Rocks Off

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"Rocks Off!" redirects here. For the song by Krokus, see Hellraiser (album).
Not to be confused with the Primal Scream song "Rocks".
"Rocks Off"
Japanese single picture sleeve
Song by the Rolling Stones
from the album Exile on Main St.
Released12 May 1972 (1972-05-12)
RecordedJuly 1971 – March 1972
Genre
Length4:32
Jagger/Richards
Producer(s)Jimmy Miller

"Rocks Off" is the opening song on the

Sunset Sound
studios in Los Angeles, California between December 1971 and March 1972.

Lyrics and composition

The lyrics to the song, difficult to hear since the vocals were mixed very low, describe subjective dissociation, as if from intravenous drug injection. The song features a sudden divergence near the two minute fifteen second mark into a psychedelic jam of sorts, with Mick Jagger's vocals electronically distorted and phased, and the guitar chords stretched.

I Feel so hypnotized, can't describe the scene
It's all mesmerized, all that inside me
The sunshine bores the daylights out of me
Chasing shadows, moonlight mystery

The song also contained an early use of the word "fuck" in recorded popular music, with the lyric: "Plug in, flush out and fight and fuck and feed", a reference to the Four Fs.[2]

Recording and releases

The song's mix is notoriously haphazard, as many instruments, and even the lead vocals, fade in and out of prominence.[3] The villa's basement, where many of the songs were recorded, was extremely hot and many of the guitars could not stay in tune as a result. Jimmy Miller produced the track, and it features session men Nicky Hopkins on piano, Jim Price and Bobby Keys on brass, as well as regular band members Jagger (lead vocals), Richards (backing vocals, guitar), Charlie Watts (drums), Mick Taylor (guitar), and Bill Wyman (bass).

"Rocks Off" was released as a single in Japan. It was played through the album's

live album Live Licks
.

Reception

Pitchfork considers it "some of the Rolling Stones' most enduring and soulful work."[5]

References

  1. ISBN 0-634-05548-8
    .
  2. ^ John Perry (musician), Classic Rock Albums: Exile on Main Street, Schirmer Books ISBN 0-02-865063-8
  3. ^ a b The Rolling Stones: Rocks Off – Song Review
  4. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  5. Pitchfork Media
    . Retrieved 22 July 2014.
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