THE ROLLING STONES


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The Rolling Stones
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ROLLING STONES (THE)
Words

Originally billed as the Rollin' Stones, the first line-up of this immemorial English 60s unit was a nucleus of Mick Jagger (b. Michael Philip Jagger, 26 July 1943, Dartford, Kent, England; vocals), Keith Richards (b. 18 December 1943, Dartford, Kent, England; guitar), Brian Jones (b. Lewis Brian Hopkin-Jones, 28 February 1942, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, d. 3 July 1969, Hartfield, Sussex, England; rhythm guitar) and Ian Stewart (b. 1938, d. 12 December 1985; piano).

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were primary school friends who resumed their camaraderie in their closing teenage years after finding they had a mutual love for R&B and particularly the music of Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley.

Initially, they were teamed with bass player Dick Taylor (later of the Pretty Things) and before long their ranks extended to include Jones, Stewart and occasional drummer Tony Chapman.

Their patron at this point was the renowned musician Alexis Korner, who had arranged their debut gig at London's Marquee club on 21 July 1962. In their first
few months the band met some opposition from jazz and blues aficionados for
their alleged lack of musical "purity" and the line-up remained unsettled for
several months. 
billed as présenté comme
line-up composition
nucleus of noyau composé de
originally au début
immemorial immémorial
unit groupe
vocals musique vocale
primary school école primaire
to resume continuer, poursuivre
camaraderie camaraderie
teenage years  adolescence
closing finissante
to be teamed former une équipe avec
after finding après avoir découvert
initially initialement
before long en peu de temps
rank (-s) rang
ranks extended leur groupe s'étoffa
drummer batteur
patron modèle
at this point à ce moment
renowned renommé
debut gig premier concert de rock
band groupe
to meet opposition s'opposer
aficionados fans
alleged prétendu
lack of manque de
purity pureté
line-up composition
unsettled instable
In late 1962, bass player Bill Wyman (b.William George Perks, 24 October 1936, Penge, Kent, England) replaced Dick Taylor while drummers came and went, including Carlo Little (from Screaming Lord Sutch's Savages) and Mick Avory (later of the Kinks, who was billed as appearing at their debut gig, but did not play).

It was not until as late as January 1963 that drummer Charlie Watts (b. Charles Robert Watts, 2 June 1941, Wembley, Middlesex, England) reluctantly surrendered his day job and committed himself to the band.

After securing a residency at Giorgio Gomelsky's Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, the Rolling Stones' live reputation spread rapidly through London's hip cognoscenti.

One evening, the flamboyant Andrew Loog Oldham (b. 29 January 1944, Paddington, London, England), appeared at the club and was so entranced by the commercial prospects of Jagger's unbridled sexuality that he wrested the band away from Gomelsky and, backed by the financial and business clout of agent Eric Easton, became their manager.

Within weeks, Oldham had produced their first couple of official recordings at IBC Studios. By this time, record company scouts were on the prowl with Decca Records' Dick Rowe leading the march and successfully signing the band. After re-purchasing the IBC demos, Oldham selected Chuck Berry's "Come On' as the Rolling Stones" debut single.
in late à la fin de
bass player bassiste
to come and go aller et venir
reluctantly à contrecoeur
to surrender abandonner
day job travail de jour
to commit oneself to s'engager dans
to secure s'assurer
residency résidence, séjour
live existence, vie
to spread out se répandre
 hip cognoscenti milieu du hip
one evening un soir
flamboyant flamboyant
to be entranced by hypnotiser, enchanter
prospect (-s) perspective
unbridled débridé
to wrest away arracher à
backed by soutenu par
clout influence
within weeks en quelques semaines
scout dénicheur de vedettes
to be on the prowl rôder
to lead the march conduire la marche
to sign the band signer avec le groupe
re-purchasing rachat
The record was promoted on the prestigious UK television pop programme Thank Your Lucky Stars and the band was featured sporting matching hounds-tooth jackets with velvet collars. This was to be one of Oldham's few concessions to propriety for he would soon be pushing the boys as unregenerate rebels.










Unfortunately, pianist Ian Stewart was not deemed sufficiently pop star-like for Oldham's purpose and was unceremoniously removed from the line-up, although he remained road manager and occasional pianist.













After supporting the Everly Brothers, Little Richard, Gene Vincent and Bo Diddley on a Don Arden UK package tour, the Rolling Stones released their second single, a gift from John Lennon and Paul McCartney entitled "I Wanna Be Your Man".




The disc fared better than its predecessor climbing into the Top 10 in January 1964. That same month the band enjoyed their first bill-topping tour supported by the Ronettes.





The early months of 1964 saw the Rolling Stones catapulted to fame amid outrage and controversy about the surliness of their demeanour and the length of their hair.



This was still a world in which the older members of the community were barely coming to terms with the Beatles neatly-groomed mop tops. While newspapers asked "Would you let your daughter marry a Rolling Stone?
record enregistrement
to promote promouvoir
prestigious prestigieux
to be featured mettre en vedette
sporting arborant
matching assorti
hounds-tooth pied de poule
jacket (-s) veste
velvet collar (-s) col en velours
concession (-s) concession
propriety bienséance
to push  as promouvoir
unregenerate dégénéré
rebel (-s) rebelle
unfortunately malheureusement
deemed considéré
purpose objectif
unceremoniously sans cérémonie
to be removed from retirer de
to remain rester
road manager responsable de tournée
occasional à l'occasion
to support soutenir, financer
package tour tournée globale
gift cadeau
entitle intituler
to fare faire recette
predecessor prédecesseur
to climb into monter au
bil-topping tour tournée de présentation
to catapult catapulter
fame célébrité
to enjoy apprécier
amid  au milieu de
outrage scandale
controversy controverse
surliness exagération
demeanour allure, comportement
lenght of hair longueur des cheveux
barely à peine
to come to terms with s'accommoder
neatly-groomed extrêmement soigné
mop top (-s) tignasse
", the quintet engaged in a flurry of recording activity which saw the release of an EP and an album both titled The Rolling Stones. The discs consisted almost exclusively of extraneous material and captured the band at their most derivative stage.









Already, however, there were strong signs of an ability to combine different styles. The third single, "Not Fade Away", saw them fuse Buddy Holly's quaint original with a chunky Bo Diddley beat that highlighted Jagger's vocal to considerable effect.








The presence of Phil Spector and Gene Pitney at these sessions underlined how hip the Rolling Stones had already become in the music business after such a short time.






With the momentum increasing by the month, Oldham characteristically over-reached himself by organizing a US tour which proved premature and disappointing.



After returning to the UK, the band released a decisive cover version of the Valentinos' "It's All Over Now', which gave them their first number 1.

A best-selling EP, Five By Five, cemented their growing reputation, while a national tour escalated into a series of near riots with scenes of hysteria wherever they played.



There was an ugly strain to the Rolling Stones" appeal which easily translated into violence. At the Winter Gardens Blackpool the band hosted
the most astonishing rock riot yet witnessed on British soil.
quintet quintet
to be engaged in être engagé dans
flurry rafale
to consist of consister en
extraneous material matériel extérieur
to capture the bande enregistrer le groupe
at a derivative stage partir à la dérive
already déjà
however cependant
ability aptitude
to combine combiner
to fuse fusionner
quaint pittoresque
chunky trapu, rond
beat rhytme, battement
to highlight donner, mettre en valeur
vocal vocal
to underline souligner
hip branché
momentum élan
by the month au cours des mois
characteristically de manière caractéristique
to over-reach oneself viser trop haut
premature prématuré
disappointing décevant
cover version reprise
to cement cimenter
growing grandissant
to escalate into dégénérer en
a series série
riot (-s) bagarre
scenes of hysteria scènes d'hystérie
wherever partout où
ugly effroyable
strain pression
appeal appel, attrait
to translate into se traduire en
easily facilement
to host abriter
yet witnessed jamais vu
on  British soil sur le sol britannique
Frenzied fans displayed their feelings by smashing chandeliers and demolishing a Steinway grand piano. By the end of the evening over 50 people were escorted to hospital for treatment. Other concerts were terminated within minutes of the band appearing on-stage and the hysteria continued throughout Europe.














A return to the USA saw them disrupt the stagey Ed Sullivan Show prompting the presenter to ban rock 'n' roll groups in temporary retaliation. In spite of all the chaos at home and abroad, America remained resistant to their appeal, although that situation would change dramatically in the New Year.









In November 1964, "Little Red Rooster" was released and entered the New Musical Express chart at number 1, a feat more usually associated with the Beatles and, previously, Elvis Presley.

The Rolling Stones now had a formidable fan base and their records were becoming more accomplished and ambitious with each successive release.




Jagger's accentuated phrasing and posturing stage persona made "Little Red Rooster' sound surprisingly fresh while Brian Jones" use of slide guitar was imperative to the single's success.





Up until this point, the band had recorded cover versions as a-sides, but manager Andrew Oldham was determined that Jagger and Richard (he had recently dropped the "s" from his name, a conceit he kept up until the late 70s) should emulate the example of Lennon and McCartney and locked them in a room until they emerged with satisfactory material.
frenzied frénétique
to display manifester
feeling (s) sentiment, émotion
to smash fracasser
chandelier (-s) lustre
to demolish démolir
grand piano piano à queue
by the end of avant la fin de
to escort excorter
for treatment pour des soins
to terminate terminer
within minutes quelques minutes après
of the band appearing l'apparition du groupe
on stage sur scène
to disrupt interrompre
stagey
prompting incitant
presenter présentateur
to ban bannir
retaliation représailles
at home chez eux
abroad à l'étranger
to remain resistant to résister à
appeal charme, attrait
in the New Year au Nouvel An
a feat prouesse
accomplished accompli
ambitious ambitieux
with each successive release à chaque nouvelle diffusion
phrasing phrasé
posturing pose, affectation
stage persona personnalité  de scène
to sound fresh donner une impression de fraîcheur
slide guitar
imperative essentiel
conceit trait d'esprit
to emulate émuler, imiter
to lock in enfermer dans
to emerge émerger
satisfactory satisfaisant
Their early efforts, "It Should Have Been You" and "Will You Be My Lover Tonight?" (both recorded by the late George Bean) were bland, but Gene Pitney scored a hit with the emphatic "That Girl Belongs To Yesterday" and Jagger's girlfriend Marianne Faithfull became a teenage recording star with the moving "As Tears Go By".





With Jagger and Richard emerging as songwriters, the band's de facto leader Brian Jones was increasingly pushed to the sidelines as a creative force, although he remained a firm fan favourite.





1965 proved the year of the Rolling Stones' international breakthrough and three extraordinary self-penned number 1 singles. "The Last Time" saw them emerge with their own distinctive rhythmic style and underlined an ability to fuse R&B and pop in an enticing fashion.






America finally succumbed to their spell with "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", a quintessential pop lyric with the still youthful Jagger sounding like a jaundiced roué.




Released in the UK during the "summer of protest songs", the single encapsulated the restless weariness of a band already old before its time.







The distinctive riff, which Keith Richard invented with almost casual dismissal, became one of the most famous hook lines in the entire glossary of pop and was picked up and imitated by a generation of garage bands thereafter.
early du début
bland fade
to score a hit faire un hit
late décédé
emphatic emphatique, énergique
girlfriend petite amie
moving émouvant
de facto de fait
leader leader
to push to the sideline mettre sur la touche
creative force créateur, force créative
firm solide
fan favourite favori des fans
to prove se révéler
breakthrough percée
self-penned écrit par eux-mêmes
distinctive propre, distinctif
rhythmic style style rhythmique
enticing attrayant
fashion manière
to succumb to succomber à
spell magie
quintessential typique
still youthful encore jeune
sounding avec des consonances 
jaundiced aigri
roué roué, débauché
contest song chanson contestataire
restless weariness fatigue nerveuse
encapsulate résumer
old before its time vieux avant son temps
riff riff, rytmique de base
casual désinvolte
dismissal rejet
hook lines ligne d'accroche
glossary glossaire
to be picked up reprendre
garage band groupe jouant dans les garages
The 1965 trilogy of hits was completed with the engagingly surreal "Get Off Of My Cloud" in which Jagger's surly persona seemed at its most pronounced to date.



As well as the number 1 hits of 1965, there was also a celebrated live EP, Got Live If You Want It which reached the Top 10 and, The Rolling Stones No. 2 that continued the innovative idea of not including the band's name on the front of the sleeve.

There was also some well documented bad boy controversy when Jagger, Jones and Wyman were arrested and charged with urinating on the wall of an East London petrol station. Such scandalous behaviour merely reinforced the public's already ingrained view of the Rolling Stones as juvenile degenerates.

With the notorious Allen Klein replacing Eric Easton as Oldham's co-manager, the Rolling Stones consolidated their success by renegotiating their Decca contract. Their single output in the USA simultaneously increased with the release of a couple of tracks unavailable in single form in the UK.

The sardonic put-down of suburban Valium abuse, "Mother's Little Helper" and the Elizabethan-styled "Lady Jane", complete with atmospheric dulcimer, displayed their contrasting styles to considerable effect. Both these songs were included on their fourth album, Aftermath.
engagingly engageant
surreal surréaliste
surly renfrogné
persona personnalité
at its most pronounced to date à sa période la plus marquée
celebrated célèbre
to continue the idea perpétuer l'idée
innovative innovante
on the front of sur le devant
sleeve pochette
bad boy de mauvais garçon
controversy controverse
to be charged être inculpé
urinating pour avoir uriné
wall mur
petrol station station d'essence
scandalous scandaleux
behaviour comportement
merely seulement
to reinforce renforcer
ingrained enraciné
view vision
juvenile degenerates dégénérés juvéniles
notorious tristement célèbre
to consolidate consolider
to renegotiate renégocier
simultaneously simultanément
a couple of quelques
track plage, piste, chanson
unavailable non disponible
sardonic sardonique
put-down écriture
Valium abuse abus de Valium
suburban dans les banlieues
Elizabethan-styled dans le style Elysabéthain
dulcimer dulcimer, tympanon
to display afficher
contrasting styles styles contrastés
to considerable effect pour  un effet considérable
A breakthrough work in a crucial year, the recording revealed the Rolling Stones as accomplished rockers and balladeers, while their writing potential was emphasized by Chris Farlowe's chart-topping cover of "Out Of Time".

There were also signs of the band's inveterate misogyny particularly on the cocky "Under My Thumb" and the acerbic "Stupid Girl".

Back in the singles chart, the band's triumphant run continued with the startlingly chaotic "19th Nervous Breakdown" in which frustration, impatience and chauvinism were brilliantly mixed with scale-sliding descending guitar lines.

"Paint It, Black' was even stronger, a raga-influenced piece with a lyric so doom-laden and defeatist in its imagery that it is a wonder that the angry performance sounded so passionate and urgent. The Rolling Stones" nihilism reached its peak on the extraordinary "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby, Standing In The Shadow?",
a scabrous-sounding solicitation taken at breathtaking pace with Jagger spitting out a diatribe of barely coherent abuse.

It was probably the band's most adventurous production to date, but its acerbic sound, lengthy title and obscure theme contributed to rob the song of sufficient commercial potential to continue the chart-topping run. Ever outrageous, the band promoted the record with a photo session in which they appeared in drag, thereby adding a clever, sexual ambivalence to their already iconoclastic public image.
breakthrough work oeuvre capitale
crucial year année cruciale
recording enregistrement
to reveal révéler
balladeer (-s) compositeur de ballade
rocker (-s) rockeur
writing potential potentiel d'écriture
to emphasize accentuer
cover reprise
chart-topping au hit parade
inveterate tenace, invétéré
misogyny misoginie
cocky suffisant
acerbic acerbe
chart hit parade
run course
startlingly étonnamment
chaotic chaotique
frustration frustration
impatience impatience
chauvinism chauvinisme
brilliantly brillamment
mixed mélangé
scale-sliding glissant sur les gammes
descending descendant
doom-laden chargé de tragédie
defeatist défaitiste
imagery images
it is a wonder that c'est étonnant que
angry coléreuse
to sound sonner
passionate passionné
urgent pressant
nihilism nihilisme
to reach one's peak atteindre son apogée
scabrous scabreux
solicitation sollicitation
at breathtaking pace à un rythme coupant le souffle
to spit out débiter
diatribe diatribe
barely coherent à peine cohérent
abuse abus
adventurous aventureux
to date jusqu'à présent
lengthy en longueur
obscure obscur
to rob priver
chart-topping run course au hit parade
outrageous scandaleur
in drag en travesti
clever habile
ambivalence ambivalence
iconoclastic iconoclaste
public image image publique
1967 saw the Rolling Stones' anti-climactic escapades confront an establishment crackdown. The year began with an accomplished double a-sided single, "Let's Spend The Night Together"/"Ruby Tuesday' which, like the Beatles" "Penny Lane"/"Strawberry Fields Forever", narrowly failed to reach number 1 in their home country.

The accompanying album, Between The Buttons, trod water and also represented Oldham's final production. Increasingly alienated by the band's bohemianism, he would move further away from them in the ensuing months and surrender the management reins to his partner Klein later in the year.

On 12 February, Jagger and Richard were arrested at the latter's West Wittering home "Redlands" and charged with drugs offences. Three months later, increasingly unstable Brian Jones was raided and charged with similar offences.

The Jagger/Richard trial in June was a cause célèbre which culminated in the notorious duo receiving heavy fines and a salutary prison sentence. Judicial outrage was tempered by public clemency, most effectively voiced by The Times' editor William Rees-Mogg who, borrowing a phrase from Pope, offered an eloquent plea in their defence under the leader title, "Who Breaks A Butterfly On A Wheel?' Another unexpected ally was rival act the Who, who rallied to the Rolling Stones" cause by releasing a single coupling "Under My Thumb" and "The Last Time".
anti-climactic décevant
escapade (-s) escapades
to confront confronter avec
crackdown mesures répressives
establishment pouvoirs établis
narrowly failed échouer de peu
to tread water faire du  sur place
alienated by mis à l'écart 
bohemianism vie de bohémien
to move away s'éloigner de
ensuing months mois suivants
to surrender rendre
reins rênes
at the latter's home à la maison de ce dernier
to be charged être inculpé de
drugs offences consommation de drogue
to be raided être pris dans une descente de police
offence (-s) délit
trial jugement
heavy fine (-s) lourde amende
salutary salutaire
prison sentence sentence d'emprisonnement
judicial outrage outrage à la justice
to temper tempérer
public clemency clémence publique
to be voiced représenter par la voix de
editor éditeur
to borrow a phrase from emprunter une phrase à
to offer a plea présenter une plaidoirie
eloquent éloquent
in their defence en leur défense
leader title éditorial
to break briser
butterfly papillon
on a wheel qui tournoie
ally allié
rival act the Who les Who agissant en rival
to rally to the cause rallier la cause
coupling couplant
The sentences were duly quashed on appeal in July, with Jagger receiving a conditional discharge for possession of amphetamines. Three months later, Brian Jones tasted judicial wrath with a nine-month sentence and suffered a nervous breakdown before seeing his imprisonment rescinded at the end of the year.

The flurry of drug busts, court cases, appeals and constant media attention had a marked effect on the Rolling Stones' recording career which was severely curtailed. During their summer of impending imprisonment, they released the fey "We Love You', complete with slamming prison cell doors in the background. It was a weak, flaccid statement rather than a rebellious rallying cry. The image of the cultural anarchists cowering in defeat was not particularly palatable to their fans and even with all the publicity, the single barely scraped into the Top 10. The eventful year ended with the band's apparent answer to Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band - the extravagantly-titled Their Satanic Majesties Request. Beneath the exotic 3-D cover was an album of psychedelic/cosmic experimentation bereft of the R&B grit that had previously been synonymous with the Rolling Stones" sound. Although the album had some strong moments, it had the same inexplicably placid inertia of "We Love You', minus notable melodies or a convincing direction.
sentence (-s) jugement
duly dûment
to be quashed être cassé
on appeal en appel
conditional discharge liberté conditionnelle
possession of possession de
amphetamines amphetamines
to taste goûter
judicial wrath courroux de la justice
to suffer souffrir de
nervous breakdown dépression nerveuse
imprisonment emprisonnement
to be rescinded être annulé
flurry of la rafale de
drug busts coups de filet dans le milieu de la drogue
court cases procès
appeal (-s)
The overall impression conveyed was that in trying to compete with the Beatles" experimentation, the Rolling Stones had somehow lost the plot. Their drug use had channelled them into laudable experimentation but simultaneously left them open to accusations of having "gone soft".

The revitalization of the Rolling Stones was demonstrated in the early summer of 1968 with "Jumping Jack Flash", a single that rivalled the best of their previous output. The succeeding album, Beggars Banquet, produced by Jimmy Miller, was also a return to strength and included the socio-political "Street Fighting Man" and the brilliantly macabre "Sympathy For The Devil', in which Jagger's seductive vocal was backed by hypnotic Afro-rhythms and dervish yelps.

However, while the band was re-establishing itself, Brian Jones was falling deeper into drug abuse. A conviction in late 1968 prompted doubts about his availability for US tours and in the succeeding months he contributed less and less to recordings, and became increasingly jealous of Jagger's leading role in the band. Richard's wooing and impregnation of Jones" girlfriend Anita Pallenberg merely increased the tension. Matters reached a crisis point in June 1969 when Jones officially left the band. The following month he was found dead in the swimming pool of the Sussex house that had once belonged to writer A. A. Milne.
overall général
conveyed véhiculé
to compete entrer en compétition
experimentation expérimentation
to loss the plot perdre le fil
drug use utilisation de drogue
to channel into conduire à
laudable louable
to leave someone open to laisser qqn exposé à
accusation (-s) accusation
to go soft se ramollir
revitalization revitalisation
to rival rivaliser
strength force
macabre macabre
seductive séduisant
to be backed by être accompagné par
hypnotic hypnotique
dervish yelp cri de derviche
to reestablish oneself se rétablir
deeper plus profondément
to fall into s'enfoncer dans
conviction condamnation
to prompt doubts entraîner des doutes
availability disponibilité
tour (-s) tournée
succeeding suivant
to contribute contribuer
less and less de moins en moins
jealous of jaloux de
to woo faire la cour
wooing cour
impregnation intérêt pour
to increase tension augmenter la tension
to reach crisis point atteindre un point critique
to be found dead être trouvé mort
swimming pool piscine
to belong to appartenir à
The official and much disputed verdict was "death by misadventure". A free concert at London's Hyde Park two days after his death was attended by a crowd of 250,000 and became a symbolic wake for the tragic youth. Jagger released thousands of butterfly's and narrated a poem by Shelley for Jones. Three days later, Jagger's former love Marianne Faithfull attempted suicide. This was truly the end of the first era of the Rolling Stones.
The band played out the last months of the 60s with a mixture of vinyl triumph and further tragedy. The sublime "Honky Tonk Women' kept them at number 1 for most of the summer and few would have guessed that this was to be their last UK chart topper.

The new album, Let It Bleed (a parody of the Beatles" Let It Be) was an exceptional work spearheaded by "Gimme Shelter" and revealing strong country influences ("Country Honk"), startling orchestration ("You Can't Always Get What You Want"), and menacing blues ("Midnight Rambler'). It was a promising debut from John Mayall's former guitarist Mick Taylor (b. Michael Kevin Taylor, 17 January 1948, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England) who had replaced Jones only a matter of weeks before his death.
much disputed très contesté
verdict verdict
death by misadventure mort accidentelle
to attend assister
crowd foule
wake réveil
free concert concert gratuit
tragic youth jeunesse tragique
to release libérer
thousands of des milliers de
butterfly's papillons
to narrate citer, lire
poem poème
to attempt suicide essayer de se suicider
truly véritablement
to play out jouer
mixture mélange
triumph triomphe
tragedy tragédie
sublime sublime
to guess deviner
this was to be cela devait être
chart topper titre au sommet du hit parade
spearheaded by mené à la tête par
to reveal révéler
country influence influence country
startling étonnant
orchestration orchestration
menacing blues blues menaçant
promising debut début prometteur
Even while Let It Bleed was heading for the top of the album charts, however, the Rolling Stones were singing out the 60s to the backdrop of a Hells Angels" killing of a black man at the Altamont Festival in California. The tragedy was captured on film in the grisly Gimme Shelter movie released the following year.
After the events of 1969, it was not surprising that the band had a relatively quiet 1970. Jagger's contrasting thespian outings reached the screen in the form of Performance and Ned Kelly, while Jean-Luc Goddard's tedious portrait of the band in the studio was delivered on One Plus One. For a band who had once claimed to make more challenging and gripping films than the Beatles and yet combine artistic credibility with mass appeal, it all seemed a long time coming.
After concluding their Decca contract with a bootleg-deterring live album, Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!, the Rolling Stones established their own self-titled label. The first release was a three-track single, "Brown Sugar"/"Bitch"/"Let It Rock", which contained some of their best work, but narrowly failed to reach number 1 in the UK. The lead track contained a quintessential Rolling Stones riff: insistent, undemonstrative and stunning, with the emphatic brass work of Bobby Keyes embellishing Jagger's vocal power.
to head for the top of se diriger vers
album chart hit parade des albums
to sing out crier, chanter fort
to the backdrop sur un fond de
  Hells Angels' killint du meurtre de Hells Angels
a black man un homme noir
tragedy tragédie
to capture on film fixer sur la pellicule
grisly macabre, sinistre
movie film
thespian dramatique
contrasting outing (-s) oeuvres contrastées
to reach the screen parvenir à l'écran
tedious portrait portrait tiède
to claim revendiquer, clamer
challenging ambitieux
gripping captivant
credibility crédibilité
mass appeal large audience
it seemed a long time coming il semblait que le chemin allait être long
bootleg contrebande (alcool de)
deterring (deter) dissuader, détourner
self-titled label sous leur propre marque
narrowly fail échouer de peu
quintessential typique
insistent insistant, soutenu
undemonstrative peu démonstratif
stunning stupéfiant
emphatic énergique, vigoureux
brass work travail des cuivres
to embellish embellir
The new album, Sticky Fingers was as consistent as it was accomplished, encompassing the bluesy "You Gotta Move", the thrilling "Moonlight Mile", the wistful "Wild Horses" and the chilling "Sister Morphine", one the most despairing drug songs ever written.

The entire album was permeated by images of sex and death, yet the tone of the work was neither self-indulgent nor maudlin. The band's playful fascination with sex was further demonstrated on the elaborately designed Andy Warhol sleeve which featured a waist-view shot of a figure clad in denim, with a real zip fastener which opened to display the lips and tongue motif that was shortly to become their corporate image.

Within a year of Sticky Fingers, the Rolling Stones returned with a double album, Exile On Main Street. With Keith Richard firmly in control, the band rocked-out on a series of quickfire songs. The album was severely criticized at the time of its release for its uneven quality but was subsequently re-evaluated favourably, particularly in contrast to their later work.


The Rolling Stones' soporific slide into the 70s mainstream probably began during 1973 when their jet-setting was threatening to upstage their musical endeavours. Jagger's marriage and Richard's confrontations with the law took centre stage while increasingly average albums came and went.
consistent consistant, cohérent
to be accomplished accompli
to encompass regrouper
bluesy cafardeux
thrilling palpitant
wistful mélancolique
chilling glacial,
à donner des frissons
to be permeated by être empli de
tone of the work ton de l'oeuvre
self-indulgent complaisant
maudlin larmoyant
playful espiègle
fascination with fascination pour
sleeve pochette
designed dessiné
elaborately minutieusement
to feature représenter
waist taille
shot prise de vue
figure personnage
clad vêtu
zip fastener fermeture éclair
real vrai
to display découvrir
lip (-s) lèvre
tongue langue
shortly en peu de temps
corporate image l'image du groupe
within a year of moins d'un an après
to return with revenir avec
series quickfire if un feu roulant de
to rock out interpréter toute une série de rock
uneven inégal
subsequently par la suite
to re-evaluate réévaluer
favourably favorablement
soporific soporifique
slide descente, glissade
mainstream courant principal
jet-setting la vie mondaine
to threaten to menacer de
to upstage éclipser
endeavour effort, perspective
to take centre stage devenir le centre des préoccupations
Goat's Head Soup was decidedly patchy but offered some strong moments and brought a deserved US number 1 with the imploring "Angie'. 1974"s "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll" proved a better song title than a single, while the undistinguished album of the same name saw the band reverting to Tamla/Motown Records for the Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud To Beg".

The departure of Mick Taylor at the end of 1974 was followed by a protracted period in which the band sought a suitable replacement. By the time of their next release, Black And Blue, former Faces guitarist Ron Wood (b. Ronald David Wood, 1 June 1947, Hillingdon, Middlesex, England) was confirmed as Taylor's successor.

The album showed the band seeking a possible new direction playing variants on white reggae, but the results were less than impressive.
By the second half of the 70s the gaps in the Rolling Stones' recording and touring schedules were becoming wider.

The days when they specially recorded for the singles market were long past and considerable impetus had been lost. Even big rallying points, such as the celebrated concert at Knebworth in 1976, lacked a major album to promote the show and served mainly as a greatest hits package.
patchy imparfait
decidedly vraiment
to revert to revirer vers
to protract prolonger
to seek (sought) chercher
suitable convenable
successor successeur
to show montrer
variant -s) variante
white reggae reggae blanc
impressive impresssionnant
gap (-s) trou
schedule (-s) programme
singles market marché des singles
long past histoire ancienne
impetus élan
rallying point point de ralliement
to lack manquer
mainly essentiellement
hits package ensemble de hits
By 1977, the British music press had taken punk to its heart and the Rolling Stones were dismissed as champagne-swilling old men, who had completely lost touch with their audience. The Clash effectively summed up the mood of the time with their slogan "No Elvis, Beatles, Stones" in "1977".

Against the odds, the band responded to the challenge of their younger critics with a comeback album of remarkable power. Some Girls was their most consistent work in years, with some exceptional high-energy workouts, not least the breathtaking "Shattered".

The disco groove of "Miss You" brought them another US number 1 and showed that they could invigorate their repertoire with new ideas that worked. Jagger's wonderful pastiche of an American preacher on the mock country "Far Away Eyes" was another unexpected highlight.

There was even an attendant controversy thanks to some multi-racist chauvinism on the title track, not to mention "When The Whip Comes Down" and "Beast Of Burden".

 Even the cover jacket had to be re-shot because it featured unauthorized photos of the famous, most notably actresses Lucille Ball, Farrah Fawcett and Raquel Welch. To conclude a remarkable year, Keith Richard escaped what seemed an almost certain jail sentence in Toronto for drugs offences and was merely fined and ordered to play a couple of charity concerts.
punk punk, voyou
to take sthg to its heart adopter
to be dismissed ne pas être pris au sérieux
champagne-swilling nageant dans le champagne
to loss touch perdre le contact
audience audience, public
to summ up résumer
mood of the time ambiance de l'époque
against the odds contre toute attente
band groupe
to respond to répondre à, réagir
remarkable remarquable
consistent consistant
workout (-s) produits
not least  notamment
breathtaking à couper le souffle
groove groove
to invigorate revigorer
repertoire repertoire
pastiche pastiche
preacher prêtre
mock country folkore de parodie
highlight évènement
attendant être lié à
controversy controverse
thanks to à cause du
not to mention pour ne pas mentionner
whip fouet
beast of burden bête de charge
cover jacket couverture
to be re-shot être retiré
to feature présenter
jail sentence condamnation à la prison
to be fined recevoir une amende
charity concert concert caritatif
As if in celebration of his release and reconciliation with his father, he reverted to his original family name Richards.
In the wake of Richards' reformation and Jagger's much-publicized and extremely expensive divorce from his model wife Bianca, the Rolling Stones reconvened in 1980 for Emotional Rescue, a rather lightweight album dominated by Jagger's falsetto and over-use of disco rhythms.

Nevertheless, the album gave the band their first UK number 1 since 1973 and the title track was a Top 10 hit on both sides of the Atlantic.

Early the following year a major US tour (highlights of which were included on Still Life) garnered enthusiastic reviews, while a host of repackaged albums reinforced the band's legacy.
1981's Tattoo You was essentially a crop of old outtakes but the material was anything but stale. On the contrary, the album was surprisingly strong and the concomitant single "Start Me Up' was a reminder of the Rolling Stones at their 60s best, a time when they were capable of producing classic singles at will.

One of the Rolling Stones" cleverest devices throughout the 80s was their ability to compensate for average work by occasional flashes of excellence. The workmanlike Undercover, for example, not only boasted a brilliantly menacing title track ("Undercover Of The Night") but one of the best promotional videos of the period
celebration célébration
reconciliation réconciliation
to revert to reprendre
reformation réinsertion
expensive coûteux
divorce divorce
model wife femme mannequin
lightweight léger
over-use usage excessif
title-track le titre (de l'album)
highlight point culminant (meilleurs morceaux)
to garner garnir
enthusiastic enthousiaste
review (-s) revue
a host of ensemble de
repackaged remanié
to reinforce renforcer
legacy légitimité
crop reprise
outtake (-s) coupure, extrait
anything but stale tout sauf rassis
concomitant accessoire
reminder rappel
at will à volonté
clever habile
device ruse, stratagème
ability aptitude
to compensate for compenser
average work oeuvre moyenne
flash of excellence flash d'excellence
to boast se révéler
While critics continually questioned the band's relevance, the Rolling Stones were still releasing worthwhile work, albeit in smaller doses.
A three-year silence on record was broken by Dirty Work in 1986, which saw the band sign to CBS Records and team up with producer Steve Lillywhite.
Surprisingly, it was not a band original that produced the expected offshoot single hit, but a cover version of Bob And Earl's "Harlem Shuffle'.
A major record label signing often coincides with a flurry of new work, but the Rolling Stones were clearly moving away from each other creatively and concentrating more and more on individual projects.
Wyman had already tasted some chart success in 1983 with the biggest solo hit from a Rolling Stones" member, "Je Suis Un Rock Star' and it came as little surprise when Jagger issued his own solo album, She's The Boss, in 1985.
A much publicized-feud with Keith Richards led to speculation that the Rolling Stones story had come to an anti-climactic end, a view reinforced by the appearance of a second Jagger album, Primitive Cool, in 1987. When Richards himself released the first solo work of his career in 1988, the Rolling Stones" obituary had virtually been written.
critics la critique
to question remettre en question
relevance intérêt, pertinence
worthhile valable
albeit encore que
on record en enregistrement
to team up with faire équipe avec
offshoot retombée
to move away from s'écarter de
to concentrate on se concentrer sur
to taste success grûter au succès
to come as little surprise ne pas être une surprise
a feud querelle, vendetta
much publicized faire de la publicité
anti-climactic décevant
view vision
reinforced renforcé
appearance apparition
obituary nécrologie
As if to confound the obituarists, however, the Rolling Stones reconvened in 1989 and announced that they would be working on a new album and commencing a world tour.
Later that year the hastily-recorded Steel Wheels appeared and the critical reception was generally good. "Mixed Emotions" and "Rock And A Hard Place" were radio hits, while "Continental Drift" included contributions from the master musicians of Joujouka, previously immortalized on vinyl by the late Brian Jones.

After nearly 30 years in existence, the Rolling Stones began the 90s with the biggest grossing international tour of all time, and ended speculation about their future by reiterating their intention of playing on indefinitely.

Wyman officially resigned in 1993, however, and was replaced by the highly experienced Darryl Jones (b. 11 December 1961, Chicago, Illinois, USA).
Voodoo Lounge was one of their finest latterday recordings, sounding both lyrically daring and musically fresh.

They sounded charged up and raring to go for the 1995 USA tour.
Monies taken at each gig could almost finance the national debt and confirmation (as if it were needed) that they were still the world's greatest rock band, a title that is likely to stick.
Riding a crest after an extraordinarily active 1995, the band's next release Stripped was a dynamic semi-plugged album.
to confound confondre
obituarist nécrologue
to reconvene se réunir
hastly-recorded enregistré à la hâte
critical reception accueil de la critique
grossing rapportant de l'argent
to end speculation mettre fin aux spéculations
future avenir
to reiterate réiterer, renouveler
to play on continuer à jouer
indefinetely indéfiniment
to resign donner sa démission
daring osé
charged up rechargé
raring impatient
monies sommes
gig concert de rock
to stick coller, persister
to ride a crest monter au sommet
semi-pluged électo-acoustique
Fresh sounding and energetic acoustic versions of "Street Fighting Man", "Wild Horses" and "Let It Bleed" among others, emphasized just how great the Jagger/Richards songwriting team is.

The year was marred however by some outspoken comments by Keith Richards on R.E.M. and Nirvana. These clumsy comments did not endear the grand old man of rock to a younger audience, which was all the more surprising as the Rolling Stones had appeared to be in touch with contemporary rock music. Citing R.E.M. as "wimpy cult stuff" and Kurt Cobain as "some prissy little spoiled kid" were, at best, ill-chosen words.


The 1997 studio album Bridges To Babylon was a particularly fresh-sounding release, with Charlie Watts anchoring the band's sound like never before.
His drumming was not only exceptional, but was mixed to the foreground, giving the record a much cleaner and funkier sound.
Richards appeared much more in control in the studio and his own vocal contributions were emotionally strong.

In addition to a major tour in 2002, the band issued four new tracks on the outstanding compilation album, 40 Licks. Their entire London/Decca catalogue was beautifully remastered and issued in replica digipacks during the same period.

At the present time the Rolling Stones credibility has rarely been higher.
No other rock band in the history of popular music has been able to grow so old so well, and so disgracefully.
fresh sounding un son rafraîchissant
energic  énergique
acoustic acoustique
version (-so) version
to emphasize accentuer
songwriting composition
team équipe
to be marred over by être gâché par
outspoken exprimé
comment (-s) commentaire
clumsy maladroit
to endear to gagner
all the more d'autant plus
surprising surprenant
to be in touch être en contact avec
contemporary contemporaine
citing citant
wimpy mollasson
cult stuff musique culte
prissy prude
spoiled gâté
at best au mieux
ill-chosen mal choisi
to anchore ancrer
drumming jeu de batterie
mixed mixé
foreground premier plan
funkie sound son plus funky
in control au contrôle
to issue sortir, publier
remastered remastérisé
digipacks CD
credibility crédibilité
disgracefully disgracieusement