The Rolling Stones: Voodoo Stew
1993 Studio Sessions - VIGOTONE 152/53/54/55 - SB 6
Disc 1:
1. Love Is Strong
2. You Got Me Rocking
3. Sparks Will Fly
4. The Worst
5. (Baby) Make It Now
6. If (Moon Is Up)
7. It's Funny
8. Sweethearts Together
9. Anything For You
10. Baby Break It Down
11. You Got It Made
12. Thru And Thru
13. Track With No Name
Disc 2:
1. Love Is Strong
2. 5 String Riffin'
3. You Got Me Rocking
4. Sparks Will Fly
5. New Faces
6. Moon Is Up
7. Out Of Tears
8. I Go Wild
9. Brand New Car
10. Sweethearts Together
11. Suck On The Jugular
12. Blinded By Rainbows
13. Baby Break It Down
14. Thru & Thru
15. Mean Disposition
Disc 3:
1. Monsoon Ragoon
2. Sweethearts Together
3. Tease Me
4. Possesses Me
5. Bump And Ride
6. Middle of the Sea
7. Zulu #1
8. Zulu #2
9. Samba
10. Alright Charlie
11. Another CR
12. Yellow Jacket
13. Ivy League
14. Honest Man #1
15. Honest Man #2
16. Zip Mouth Angel
Disc 4:
1. It Takes A Lot to Laugh
2. Trouble Man #1
3. Trouble Man #2
4. When I Wage a Crown
5. Nearness of You #1
6. Nearness of You #2
7. Nearness of You #3
8. Out of Tears-Conversation
9. Studio Conversation
10. You Got It Made
CD-1 [VIGO-152]
Subtitled: "Keith Richards Voodoo Lounge" All tracks are Keith on lead vocal!
# Love Is Strong (5:39)
The instrumental mix is different and the vocals are improvised in places. "What's that
in German Doug?". The strong left-right channel guitar mix.
# You Got Me Rocking (10:57)
The tempo/time is all over the place, with this being much slower version than on the
album. Jagger on backing vocals.
# Sparks Will Fly (3:13)
The instrumental track is similar to the album version with a different mix.
There is a doubling effect on the vocal in places.
# The Worst (2:24)
Drums left channel/Piano right/Fiddle right/Pedal steel & guitar middle.
I compared this take to CD 1 track 5 (3:07) and CD 4 track 4 (2:24) of "Voodoo Brew",
and I have to conclude that CD1 is the same mix and CD4 is a different mix (mono) with
all three being different from each other.
# (Baby) Make It Now (4:26)
A groove track. The instrumental version of this track was on CD 3, track 11, of
"Voodoo Brew". This vocal seems to confirm the title. Keith is also on the back-up
vocal track.
# If (Moon Is Up)(5:00)
Keith comments: "This is a new song I've written called 'If'". Similar lyrical theme to
the album. Instrumental mix is Garbage can drums in the middle/Chorus effect guitar
left/Acoustic guitar right.
# It's Funny (4:34)
A slow dreamy song with an occasional simple guitar line. There is a lot of bass guitar
in the mix. This title was an instrumental track on CD3 track 12 of "Voodoo Brew". I
would say there is little similarity between the two. Keith calls for the bridge at
1:38.
# Sweethearts Together (5:51)
This features Keith on a ghost vocal that is barely audible, so this is mainly an
instrumental that highlights the fiddle playing and is minus the burning accordion
solo.
# Anything For You (8:11)
This slow instrumental is similar in some ways to Almost Hear You Sigh. Keith starts a
ghost vocal at 2:00.
# Baby Break It Down (5:57)
Different instrumental mix. Keith's vocal is doubled again on this track on the chorus.
# You Got It Made (5:00)
This track was the instrumental titled "Get It Made" on CD3 track 4 of "Voodoo Brew".
It's the same riff with added vocal by Keith. This is a strong track.
# Thru And Thru (8:21)
There are no sound effects on this take. Keith is on lead vocal, and backing track
vocal singing that starts out at an octave or so higher. The guitar is so clear that
the man could be sitting playing next to you! This take includes the second acoustic
guitar parts.
# Track With No Name (Untitled)(3:46)
Ronnie opens with: "Two bars of drums first anyway". This was an instrumental on CD 3
track 5 of "Voodoo Brew", listed as Untitled #2. Someone, possibly Don Was is calling
out where verses, bridges, and chord changes should be placed. There is no vocal on
this one.
The sound is superb stereo. My guess; first generation mix downs a.k.a. Master Tapes!
CD-2 [VIGO-153] Subtitled: "Stack O' Tracks"
This (next) CD consists of instrumentals or faint ghost vocals. There is an error in
the inlay track listing which is corrected in this post. The booklet has the correct
song list.
# Love Is Strong (5:41)
The song begins with a count in. Acoustic guitar left channel/Electric guitar
right/Keyboard in the middle. Jagger calls out the bridge at 1:29. Jagger's ghost
vocals cut in at 4:15.
# 5 String Riffin' (1:08)
This is a classic open G strum with a few major chord changes and the infamous added
two finger suspended chord.
# You Got Me Rocking (4:06)
Instrumental with slide guitar on the left channel and rhythm guitar right.
It is basically the finished instrumental track.
# Sparks Will Fly (3:14)
Instrumental with a Jagger ghost vocal. Again this sounds like the finished
instrumental track.
# New Faces (2:50)
Jagger count in as on the album. There is a flute track instead of Chuck Leavell's
harpsichord/harmonium. This gives the song a Ruby Tuesday sort of feel. Very pretty.
# Moon Is Up (4:59)
This has the same synth. guitar sounding intro as on CD1 track 7 of "Voodoo Brew".
Jagger on ghost vocal.
# Out Of Tears (5:23)
Instrumental version minus keyboard delay effect with a very faint ghost vocal.
There are some very nice added guitar lines on this, only some of which were used
on the album. They were replaced by keyboard "strings".
# I Go Wild (5:29)
Instrumental version of the album track.
# Brand New Car (5:03)
A bass guitar and drum oriented backing track with only the added scrapes.
Jagger's vocal is very faint.
# Sweethearts Together (5:52)
Instrumental that is very similar to the album version of the song.
# Suck On The Jugular (5:47)
There is a very funky added guitar wah-wah on this instrumental version. There are also
bongos present in the mix. Jagger's vocal is very faint.
# Blinded By Rainbows (4:35)
Instrumental with a Jagger ghost vocal. Acoustic guitars in both channels really add to
the piece.
# Baby Break It Down (5:48)
This has a keyboard track that is up in the mix, which is not as evident on the album
version. Also the pedal steel is up in the mix.
# Thru & Thru (8:23)
Instrumental with Keith on faint ghost vocal. Two acoustic guitars are as evident in
the mix as the electric guitar. Interesting track with quite a different feel.
# Mean Disposition (4:05)
Acoustic guitar left/Distorted electric guitar right/Drum & keyboard middle. Clocks in
at nearly the same time as the album version.
Ideas, jams, and several thought-out and never before heard vocal tracks.
These songs are listed as pre-production numbers from Barbados, and it's
substantiated by an engineer's announcement at the beginning of the CD.
All the song titles are also confirmed by announcements before the tracks.
These titles also verify some of the questionable instrumental titles from Disc 3
of "Voodoo Brew". It should be noted that the common titles are the ones that made
to the more serious production work in Ireland.
CD-3 [VIGO-154] Subtitled: "Zulu Fun Mixes"
# Monsoon Ragoon (4:36)
"com.5 ID: 43". An interesting techno-dance tune. No words, but Jagger is chanting.
Promising in it's raw form, but it would probably be overproduced on a Stones album.
# Sweethearts Together (3:15)
"6-51". An early working take with Keith on vocal. A simple drum beat dominated track
with some bass and guitar lines. Could this have been a Keith song all along?
# Tease Me (4:17)
"DAT: 11, ID: 20". A slow song with Richards on vocal. Reminiscent of Honeymoon/Hotel
material.
# Possesses Me (7:34)
"DAT: 11, ID: 23". A Keith vocal that starts off-time, but it takes off.
Some of the guitar lines are similar to It Means A Lot from "Talk Is Cheap":
That's what possesses me baby
Oooh that's what it is possesses me
Don't know, exactly, exactly what it is
But it's got me in it's grip
Yeah, just got me in it's grip
# Bump And Ride (5:47)
"D14, #2". A funk style groove with an improvised Jagger vocal.
# Middle of the Sea (3:41)
"DAT: 19, ID: 31". Starts off with percussion and a snappy beat with a funky guitar
riff that is reminiscent of Everything Is Turning To Gold. Jagger on a somewhat
developed lyric:
In the middle of the ocean
In the middle of the sea
I saw a huge monster
Coming after me
# Zulu #1 (4:04)
"D22, 19". Sort of a South Pacific feel with pedal steel adding to the effect.
Jagger is just sounding out a vocal, there are no lyrics to the song.
# Zulu #2 (4:03)
Jagger: "I play, I play a bit of percussion with you?" Watts: "Yeah!".
Jagger proceeds to add a very capable bongo beat to this groove track. The pedal
steel is a bit more country sounding on this take. Keith takes on a vocal at 3:13.
# Samba (3:34)
"DAT 22, ID: 29". A keyboard track with a samba beat. Jagger with a partial lyric.
# Alright Charlie (4:01)
Keith announces this one as "Alright Charlie DAT 23-21". This is a keyboard riff
version of the track 1 on CD 3 of "Voodoo Brew". There are some vocal lines on this
take as well.
# Another CR (9:44)
"DAT 24, ID: 22". Don't step through this one when you first start to hear it, because
it starts off with a rambling pedal steel and evolves into quite a jam. Charlie starts
a drum solo at 1:26 that goes until 4:26. Yes, Charlie! Stones version of Moby Dick!
Ends up as decent guitar jam with Jagger getting in the middle of it at 8:54.
Ends abruptly.
# Yellow Jacket (1:56)
"DAT 25, ID:13". There really isn't much to this one. Simple guitar/bass/drum riff.
# Ivy League (3:12)
"D27, ID: 3". This title also appears on "Voodoo Brew" CD3 track 5, but this one has
some Jagger lyrics. This one has potential.
# Honest Man #1 (4:26)
"DAT 30, #8 & 9". Great classic Stones guitar riff and harp with a developed Jagger
vocal. A strong track:
I'm an honest man
I'm an honest lover
Go tell my friends
Don't blow my cover
# Honest Man #2 (4:22) Take II
# Zip Mouth Angel (3:28)
"DAT 30, #25" A slow folk style song. It has a very unusual guitar sound, and I would
guess that it's an open tuned Dobro. This would make an interesting release.
CD-4 [VIGO-155] Subtitled: "Honest Ron Wood & Keith Richard(s)"
The fourth and final part of a review of "Voodoo Stew". These are the rawest and possibly
the most revealing and interesting tracks of the set. The tapes are rolling and people
are talking, warming-up, and rehearsing.
# It Takes A Lot to Laugh (1:21)
Jagger warming-up on keyboard and vocal. A cover of Bob Dylan's It Takes A Lot To
Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry from the 1965 classic "Highway 61 Revisited", which also
includes Like A Rolling Stone.
# Trouble Man #1 (3:30)
This is indeed the Marvin Gaye song, and not Travelin' Man as listed on the packaging.
Jagger on keyboard-vocal. Gaye's version of the song is found on the 1972 "Trouble Man"
movie soundtrack on Motown Records. Also on his "Greatest Hits" on Motown. The riff
bares some similarity to Hide Your Love...variation on a theme of course.
# Trouble Man #2 (4:10)
Turn your volume down at :24 seconds into the song because Keith plugs-in and is way
loud!
# When I Wage a Crown (4:55)
Keith is on vocal and piano. He is sorting it out as he goes. Ice clinking alert at
1:31 and after the song at 4:57.
# Nearness of You #1 (2:58)
The familiar lost Richards studio standard! First surfaced on the "(In Tune With) Jam"
2LP (Longview Farm, August '81) from the early 80's. Keith still likes to play the
song. Don Was comes in at the end and asks Keith about the song and he informs "us"
it's "Hoagy Carmichael in 1941". Keith also comments upon sipping a glass of wine:
"Habits I don't mind, it's addictions that piss me off".
# Nearness of You #2 (12:30)
Keith is working out the piano chords on this take. Woody joins-in at 6:03 with a
Nashville tuned guitar. The guy does a credible job of picking up the chording in the
Nashville tuning.
# Nearness of You #3 (7:37)
Keith decides to get serious and has the mic. switched. It makes a big difference in
the sound quality of the vocal, and there's a nice continuous take through 3:23. Ron
adds a backing harmony and guitar as well. There is a rougher second take on this track
also.
# Out of Tears-Conversation/Out of Tears begins again at 3:23 (8:41)
There is lots of conversation going on, and the "drive on by" version of the song is
playing in the background. It gets louder as it goes and eventually dominates the
track.
# Studio Conversation (2:18)
This is what's left of the conversation after Out Of Tears stops playing.
# You Got It Made (17:13)
This is a playback with Keith and Ronnie attempting to add backing harmonies. They're
trying to get the reverb set, and it's very entertaining to listen to these guys work
with each other. Ron replaces the "while" lyric with "time" and Keith comments "time is
money, while is forever". Words of wisdom... They tease, kid, and bully. Keith is
definitely the big brother in the relationship. Many starts and stops on the track.
MJ: Please have Keith release this song on the next record.