Maps of Music

Goats Head Soup (1973)

Where the lyrics of Goats Head Soup take you, and where it was really made.

Goats Head Soup topped the charts in the UK and US, yet critics later saw it as the beginning of the Rolling Stones' decline.

Key places

Where the band recorded in Jamaica (1973)

Recording site Dynamic Sounds — The band relocated to Dynamic Sounds studio in Kingston in November 1972 and recorded there. The first track recorded there was Winter. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Silver Train re-recorded in Los Angeles (1973)

Recording site Village Recorders — Silver Train was first recorded at Olympic Sound in the 1970s and was later re-recorded at Village Recorders in Los Angeles. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Final recording at London's Island Studios (1973)

Recording site Island Studios — Recording for the album was completed in May 1973 at London's Island Studios. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Goats Head Soup: eleventh studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones
• Released 31 August 1973 by Rolling Stones Records
• Ten tracks; lead single Angie went to number one in the US and the top five in the UK
• Achieved number one chart positions in the UK, US and several other world markets
• Recorded largely outside the UK because the band were tax exiles
• Last album produced by Jimmy Miller

Background

• Band composed and recorded much of it in Jamaica and the United States, as with the predecessor Exile on Main St.
• Jimmy Miller had worked with the band since Beggars Banquet in 1968
• Miller had developed a debilitating drug habit during his years with the Stones
• Mixed reviews at release; generally seen as the start of the band's decline after a run of acclaimed albums
• Reception has grown in stature in recent times

Recording

• Band relocated to Dynamic Sounds studio in Kingston, Jamaica, in November 1972
• First track recorded at Dynamic was Winter
• Recording completed January 1973 in Los Angeles and May 1973 at London's Island Studios
• Silver Train was left over from 1970s Olympic Sound recordings and re-recorded at Village Recorders in Los Angeles
• Bill Wyman plays bass on only three of the ten tracks
• Keith Richards and Mick Taylor handled much of the bass work instead

Cover

• Cover designed by Ray Lawrence and photographed by David Bailey
• Portrait of Jagger approximately life size in the original 12-inch LP format
• Jagger was shot enveloped by a pink chiffon veil

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in London in 1962 as an English rock band; their first stable line-up was Brian Jones, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts.
• Jones named the band after a Muddy Waters song; they were rooted in blues and rock and roll.
• Manager Andrew Loog Oldham encouraged them to write their own songs, and the Jagger–Richards partnership became their main creative force.

Members

• Current: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood (joined 1975).
• Former: Brian Jones (died 1969), Mick Taylor (1969–1974), Bill Wyman (1962–1993), Charlie Watts (1963–2021, died 2021).
• Steve Jordan became their drummer after Watts' death.

Career

• Hits included "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (1965), "Paint It Black" (1966) and "Start Me Up" (1981).
• Their 1969 Hyde Park show and Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main St. are key points of their career.
• Formed Rolling Stones Records in 1970, whose tongue-and-lips logo became their band logo.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989; the band has sold more than 250 million albums.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Rolling Stone: Bud Scoppa called it one of the year's richest musical experiences
• NME: Nick Kent found the record lacking in originality, yet called it truly great, especially praising Dancing with Mr. D
• Chicago Tribune: Lynn Van Matre found the record uninnovative compared to prior works, a collection of songs rather than a cohesive project, but praised Heartbreaker
• Billboard: called it another fine album, with superb guitar work from Mick Taylor
• Creem: Lester Bangs derided the album
• Phonograph Record: Greg Shaw said it had no redeeming qualities whatsoever

Reappraisal

• AllMusic: Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that the Stones' image began to eclipse their accomplishments on this album
• The Guardian: Michael Hann gave the 2009 reissue a highly favourable review
• Ultimate Classic Rock: Michael Gallucci saw it as the end of the Stones' classic era
• Rolling Stone: David Browne awarded the 2020 reissue 4 stars and wrote that it now feels historic
• Variety: Jem Aswad called it a good album
• Esquire: Alan Light called it a bad album that ended one of the greatest runs in rock history

Records

• UK, US and several other world markets: number one
• Re-entered the UK albums chart at number one in 2020, 47 years after the first top spot in September 1973

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The title is believed to refer to the Jamaican dish mannish water.
• The original rejected cover art showed the entire band as centaurs.
• Atlantic Records found Angie an unpopular choice as lead single, preferring another Brown Sugar.
• Goats Head Soup was the band's first album without any cover songs since Their Satanic Majesties Request in 1967.
• Star Star was originally titled Starfucker until Ahmet Ertegun insisted on the change, and the BBC banned it in September 1973.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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