Fever In The Funkhouse Now

More ruminations on my favorite recent re-release, as I listen to it for about the 20th time since it's street date....

How the hell does anyone even think about topping "Rocks Off" as a way to start a record? The guitar line comes in with a nice little riff, and then a quick "oh yeah", and Mr.Riff-hard grinds it out, the horns kick in, Nicky Hopkins and that sainted piano, Jagger at the high water mark of his abilities, both vocally and lyrically, and all the while being nailed down by the steadiest drummer in the world, period. If you can't shake your ass to that, give it up, you're dead. Kick me like you kicked before, indeed.

And then, because someone needed to demonstrate that there was a song that could make people jump around and act like a bigger idiots, they roll straight into Rip This Joint, which you know damned good and well was REM's inspiration for the End Of The World As We Know It...except they did it too slow. The frenetic pace, the word play-it is a gas, gas, gas.

Mister President, Mister Immigration Man,
Let me in, sweetie, to your fair land.
I'm Tampa bound and Memphis too,
Short Fat Fanny is on the loose.
Dig that sound on the radio,
Then slip it right across into Buffalo.
Dick and Pat in ole D.C.,
Well they're gonna hold some shit for me

And just why the hell didn't ZZ Top get the holy hell sued out of them for copping Hip Shake and calling it La Grange? I mean, it isn't the most original riff in the world, but Christ they lifted it pretty much note for note.

I met a little girl,,,in a country town
she say whaddya know...there's Slim Harpo
didn't move her head...din't move her hands
din't move her lips....just shake her hips

Anyway, the whole first side is just a buttshaking experience, even Casino Boogie, which is one of the weaker on the whole shooting match, is a rump moving riff machine. And then it's Tumbling Dice, and what a great way to end a side, huh? There are bands that spend twenty years trying to come up with one song as good as these, and the whole damned side is filled with'em. I'm not sure if that should be viewed as inspirational, or depressing for the aspiring musician!