Published on Jun 13, 2000
How it was ever determined that
She’s The Boss, Mick Jagger’s first solo album, is
considered a Mick Jagger album? In most cases, when individuals of
a well-known group drift apart, and release solo albums, the music
contained on these albums are different in sound and/or concept
than their group’s releases. But in Jagger’s case with
She’s The Boss, it’s not, and to most people, this album can
be considered another Rolling Stones album.
At the time in 1985, Jagger and Keith Richards were feuding, and
maybe the nine songs on
She’s The Boss were meant to be intended for a future Stones
album. (There is only one song on this album in which both Jagger
and Richards co-wrote: “Lonely At The Top”; the others were written
by Jagger and or co-wrote with others.)
Take the case of the opening track “Lonely At The Top.” It has
everything a 1980s Rolling Stones song has. It’s rocking, and has
the Stones rock sound. “1/2 A Loaf” is another Stones sound-alike
song that could have easily been used on their album future 1989
album
Steel Wheels. And even “Running Out Of Luck” could have been
another selection for
Steel Wheels. They both blend in with the rest of the songs
that would become
Steel Wheels, and even though these songs are Mick Jagger
solo tunes, they’re more considered as Rolling Stones songs in
sound.
“Turn The Girl Loose” is a song that could of been included on
the Stones’ albums
Undercover and/or
Dirty Work. This song brings out the best in Jagger, and
since
Undercover and
Dirty Work were not considered all-time great Stones albums,
“Turn The Girl Loose” would have given these two albums more spark.
“Turn The Girl Loose” is a cool tune, and how it became a B-side to
the song most remembered on
She’s The Boss is beyond me. (More on that well-remembered
song soon-to-come.)
“Hard Woman” brings out the soft side of Jagger. This song is a
good ballad, and could of been included as a good slowdown song for
Tattoo You.
Which brings us to the most remembered song on the album, “Just
Another Night.” This song is classic Jagger. And again, this song
can easily be seen being played with Jagger and the rest of the
Stones. “Just Another Night” is one of my favorite songs, as this
song is energetic, with the guitar and bass lines, likewise this
song getting the repeat button never gets tiring.
“Lucky In Love” is a hard-driven pop/rock song, with some heavy
rock-blues guitar riffs. This song could be on any Eighties Stones
album. “Secrets” is another song in the style of
Steel Wheels, especially one song from that album, “One Hit
To The Body.” The title track has a somewhat-James Brown vocal
inspiration (“Living In America”), and an almost disco-inspired
beat; yet this song could be on any Eighties Stones album (probably
Emotional Rescue).
For the ultimate Stones fan, in listening to Jagger’s
She’s The Boss, it is most definitely a Rolling Stones album
– a good and decent album. The songs on this album are your typical
Mick and the Boys rock and roll, 1980s style. Despite the fact that
Jagger and Richards were feuding, they were able to patch things
up, and remain recording with the rest of the Rolling Stones (even
though bassist Bill Wyman left in 1992), and still record new
albums throughout the rest of the 1990s.
She’s The Boss asks the question “Is it the Rolling Stones
or is it Mick Jagger?” The answer is “Yes…and Yes…” They’re
both. The Stones fan will not be disappointed by this album.