GOING FOR THE GOLD

Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of the rock group The Rolling Stones. Hard to believe that Mick Jagger has been strutting his stuff on stage for five decades. Hard to believe that most of the Stones are still alive, let alone still coherent enough to perform before sellout crowds. Amazing.

Growing up, I liked the Stones although I was more of a Beatles kind of gal. My favorite song of theirs is one you may not recognize:  "Sympathy for the Devil."  I like the slapdash tune, and the lyrics are beyond bizarre. (Disclaimer: Stop worrying. The Flaming Bore does not worship Satan.)

The following, in no particular order, round out my Stones Top 10:

"Brown Sugar"
"It's Only Rock and Roll"
"Jumpin' Jack Flash"
"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"
"Honky Tonk Woman"
"Let's Spend the Night Together"
"19th Nervous Breakdown"
"You Can't Always Get What You Want"
"Gimme Shelter"

In this day of "anything goes" with song lyrics, it's hard to believe that "Let's Spend the Night Together" was censored when the Stones performed on the "Ed Sullivan Show" back in the 1960s. Jagger says Sullivan made them change the words to "Let's Spend Some Time Together."  How quaint.  He says the group begrudgingly complied with the request but never appeared on the show again.  


It would be tough to keep a band together for one year...let alone 50. Even if you're not all that keen on the Stones, you have to admire the group's longevity and ability to keep writing music. While most of their contemporaries are happy to be retired and living on pensions and Social Security, these old codgers...all in their late 60s and early 70s...are still rocking--and not in chairs.  Happy Golden Anniversary.