As you may have noticed there hasn’t been much from the Rolling Stones shared around here. I can’t say I’ve ever been a big fan, but I can’t let the death of Charlie Watts go by without a mention. When the band formed back in the early ’60s, I doubt very much if anyone expected them to be still touring and recording new music almost 60 years later, but that’s exactly what’s happened. Doing the maths, it means the original – and even the unoriginal – band members are getting on in years. Charlie made it to the grand old age of 80 and by all accounts he was a very nice man, a jazz drummer who joined a blues band and quietly got on with the job, leaving the front of house stuff to the Glimmer Twins, and Ronnie. It seems chestnut hair-dye, gaudy silk shirts and pirate-esque garb was not for Charlie, and instead he developed a penchant for fine tailoring. A good move, and very smart he always looked too. He was married to wife Shirley for 57 years, almost unheard of in the rock world, so good for them. She will be bereft.
I’m not quite sure why the Rolling Stones haven’t featured more in the ‘tracks of my years’ but much of it down to the fact I was just too young for them back in the early days and by the time I understood more of what they were about, and the themes they covered in their song lyrics, my allegiances lay elsewhere.
I do like some of their ballads however and Wild Horses has been shared around here twice before, both by them and by the The Sundays (link here). Another favourite of mine is Fool To Cry from, yes you’ve guessed it, 1976. I did say I wasn’t going to return to that year for a while but it is a beautiful song and although not too much input from Charlie on that one, I’ve enjoyed listening to it again. I remember it being one of the songs played at our local youth club as it had reached No. 6 in the UK Singles Chart that year. The good friend I’ve often mentioned around here always had to leave the hall when it came on. Perhaps it was teenage hormones, or maybe she’d just had her heart broken, but at age 16 Fool to Cry always made her cry.
There will no doubt have been a fair few tears shed by the remaining Stones today, and understandably so. They’ve had the longest of journeys in an industry where longevity is a rarity. It won’t ever be quite the same again.
Until next time…, RIP Charlie Watts.
Fool To Cry Lyrics
(Song by Keith Richards/Mick Jagger)
When I come home baby
And I’ve been working all night long
I put my daughter on my knee, and she said
“Daddy what’s wrong?”
She whispered in my ear so sweet
You know what she said?
She said
“Daddy you’re a fool to cry
You’re a fool to cry
And it makes me wonder why.”
“Daddy, you’re a fool”
You know, I got a woman
(Daddy, you’re a fool)
And she live in the poor part of town
And I go see her sometimes
And we make love, so fine
I put my head on her shoulder
She said, “Tell me all your troubles.”
You know what she said? she said
“Daddy you’re a fool to cry
You’re a fool to cry
And it makes me wonder why.”
Daddy you’re a fool to cry
Oh, I love you so much baby
Daddy you’re a fool to cry
Daddy you’re a fool to cry, yeah
She said, “Daddy you’re a fool to cry
You’re a fool to cry
And it makes me wonder why.”
She said, “Daddy you’re a fool to cry
Daddy you’re a fool to cry
Daddy you’re a fool to cry
Daddy you’re a fool to cry”
Even my friends say to me sometimes
I make out like I don’t understand them
You know what they say?
They say, “Daddy you’re a fool to cry
You’re a fool to cry
And it makes me wonder why.”
I’m a fool baby
I’m a fool baby
I’m a certified fool
I want to tell ya
Gotta tell ya, baby
I’m a fool baby
I’m a fool baby
Come on
I’m a fool
I’m a fool
I’m a fool
What's It All About? 
Nice to see Mick on keyboards. He is known mostly as a singer, front man, and lyricists, but plays keyboards and guitar well enough and harmonica really well.
I’m not a huge fan, and like mainly their 1960s stuff. I saw them once, about 10 years ago. A perfect concert. It sold out in minutes, but a colleague and her boyfriend managed to get 4 tickets by trying on 4 computers at once as soon as they went on scale. The other couple didn’t make it, so she put them up for sale for what she paid for them. 🙂
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I know, when I first started watching the clip I thought they had drafted someone new in on keyboards, than I realised it was Mick and not a girl in a pink blouse.
Quite something to have seen them live so good for you – Even 10 years ago they would have all been pushing 70. So much energy. Charlie will be sadly missed.
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Very hard for me to believe that he’s gone. The Stones maybe will continue, but it won’t be the same. Not at all.
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Yes, because they just kept on going without a break I think we all felt they were somehow invincible. This changes everything. Sad situation.
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An excellent post and a good song to remember your friend by
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I have been surprised at the sadness I’ve felt over the news of Charlie’s death. The Stones have been around as long as you and I have been alive so this is a big change and yet another mortality reality check. Having read the tributes coming in it sounds as if he was a thoroughly nice guy, respected by all.
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The Stones came to Toronto twice in 1965 and once in 1966. Less melodic and scruffier than the Beatles, they had a strong male fan base. I remember leaving their Halloween night concert in ‘65 with my buddies and searching through a late night record store for anything by Jimmy Reed or Muddy Waters. Found a lot of interesting music as a result of the Stones. RIP Charlie.
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I think that’s why they didn’t resonate with me in the 1960s, they definitely had a stronger male fan base and weren’t really suited to young girls who preferred the pop hits of the Beatles.
Lucky you going to see them in 1965 and back in those days it took a trip to a record store to find out about new music. We are spoilt nowadays with access to everything at the touch of a screen but somehow not as special as those early forays.
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The Beatles were portrayed as the nice chaps and the Stones as scruffy, lock-up-your-daughters types. Actually, the Beatles were from a very working-class background and at least some of the Stones were upper middle class.
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Give me a nice working class lad any day over one that is described as upper middle class. They’re the ones you have to watch out for!!
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I’ve somehow missed the news of Charlie’s passing, so thank you for making me aware of it. Another sad loss.
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Another sad loss indeed. Somehow I thought the Stones would just keep on going forever but mere mortals like the rest of us. I’ve enjoyed finding out about the quietest Beatle in the tributes. Always the way.
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I’ve enjoyed every interview I’ve ever seen or read with Charlie – he just wasn’t like the others in so many ways and to quietly plough your own furrow like that within such a hedonistic, egotistical environment says an awful lot. I’m sure you’ll have seen this interview clip with David Hepworth already but it’s always worth rewatching
Seems we’re in the midst of another one of those periods where there seems to be news of yet another music industry death almost every day… there’s gonna be one helluva supergroup forming up there somewhere!
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I really enjoyed finding out so much more about Charlie (although in sad circumstances). He certainly did plough his own furrow so good for him but it just won’t be the same for the remaining Stones now. You are right, not a week passes now without us losing someone from our youth but not entirely unexpected either.
On holiday right now (again!) so a short reply as on my phone. Hopefully will be able to share some pictures when I get home.
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Great clip so thanks. “It’s just drumming innit.” “It’s just work innit.” Very pragmatic.
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