Listening to Exile's last song today and I had a revelation. I feel it's the one song that captures everything The Stones are all about . I know I'll get alot of different views but here's my opinion . It was recorded in France in a sweat-drenched room . Could it be Mick's way of telling Keith that he was jealous of Gram Parson being around ? " When you're waving your flag , my confidence sags, You've got me packing my bags ". It's a real interesting song with that killer Keith riff that pulls it all together . Any thoughts ? I'm obsessed with it !

No. You can read all kinds of things into the lyrics. Mick's emotions, etc... Nobody truly knows, right? From what I understand Keith had fun with that one, balling paper up and throwing it through the studio that had the lyrics on it, "tossing aside Mick's emotions" kind of thing. As in, maybe making fun of the pun that people sought out or having fun with it while dismissing it at the same time.

I would think that line, the Soul Survivor line, is more about Britain's patriotism than anything, which Mick has talked about, patriotism that is, in general, but specifically to Britain and that that patriotism is bullshit. But as I pointed out I nor does anyone else that I am aware of knows that for a fact.

Great song, but instead of

Where you are, I won't be
It's gonna be the death of me

the last two lines should have been

Where you are is where I wanna be
It's gonna be the death of me

The person on here who starts all the "Aftermath is their masterpiece" and "Exile is overrated" threads thinks Soul Survivor is "filler". LOL

Definitely not filler! JUST KILLER!
Yeah, I think a lot of the lyrics are their reflections on having to leave Britain as tax exiles...and their relationships as a core and the groupies...

My favorite Stones song - punk attitude and a great build up

My favorite Stones song - punk attitude and a great build up

Exactly Right!! And the ADTL-SBD-SAL- SS sequence cannot be denied!

L.O.

terrific song that somehow got lost in the wind mostly because the stones wait way to long to bring these nuggets to the stage, it would be a complete waste of time for them to do it live now as the moment has past, much like the bang version of sway among others for the most part anyway

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melillo
terrific song that somehow got lost in the wind mostly because the stones wait way to long to bring these nuggets to the stage, it would be a complete waste of time for them to do it live now as the moment has past, much like the bang version of sway among others for the most part anyway

Righton, exactly what I was thinking.

Also, Soul Survivor has been one of my favorite stones' songs since when i was a kid . . .

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melillo
terrific song that somehow got lost in the wind mostly because the stones wait way to long to bring these nuggets to the stage, it would be a complete waste of time for them to do it live now as the moment has past, much like the bang version of sway among others

Yeah, and how CAN'T YOU HEAR ME KNOCKING, would have been killer in 72/73..... I ALMOST want to add MONKEY MAN to the "Played Too Late" list also.......

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melillo
terrific song that somehow got lost in the wind mostly because the stones wait way to long to bring these nuggets to the stage, it would be a complete waste of time for them to do it live now as the moment has past, much like the bang version of sway among others for the most part anyway

It's NEVER too late to start playing a great song, and Soul Survior is a really easy one for them to "learn" how to play.

But also, in another way, it could be the definitive Rolling Stones song.

killer song, top class etc etc... but I'm just not sure was it the best way to end Exile? the last tune should be somehow epic, not straight-forward, if ya know what I mean... anyway Soul Survivor rocks and the only thing I gotta say is... play it live @#$%&.

I loooooove this song. But no it's not the definitive RS song for me.

the only one definitive Stones' song is JJF.

Is that the "official" interpretation? That the "you" in the lyrics is Great Britain? If it is, it's quite smart to use a ship metaphor for exploring their emotions towards Britain.

Fabulous song, but it's a quite untypical rocksong.

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Amused
the only one definitive Stones' song is JJF.

Agreed

But Soul is definitely not filler.
I think Exile ends with Shine A Light
Soul is the bonus track!
Great song

One of the very best

cool bass drum on this one to

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Amused
killer song, top class etc etc... but I'm just not sure was it the best way to end Exile? the last tune should be somehow epic, not straight-forward, if ya know what I mean... anyway Soul Survivor rocks and the only thing I gotta say is... play it live @#$%&.

agreed, Shine A Light to me is a better ending, it's somehow different from the others on the album.

Change that to how it should be, take away the ridiculous I Just Wanna See His face and there's the perfect album for me. Well, besides Sticky Fingers of course.

You got the Sun, You got the Moon,
and you've got
The Rolling Stones

I do not like Soul Survivor. It's far too (what had quckly become) open G/stones cliche for me. Imo of course.

I think SS contained my first goosebump moment on Exile. Before the final rave-up on the final song starts up, the song breaks down into Nicky's piano break. And builds from there. That could almost be a definitive Stones moment there.

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kittypoo
Listening to Exile's last song today and I had a revelation. I feel it's the one song that captures everything The Stones are all about . I know I'll get alot of different views but here's my opinion . It was recorded in France in a sweat-drenched room . Could it be Mick's way of telling Keith that he was jealous of Gram Parson being around ? " When you're waving your flag , my confidence sags, You've got me packing my bags ". It's a real interesting song with that killer Keith riff that pulls it all together . Any thoughts ? I'm obsessed with it !

The Stones obviously thought it was still a good tune as late as 1983 because they reworked it as 'It Must Be Hell' !

I was just thinking of this song early this week & I must agree it's one of my all time faves.

"I do not like Soul Survivor. It's far too (what had quckly become) open G/stones cliche for me. Imo of course."

i totally agree. open g gives you a certain and limited amount of good songs.
i think the stones found all the good ones and also some fillers.

Very emotional rock song , a bit pathetic and rebelish style.Very memorable for me , one of the best song from Exile...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-10-16 19:18 by benon again.

LOVE it - always been a favorite. That jagged riff that opens it sounds like grunge before there was grunge, and it's got a cool chorus and lyrics. A perfect closer for Exile. Never knew what the song was about (if it is indeed about anything), but I always dug the feel of it. I guess you could call it 'definitive' in the sense it has all the great elements of the Stones sound, though I still consider 'JJFlash', 'Brown Sugar' and 'Gimme Shelter' as closer to the quintessential Stones sound. Too bad they never tried it live - it could have been killer on the 72/73 tours.

Good song,but far from definitive. That would be JJF. Much better tunes on Exile besides.

"It's just some friends of mine and they're busting down the door"

Mick really sings his ass off on this one. LO

Soul Survivor is a holy grail song for me. I've always wanted to hear them do it live. I have to agree with the original poster, Soul Survivor is the Stones in a nutshell.