Artist:The Rolling Stones
Song:Jumpin' Jack Flash
Album:The Very Best of The Rolling Stones 1964-1971
After the success of the 1966 single Paint it Black, one would think that The Rolling Stones would be on top of the world. But they wouldn't reach the top of the charts again until the 1968 single Jumpin' Jack Flash. There were a couple of reasons for this. But at the time, psychedelic music was on the rise and a lot of the British Invasion bands disappeared. The other big problem was the British authorities were hounding them after News of the World ran a three part feature called Pop Stars and Drugs: Facts That Will Shock You. The first part focused on Donovan and he was arrested. The second part focused on The Rolling Stones. A week after the article was published in Feb. 1967, police were tipped off about a party at Keith Richards' house. Mick Jagger and Richards were charged and they realized that they needed to be more careful. Then Jagger, Richards and Brian Jones along with Marianne Faithfull and Jones' girlfriend Anita Pallenberg went to Morocco. While there, Jones and Pallenberg split up and she went home with Richards. That rift would have to be addressed. When they got home, Jagger and Richards were found guilty of the charges and Jones' house was raided and he was charged. Then producer Andrew Loog Oldham left during the recording of the 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request. The album was an attempt to address psychedelia. It sold OK but was criticized as a poor man's version of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. And there were no hit singles. So they started working on the 1968 album Beggars Banquet. Jagger and Richards went to Richards' country house to write songs. And they were awoken one morning by the footsteps of gardener Jack Dyer. Jagger asked what it was and Richards said "Oh, that's Jack, Jumpin' Jack". The song evolved from there. Also they were working with new producer Jimmy Miller who worked with Steve Winwood of The Spencer Davis Group and Traffic. Beggars Banquet wasn't due to be released until late 1968. So Decca decided to release Jumpin' Jack Flash as a single. It reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. And it has been one of The Rolling Stones' most popular songs ever since. You can get it on this 2CD comp available at a reasonable price. By the time Beggars Banquet was released, Brian Jones decided to leave the band and he drowned in his swimming pool on July 3, 1969. His replacement was Mick Taylor of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers on Mayall's recommendation. The Rolling Stones topped the charts again with the 1969 single Honky Tonk Women. Then they really hit it big with the 1971 album Sticky Fingers. Jimmy Miller deserves much of the credit as he produced all the albums from that era. I don't know if they make a comeback without him. Here's the video for Jumpin' Jack Flash by The Rolling Stones.
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