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Paste:

"The first thing that grabs you about Between the Buttons is the supporting cast, especially drummer Charlie Watts and producer Andrew Loog Oldham. As a drummer, Charlie in the past has been somewhat hit-or-miss. He never plays anything very complicated—nothing a one-year drum student couldn’t manage—but most of the time it works very well. He has had a tendency towards sloppiness, like on “l’m Free” from December’s Children, but that’s completely gone here. His style on Buttons is still simple, but it seems to fit better than it ever has. On “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” the alternation between the tour-beat patterns (where he is hitting the snare on every beat), and two-beat patterns (every other beat) is perfect. On “Connection,” the lack of cymbals is extremely effective. And on the more conventional cuts, like “All Sold Out,” he is his usual tough old self—just great."
"“Amanda Jones” seems to be the Stones’ version of good-time music. ... The whole thing is a happy, wild kind of tune, filled with very little bitterness and even a few smiles. It has a lot of the good-timey feeling, if not the sound. Not so of “Connection,” which is almost desperate in its musical franticness. On first hearing the meaning of this song seems clear, but the more you listen the more enigmatic it becomes. Anyway, it’s the best cut on the album for several reasons. First, the guitar. Richards has “that” sound beautifully under control, mixing it with just a perfect touch of country. Vocally, it is the most successfully performed number on the album, with perfect harmony by Keith. Instrumentally they get that drier-than-ice sound with everyone playing just the right thing. As a whole, it is a beautiful part of Between the Buttons."

Bracket/Hoard: "Between the Buttons is lighter and thinner, heavy on piano and a Kinks-like touch of ye olde Englandisms; having belatedly discovered pop melody Mick and Keith were suddenly overdosing on the stuff. The songs that sound out are the ones that bite: "Connection," "My Obsession," "Yesterday's Papers"..."

Rolling Stones - Uncensored on the Record:

"A "connection" is drug terminology for a dealer, so it's more than appropriate that Keith Richards should step forward to take the first of what would be regular solo vocal spots on Stones albums. US heavy-metal band Montrose (fronted by Sammy Hagar) covered this in the 1970s to great effect."
But by 1968, even Mick Jagger had gone off it. "I don't like that album much... I don't know, it just isn't any good." His impression had barely improved in 1995: "It's a good record, but it was unfortunately rather spoiled. We recorded it in London on four-track machines. We bounced it back to do overdubs so many times, we lost the sound of a lot of it... The songs sounded so great, but then, later on, I was really disappointed with it. "Connection" is really nice... "My Obsession", that's a good one, (but) I don't think the rest of the songs are that brilliant."

Malvinni: "Connection" is a Richards song about drug use before he started using cocaine and heroin, with an almost proto-punk sensibility that met with positive reception. One critic suggests it was played to fast, noting that Montrose's slower version from 1974 brings out the latent soulfulness of the song. "Connection" is also significant in that it marks the first time that Richards sang a lead vocal part, albeit with Jagger (playing the tambourine) doubling his voice."

Unterberger: "Connection" is one of the record's few slabs of conventionally driving rock."

Janovitz: "Between the Buttons is considered by its many detractors to be an odd, mostly disappointing experiment in pure pop and out of character for the band. Mick and Keith are both among those who are not fans of the album. ... An the band members have pointed out that they were simply burned out by the end of 1966, after three years of working alomost every day. They barely had time to write any new material. "I really wasn't into the album," said Keith in 1971, "It was the only album I felt dragged into making. There are still some things on it, though. We just wanted to get home. It was the end of that tour and everybody just wanted to zonk out." But Between the Buttons has also had many other fans over the decades who have appreciated the increasing spirit of experimentation shown by the band and the "Englishness" of the record. And there are some truly excellent songs: "Connection"; "Miss Amanda Jones"; and the standout, lasting classic, "Ruby Tuesday"... "

Cohen:

"If you want to know the mood of the band at a particular moment, look at the first line of the song. "Connection" opens with "All I want to do is to get back to you." "
Between the Buttons ... includes a handful of obvious drug songs, including "Connection" and "Something Happened to Me Yesterday".

Charone: Album highlights are many, including "She Smiled Sweetly," where Richards debuts on organ. His first solo vocal effort is "Connection"

Cinati: "Yesterday's Papers" / "Connection" single in Japan.

Rollingstones.com: " "Connection" was played live at the London Palladium a week after the album came out."

Observer: "The Stones' proclivity for provocative lyrics continued with the steady rockin' "Connection," built on a love/drug metaphor with a vocal by Jagger and Richards so entwined it was hard to tell who had the lead".

Hudson: "Yet it's missing the needed classic song or two to make it a truly essential record. While there's plenty of great songs ("Yesterday's Papers," "Connection," "Miss Amanda Jones"), most of the real standouts of the era ("Ruby Tuesday," "Let's Spend the Night Together," etc.) were saved for single releases (or the American version)."

Wawzenek: "For every universally celebrated song, known to all and played to death by radio stations everywhere, there are countless hidden gems – album cuts that, for reasons unclear, somehow missed their predestined date with classic rock immortality. The Rolling Stones' 'Connection' is one song that wasn't able to navigate its way between the buttons and on to rock radio. You could call this hidden gem a diamond in the rough, but that would do a disservice to the other songs the Stones were recording in late-'66. We're talking 'Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?,' 'Ruby Tuesday,' 'Let's Spend the Night Together,' plus the entirety of 'Between the Buttons,' a consistently great album that marked the beginning of the band's flirtation with psychedelia. Everything was coming up diamonds. So, 'Connection' never got its shot at being a single, despite a winning melodic hook, soothing harmonies, a clap-trap rhythm track and shrugged-off, Chuck Berry-esque ri􀂣ng from Keith Richards. Over the years, Keef has claimed majority ownership of 'Connection,' on which he shared lead vocal duties with Mick Jagger. Inspired by the Stones' travel-heavy schedule, the lyrics are simple, but prescient – given the band's forthcoming drug-related problems with the law ("My bags they get a very close inspection / I wonder why it is that they suspect 'em"). In 2010, when Jimmy Fallon asked Richards to name his favorite obscure Stones song, he brought up 'Connection." Richards called it "a damn good rock and roll track and I'll stand by it through thick and thin." And he has stood by it. Keef played 'Connection' during his 1988 solo tour and ensured its inclusion in some shows on the Stones' 'Voodoo Lounge' and 'A Bigger Bang' treks. He can be glimpsed singing lead on a bit of the song during Martin Scorsese's Stones concert movie 'Shine a Light.' The entire performance can be heard on the 'Shine a Light' soundtrack album. Richards isn't the only guy who's a fan of 'Connection.' Ramblin' Jack Elliott included a cover of the song on his 1968 debut album, Sammy Hagar sang a version on Montrose's 'Paper Money' LP in 1974 and other renditions have been done by Arlo Guthrie and Everclear. At least some people connected with the song – a Stones classic that never really got its shot."

Beviglia: #107 best Rolling Stones song.

Billboard: "The mellifluous Between the Buttons reveals a pensive and somewhat fatigued Rolling Stones. Nonetheless, it's brimming with overlooked gems, the band delivering a captivating blend of folky, Beatles-esque pop and bluesy rockers. The pretty "Backsteet Girl," the poppy "Connection," ... are all indicative of the band's extraordinary chemistry and creativity."

Background edit

Janovitz: "And the band members have pointed out that they were simply burned out by the end of 1966, after three years of working alomost every day. They barely had time to write any new material. "I really wasn't into the album," said Keith in 1971, "It was the only album I felt dragged into making. There are still some things on it, though. We just wanted to get home. It was the end of that tour and everybody just wanted to zonk out." "

Themes edit

Schaffner: "Though Jagger would set a policy of keeping such details secret, Richards did let it slip that he was entirely responsible for "Connection," and Jagger for "Yesterday's Papers". "

Wazenek: "Over the years, Keef has claimed majority ownership of 'Connection,' ... Inspired by the Stones' travel-heavy schedule, the lyrics are simple, but prescient – given the band's forthcoming drug-related problems with the law ("My bags they get a very close inspection / I wonder why it is that they suspect 'em")."

Appleford: "Keith Richards is a rocker, a committed denizen of the road, devoted to bringing rock and roll to stages across the continents, but even he sometimes longs for home. "Connection" addresses that yearning, and describes a life spent in airports, making and missing connections. It's a life of endless inoculations from worried doctors, and of irritating searches of his bags by customs officials seeking contraband. Illicit drugs would not enter the Stones story for a few more months, when the band was busted at Redlands, Keith's country home. For now, it was a futile search. "They're dying to add me to their collection," sings a slightly frantic Jagger.

Margotin: "Finally, in "Connection", Keith Richards describes the dehumanized decor of airports and, changing focus somewhat, the problems the Rolling Stones had with the authorities whenever they wanted to pass from one country to another."

RS: "This is what it felt to be in the Rolling Stones in 1966: dark, jumpy, surly, a little bit paranoid, barely a step ahead of the law. Jagger and Richards sum up their jangled nerves in "Connection"

Cohen:

"If you want to know the mood of the band at a particular moment, look at the first line of the song. "Connection" opens with "All I want to do is to get back to you." "
Between the Buttons ... includes a handful of obvious drug songs, including "Connection" and "Something Happened to Me Yesterday".

Malvinni: " "Connection" is a Richards song about drug use before he started using cocaine and heroin"

Rolling Stones - Uncensored on the Record: "A "connection" is drug terminology for a dealer"

Observer: "The Stones' proclivity for provocative lyrics continued with the steady rockin' "Connection," built on a love/drug metaphor"

Paste: " “Connection,” which is almost desperate in its musical franticness. On first hearing the meaning of this song seems clear, but the more you listen the more enigmatic it becomes."

Vocals edit

Paste: "Vocally, it is the most successfully performed number on the album, with perfect harmony by Keith."

Rolling Stones - Uncensored on the Record: "it's more than appropriate that Keith Richards should step forward to take the first of what would be regular solo vocal spots on Stones albums."

Malvinni: " "Connection" is also significant in that it marks the first time that Richards sang a lead vocal part, albeit with Jagger (playing the tambourine) doubling his voice."

Appleford: " "They're dying to add me to their collection," sings a slightly frantic Jagger. ... Richards' voice harmonizes roughly with Jagger's"

Charone: " "She Smiled Sweetly," where Richards debuts on organ. His first solo vocal effort is "Connection" "

Observer: "with a vocal by Jagger and Richards so entwined it was hard to tell who had the lead".

Wawzenek: "he shared lead vocal duties with Mick Jagger"

RS: "one of their most searing vocal duets. It's one of the first Stones songs to feature Richards' voice so prominently."

Music edit

Live performances and releases edit

Covers edit

Appraisal edit

References edit

Appleford, Steve (1997). The Rolling Stones: The Stories Behind the Biggest Songs (2010 ed.). Carlton Books. ISBN 978-1-84732-695-9.

Dolan, Jon; Doyle, Patrick; Grow, Kory; Hermes, Will; Sheffield, Rob (2019). "The 20 Greatest Songs". Keith Richards: The Ultimate Guide to His Music & Legend. Wenner Media.

Janovitz, Bill (2013). Rocks Off: 50 Tracks That Tell the Story of the Rolling Stones. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-1-250-02632-3.

Malvinni, David (2016). Experiencing the Rolling Stones: A Listener's Companion (ebook ed.). Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-8108-8920-0.

Margotin, Philippe; Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2016). The Rolling Stones All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track (ebook ed.). Running Press. ISBN 978-0-316-31773-3.

Unterberger, Richie. "Between the Buttons: Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2019.

Unterberger, Richie. "Connection: Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. Retrieved April 3, 2019.

Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Vintage Vinos: Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 18, 2017. Retrieved April 3, 2019. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; February 19, 2017 suggested (help)

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https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-hollywood-palladium-december-15-1988-mw0000265214 - https://web.archive.org/web/20161104025848/https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-hollywood-palladium-december-15-1988-mw0000265214

https://www.allmusic.com/album/shine-a-light-mw0000496913 - https://web.archive.org/web/20190331160410/https://www.allmusic.com/album/shine-a-light-mw0000496913

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/shine-a-light-original-soundtrack-255629/ - https://web.archive.org/save/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/shine-a-light-original-soundtrack-255629/

https://www.metacritic.com/movie/shine-a-light - https://web.archive.org/web/20180624193352/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/shine-a-light