Listific: The Toplist Resource

The Rolling Stones are definitely one of the most enduring rock and roll icons of all time. Formed in 1962, just shortly after the Beatles, the Rolling Stones have been the voice and the image of gritty and swaggering youth – arrogant, cocky and definitely sexy. And despite the fact that the members of the band – Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts – are all well into their 60s, they are still the boys and they are still at the top of their game. It is like the Rolling Stones will just continue to roll on forever.

So, what are the best songs the Rolling Stones have been able to dish out to us so far? Here are our picks.

• 13. “Shine a Light” (Exile on Main St., 1972)

  It is probably a huge cosmic coincidence that Mick Jagger’s surname rhymes with “swagger,” but you would not hear his usual swagger and posturing in this song. This song, done in the blues-gospel style, is clean and straightforward. Jagger’s swagger would be so out of place in this song anyhow since it is about drug addiction, specifically about the erratic behavior of a former bandmate, Brian Jones.

• 12. “Ruby Tuesday” (Flowers, 1967)

  There are many theories as to who wrote “Ruby Tuesday” and who does the song refer to. But it is another nostalgic Rolling Stones song with a simple but haunting melody. It talks about a girl that the persona of the singer cannot hold down or make her stay simply because her spirit is so free and that she does not belong to anyone.

• 11. “Wild Horses” (Sticky Fingers, 1971)

  Some say that “Wild Horses” is the best rock ballad ever sung by the Rolling Stones, though many fans of “Angie” may beg to differ. The song is slow and very sad, with the underpinnings of country and folk rhythms. The lyrics capture the pain felt by a person asking the one he/she loves to hold on to the relationship in the light of hardships and fading dreams.

• 10. “Beast of Burden” (Some Girls, 1978)

  A mellow, bluesy-jazzy song, “Beast of Burden” has a slow tempo that is quite a contrast to the other fast tunes on Slow Girls. But Mick Jagger’s vocals here are impeccable and the guitar duet between Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood is truly hair-raising. The song is about a guy begging the woman he is wooing to stop being a teasing bitch and let him love her if that is what she really wanted.

• 9. “Sympathy for the Devil” (Beggars Banquet, 1968)

  “Sympathy for the Devil” is a very danceable samba tune, with the rhythms of the guitar and the percussions blending beautifully with Mick Jagger’s pitchy falsetto. The upbeat melody acts like a mask to the darkness of the lyrics, with the band taking on the point of view of the Devil in describing some of the tragic events of the world’s history.

• 8. “Angie” (Goats Head Soup, 1973)

  The end of a love affair is always a bad one, even though the parting was mutual and done in good terms. “Angie” talks about the pain and the sadness associated with that parting, but goes on to add that the parting may be the best thing to do at that point. The lyrics are poignant and Jagger’s vocals curl around the song so much that you can feel it curling around you too.

• 7. “I’m Free” (More Hot Rocks, 1972)

  This song is literally an anthem to freedom. Aside from blatantly declaring that “I’m free to do what I want,” the Rolling Stones are playing liberally with traditional country and blues. Mick Jagger’s voice is rough and edgy, exuding that aloof and you-can’t-have-me vibe.

• 6. “Happy” (Exile on Main St., 1972)

  The title says it all. “Happy” is a really happy tune, with the drums keeping the beat and the electric guitars and the trumpets piping in at the chorus. It is a very jumpy song and it belongs to Keith Richards, both vocally and in writing.

• 5. “Start Me Up” (Tattoo You, 1981)

  Even without the sexually suggestive lyrics, “Start Me Up” is a very sexy song. It starts up hot with Keith Richards’ signature riff and just soars way up from there. By the time Mick Jagger starts growling towards the end of the song, you would already be burning. “You can make a dead man come” indeed.

• 4. “Ventilator Blues” (Exile on Main St., 1972)

  “Ventilator Blues” must be one of the most complicated tracks ever produced by the Rolling Stones. The various instruments used in the song – piano, saxophone, trumpet, guitars – come together to produce a rhythm that feels a lot like tense wire just waiting to snap. Despite the complex melodies produced by the song, it comes up in true, albeit tightly closed up, harmony and brings the Rolling Stones back to its bluesy roots.

• 3. “Moonlight Mile” (Sticky Fingers, 1971)

  In “Moonlight Mile,” the Rolling Stones give us a glimpse of the loneliness of being a rock star always on the road. You are always surrounded by strangers and so far away from everything that is familiar to you. This is Mick Jagger singing really stripped down, with a pure and raw emotion that is just sad and nostalgic altogether.

• 2. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (Hot Rocks, 1972)

  “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” is easily the most recognisable Rolling Stones song. Most people who are not that familiar with the discography of the Rolling Stones are at least aware of this song. This is Mick Jagger at one of his sexiest, all swagger and rough vocals.

• 1. “Waiting on a Friend” (Tattoo You, 1981)

  The saxophone solo in this song is simply wonderful. It is kind of hard to imagine Mick Jagger singing wistfully of friendship when he is more known for his masculine prancing, but there he is, extolling the beauty of friendship over the pleasure of being with a woman. The song, with its lighthearted and jazzy notes, is so sweet and endearing.