothing came close to grabbing me in the same way. Overall a little disappointing and just not standing up to the sort of music they’re taking inspiration from.

Arguably one of the best opening tracks to an album ever… then feels as though it drastically changes. Some cool bits throughout but seems to lack that same punch the opener does, which leaves it feeling abit empty for me. Blokes voice is abit whiny too. 2.5, will bump to 3 because the first song is an all timer

Well, it'll never be my favorite Stones album, but there are a few treasures on it.

It’s the Rolling Stones

I like to read the reviews sometimes before I rate an album if I am not that familiar with the band/singer. This gives a bit of context to my thoughts. So I’m a late boomer (some young ‘uns seem to think using generational cliches a relevant method for classifying albums so I’ll humour them) and care nothing for the Stones. Or the Beatles, for that matter. But they were a cultural phenomenon so you have to give them that. But musically? Nah. Every Stones track sounds derivative of all the others. That’s just them. Every song is the same, just about. At least the Beatles evolved musically. (The Stones haven’t evolved anywhere. They’re just the same strutting teenage boys they were 50 years ago. ) 2 for cultural phenomenon

Ok album. Pretty normal I guess. Good at times even. Docking points for the pedo pov concept song tbh

Idk how anyone could call this rock n roll. This sounds like folk/blues/and rb more than anything. The old heads were soft. Little Richard is rock n roll.

Sympathy For The Devil and 9 other boring and generic blues-rock song. Damn, this album is soooo overrated it hurts. How can this band be even compared with the Beatles? There's more genius in McCartney strumming a chord than everything I've heard on this.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve often been dissatisfied with the specific album selections for legendary acts (i.e., those that simply have to have multiple albums on this list). When it comes to the Rolling Stones, however, Robert Dimery got everything right in my opinion. “Beggar's Banquet” is also completely justified here, and it’s one of those Stones albums that I could listen to all day long. As I wrote last time: in the era from “Beggar's Banquet” to “Exile on Main St.,” everything the Stones played was simply gold.

The Stones were already great before this, but their imperial phase begins here.

El álbum Beggars Banquet de The Rolling Stones me gustó mucho porque se siente diferente a lo que suelo escuchar. Tiene una vibra muy particular, con un sonido que no es el típico rock que consumo, y eso lo hace más interesante. Las canciones son muy buenas y tienen una identidad fuerte. Algunas letras me llamaron la atención por lo intensas y provocadoras, lo que suma a la personalidad del álbum. Por lo que estuve investigando, es un disco muy importante dentro de la historia de la banda, y creo que eso se nota en la seguridad y el estilo que transmite. En general, es un álbum que sale de lo común y que vale la pena escuchar.

buenardo mal

Possibly my favourite Rolling Stones album. The musicianship and songwriting throughout is incredible and the album is bookended by two of their finest songs in 'Sympathy for the Devil' and 'Salt of the Earth'. I'm also a big fan of 'No Expectations' and 'Stray Cat Blues'.

Great album with great music. Especially love Sympathy for the Devil, possibly the best Stones song and way ahead of it's time for 1968.

muy bueno 30/03

4.6

Meh

The best album of 1968, bar none.

Beggars can be choosers. Classic Stones!

Sympathy for the Devil and Street Fighting Man are powerful, fun, iconic, era-defining classics (a la Gimme Shelter and You Can't Always Get What You Want from Let It Bleed) that I still enjoy. Salt of the Earth and No Expectations are sneakily excellent, laid-back gems. The rest is pretty decent; enough for a 4.5 that rounds up to 5.

This was played by a girl I crushed on for most of high school. Whether it was on wax in her house on her dad’s record player or on tape in her car, she made me remember this album and all of the good times I had listening to this album. It’s bluesy, soulful and represents the simplicity of a blues rock band like the Rolling Stones. They are the ying to the yang of the band they are spoken in the same breath as… The Beatles. This isn’t an album full of their hits scattered with other sound a like songs. Outside of the two songs like Sympathy for the Devil and Street Fighting Man, each song is crafted to stand alone. Each song is delivered as almost reverence to those blues players that came before, that inspired them. Give it a listen and you’ll understand why they share recognition with George, Ringo, Paul and John while at the same time have little in common with the lads from Liverpool.

While I wouldn’t call myself deeply versed in The Rolling Stones beyond their many iconic hits—of which there are plenty, and I know most—Beggars Banquet stands out as a remarkably rich and rewarding listen. The album is packed with standout tracks that fully showcase the band’s signature rock ’n’ roll sound, blending it with their heavy influences of blues, country, and honky-tonk swagger. I initially thought I only recognized the opening track, “Sympathy for the Devil,” but as soon as “Street Fighting Man” kicked in, I realized I knew that one too—just not by name. From start to finish, the record is filled with textured, vibrant rock songs that make it a genuine pleasure to hear all the way through. Other highlights include “Stray Cat Blues” and even the old-time, gospel-tinged closing track “Salt of the Earth,” where Keith Richards takes the lead vocals. Longtime fans likely already appreciate its brilliance, but for more casual listeners like me, skipping this album would mean overlooking an absolute gem.

God damn. This is the sixth Stones album I’ve had, and none of them have got more than a scraped 3. God damn. God DAMN! This is a fucking brilliant album, start to finish. Ok, a couple of tracks could be trimmed down (even Sympathy For The Devil could lose a minute of ‘woo-woo’s on the end), but it’s not enough to drop a star. Do I actually like the Stones? God damn.

Love this version of the stones. Back to the bluesy riffs and mixed with country honk and outsider rock. Sympathy for the Devil, no expectations and Street Fightin man paving the way for 70s rock all the way. 5 stars

Listening to The Stones for the 1001 has made me focus on things differently. I’ve not been just hearing the same albums I’ve had for decades, I’ve been contextualising them more than ever as I listen. After their foray into psychedelia (which I consider successful even if it was an unnatural fit) Beggars Banquet is a return to a more blues based feel with nods to country. What is more striking than the U-turn of style is the overall tone. This being the start of the finest run of their career, it’s notable how they immediately kick into sleazy, tough and dangerous territory. They embrace their bad boy reputation more than ever and channel it directly and naturally into the music. Also worth mentioning is how much the willingness to experiment has survived from the psyche era; there are unusual instruments and rhythms and, for a world famous band, it’s a bold move to utilise recordings captured initially on a tape deck. The Stones had a new goal and they knew how to achieve it. Street Fighting Man and Sympathy for the Devil steal the headlines, and while that is perfectly fair, the heart of the album is everything else. Jagger may be imitating characters and stylistic tropes all over the place but it’s a successful conceit particularly in the blues and country lanes. He falls a little short when he takes on Dylan for Jigsaw Puzzle but who wouldn’t? Richards takes the reins with a meandering Jones a visitor rather than director and the grittiness of the majority of what’s on offer here is like a musical essence of how we all now perceive Mick. Beggars Banquet in many ways is a weird album for The Stones to have put out with in 1968 and while it’s easy to sit here now thinking it admirably bold, I don’t think that quite does it justice.

Mmmmmm

j'allais mettre une mauvaise note mais c'est banger en fait vibe de fou fin de printemps / fin de l'été

The first of four near perfect albums. Sympathy for the Devil turns a page as it were before they begin a bluesy country rock.

Tää löytyi jo kasarilla omasta c-kasetti hyllystä. Tätä on tullut kuunneltua paljon ja tässä on hyviä biisejä.

Such a classic and right there with Sticky Fingers as my fave stones album.

Ik heb dit album nu een paar keer geluisterd en ik vind dit een verrekte lekker album. Op een of andere manier klopt voor mij alles: de verschillende stijlen met het ruwere rhythm n blues werk, maar ook classic Stones nummers. Het is niet te lang, maar ook niet te kort. Het tempo blijft er goed in zitten, het verveelt geen moment en het irriteert geen moment. Op veel andere Stones albums is altijd net wat aan te merken op een van die punten. Ik heb al bij een eerder album aangegeven, dat ze nog op zoek waren nog hun eigen geluid. Of dat ze beatlesque nummers er tussen hadden staan en dat je die aan de Beatles over moet laten. Exile on Main street is een goed album, maar een dubbelaar, dus net iets te lang misschien. Daarom is dit misschien het enige album van de Stones dat ik 5 sterren ga geven. Ergens onverwacht, ook voor mezelf, want het is niet het allerbekendste album qua naam. En Sympathy for the Devil is weliswaar een evergreen, maar heeft ook oorwurm-achtige trekjes. Soms is het onverklaarbaar, maar klopt het gewoon allemaal. Lekker man, gewoon die 5 sterren uitdelen!

woowooooooooooooooooooo

Maybe a hot take, but might be my favourite stones album.l and maybe their last great album. Great song writing and tight. I may change my mind later but for now I stand by what I said.

At their best

Great album, consistent and a joy

An old favorite is it a 4 or is it a 5?

Great.

This really is the only album by the Rolling Stones that I actually love. It's been a while since I've listened to it but it's still great. It just feels very energetic and a lot less bluesy than their other stuff.