1965 The Rolling Stones: The Last Time

Though it's the Stones' first number one that came with a Jagger/Richard writing credit on the label, 'The Last Time' is more a thrift shop compilation of borrowings than anything truly original. The guitar riff that runs through the song like a click track? That's a variation on the guitar line Pops Staples laid down on 'Freedom's Highway'. The "this may be the last time, I don't know" chorus refrain? That's lifted word perfect from an old spiritual called 'This May Be The Last Time', itself covered to chilling effect by The Staple Singers in 1955.

But there's nothing new in any of this carry on - I could fill volumes with examples of how rock and roll/R&B tracks can be sourced back to traditional, hand me down field songs, folk ballads and religious spirituals. I myself mentioned that Willie Dixon is credited as author of 'Little Red Rooster' but in truth the seeds of the song can be found in various earlier recordings by the likes of Charlie Patton and Memphis Minnie, with no reason to believe that they themselves didn't get them from someplace else. It's the nature of the beast and the Stones were by no means the first or worst offenders.*

Of the song itself, Mick and Keith were clearly using their Staple Singers albums as both prop and inspiration as they started out on their own songwriting career, though they at least had the gumption to exorcise the religion and replace it with a more base 'I may dump you or I may not' slant. Despite this hint of nastiness, 'The Last Time' is a slightly limp clatter that rattles along with no snap or crackle with Jagger in particular shy of the confident drawl displayed on their previous number ones. On the self penned verses anyway - he comes alive on the safer ground of that tried and tested, readymade chorus which is the song's main selling point, but even that is wearing in its repetition.

I'm conscious that in saying 'The Last Time' sounds more like a band warming up and finding their feet rather than anything fully fired that I may be judging it in light of the songs Jagger and Richard would write instead of on it's own merits. I think the best I can say is that had those songs not come, then this would doubtless have made for a fine inclusion on any 'Nuggets' type compilation of the era. But there's nothing here suggestive of a band with legs.

* Although there's a sting in the tail in the form of former Stones business manager Allen Klein successfully suing Verve in 1997 for all royalties from their own 'Bitter Sweet Symphony' because it sampled five notes from an orchestral version of the song cut by The Andrew Oldham Orchestra in 1966. A Jagger/Richard credit was also added to all subsequent versions of the Verve track. Which, if you'll pardon my French, is a bit fucking rich.