Rip This Joint (song)
Encyclopedia
"Rip This Joint" is the second song on the Rolling Stones
' 1972 album Exile on Main St.
Written by Mick Jagger
and Keith Richards
, "Rip This Joint" is one of the fastest songs in the Stones' canon, with a pronounced rockabilly
feel. Jagger's breakneck delivery of the song's lines spells out a rambling tale set across America from the perspective of a foreigner.
Richards quotes the speed of the song; "It's one of the fastest ones of the lot and it really keeps you on your toes".
In his review of the song, Bill Janovitz
says, "The result is a frenetic pace that approaches the tempos played by hardcore punk
bands roughly ten years later, certainly recognizing the raw excitement of early roots rock & roll years before... Though the band most likely did not sit down and preconceive it as such, the record seems to set out to cover nothing less than the wide-open spaces of America itself via the nation's music — from urban soul
to down-home country
to New Orleans jazz
. 'Rip This Joint' sets the tone for this journey, as a modern-day "Route 66
" travelogue from Birmingham to San Diego."
Recording began in late 1971 at Richards' rented home in France, Villa Nellcôte
, using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio
. With Jagger on lead vocals, Richards sings back-up and plays electric guitar along with Mick Taylor
, and Charlie Watts
plays drums. Bill Plummer
provides upright bass for the recording while Nicky Hopkins
performs Johnnie Johnson
-like piano. Bobby Keys performs saxophone while Jim Price performs trumpet and trombone.
"Rip This Joint" was played frequently by the Stones throughout the early to mid-1970s before disappearing completely and being reintroduced to the band's setlists at various club dates in Europe on the 1995 Voodoo Lounge Tour
and subsequent Licks Tour
in 2002 and 2003.
It was featured as the closing track to the Stones' 1975 compilation album Made in the Shade
.
The song was used at the very beginning of Christopher McQuarrie
´s The Way of the Gun
.
Punk rock
band Green Day
covered the song on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
on May 11, 2010, as part of a week of Stones covers to promote the re-release of Exile on Main St.
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
' 1972 album Exile on Main St.
Exile on Main St.
Exile on Main St. is the tenth British and 12th American studio album by English rock band The Rolling Stones. Released as a double LP in May 1972, it draws on many genres including rock and roll, blues, soul, R&B, gospel and country. The release of Exile on Main St. met with mixed reviews, but is...
Written by Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
and Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
, "Rip This Joint" is one of the fastest songs in the Stones' canon, with a pronounced rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
feel. Jagger's breakneck delivery of the song's lines spells out a rambling tale set across America from the perspective of a foreigner.
Richards quotes the speed of the song; "It's one of the fastest ones of the lot and it really keeps you on your toes".
In his review of the song, Bill Janovitz
Bill Janovitz
Bill Janovitz is best known as the singer and guitarist of the alternative rock band Buffalo Tom.-History:After enrolling at the University of Massachusetts, Janovitz formed Buffalo Tom with fellow students Chris Colbourn and Tom Maginnis. A friendship with J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr...
says, "The result is a frenetic pace that approaches the tempos played by hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
bands roughly ten years later, certainly recognizing the raw excitement of early roots rock & roll years before... Though the band most likely did not sit down and preconceive it as such, the record seems to set out to cover nothing less than the wide-open spaces of America itself via the nation's music — from urban soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
to down-home country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
to New Orleans jazz
New Orleans Jazz
New Orleans Jazz may refer to:*Dixieland, a style of jazz music*New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park*Utah Jazz, a professional National Basketball Association franchise that was previously based in New Orleans and known as the New Orleans Jazz, in recognition of the jazz music of New Orleans*A...
. 'Rip This Joint' sets the tone for this journey, as a modern-day "Route 66
Route 66 (song)
" Route 66", often rendered simply as "Route 66", is a popular song and rhythm and blues standard, composed in 1946 by American songwriter Bobby Troup. It was first recorded in the same year by Nat King Cole, and was subsequently covered by many artists including Chuck Berry in 1961, The Rolling...
" travelogue from Birmingham to San Diego."
Recording began in late 1971 at Richards' rented home in France, Villa Nellcôte
Nellcote
Nellcôte is a 19th century sixteen-room mansion on the waterfront of Villefranche-sur-Mer in the Côte d'Azur region of southern France...
, using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio
Rolling Stones Mobile Studio
The Rolling Stones Mobile Studio is a mobile recording studio owned by the musical group the Rolling Stones. Numerous bands and artists have recorded music using it, including Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Lou Reed, Bob Marley, Horslips, Fleetwood Mac, Bad Company, Status Quo, Iron Maiden, Mola Mola...
. With Jagger on lead vocals, Richards sings back-up and plays electric guitar along with Mick Taylor
Mick Taylor
Michael Kevin "Mick" Taylor is an English musician, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and The Rolling Stones...
, and Charlie Watts
Charlie Watts
Charles Robert "Charlie" Watts is an English drummer, best known as a member of The Rolling Stones. He is also the leader of a jazz band, a record producer, commercial artist, and horse breeder.-Early life:...
plays drums. Bill Plummer
Bill Plummer
William Francis Plummer was a catcher for the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and the Seattle Mariners. While never a regular player , he did play solid defense...
provides upright bass for the recording while Nicky Hopkins
Nicky Hopkins
Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins was an English pianist and organist.He recorded and performed on noted British and American popular music recordings of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a session musician....
performs Johnnie Johnson
Johnnie Johnson (musician)
Johnnie Johnson was an American pianist and blues musician. His work with Chuck Berry led to his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.-Career:...
-like piano. Bobby Keys performs saxophone while Jim Price performs trumpet and trombone.
"Rip This Joint" was played frequently by the Stones throughout the early to mid-1970s before disappearing completely and being reintroduced to the band's setlists at various club dates in Europe on the 1995 Voodoo Lounge Tour
Voodoo Lounge Tour
The Voodoo Lounge Tour was a worldwide concert tour by The Rolling Stones to promote their 1994 album Voodoo Lounge. This was their first tour without bassist Bill Wyman; he was replaced by Darryl Jones. The tour grossed $320 million, becoming the highest grossing tour of any artist at that time...
and subsequent Licks Tour
Licks Tour
The Licks Tour was a lengthy, worldwide concert tour held during 2002 and 2003 by The Rolling Stones. Its start was somewhat concurrent with the compilation album Forty Licks, which was released on October 1, 2002....
in 2002 and 2003.
It was featured as the closing track to the Stones' 1975 compilation album Made in the Shade
Made in the Shade
Made in the Shade, released in 1975, is the first official compilation album by The Rolling Stones during their Atlantic Records contract. It draws entirely from their first four albums on that label.-Release history:...
.
The song was used at the very beginning of Christopher McQuarrie
Christopher McQuarrie
Christopher McQuarrie is an American screenwriter, producer and director. His screenplays include The Usual Suspects, for which he won the 1996 Academy Award, The Way of the Gun and Valkyrie....
´s The Way of the Gun
The Way of the Gun
The Way of the Gun is a 2000 American film produced by Kenneth Kokin, written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie and starring Ryan Phillippe, Benicio del Toro, Juliette Lewis, Taye Diggs, Nicky Katt, and James Caan. It is considered a cult film. To date, this is the only film that McQuarrie has...
.
Punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
covered the song on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
on May 11, 2010, as part of a week of Stones covers to promote the re-release of Exile on Main St.