Keno's ROLLING STONES Web Site

DIRTY WORK
 

Released - 1986, Rolling Stones Records.  Produced by The Glimmer Twins and Steve Lillywhite

Personnel:

Mick Jagger - Lead and Backing Vocals.
Keith Richards - Lead,  Acoustic and Rhythm Guitars; Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals tracks 5 & 10.
Ron Wood -  Lead and Rhythm Guitar; Drums;  Bass; Sax; Backing Vocal.
Charlie Watts - Drums
Bill Wyman - Bass; Synthesizer

Additional Personnel:

Chuck Leavell,  Ian Stewart, Jimmy Page, Jimmy Cliff, Bobby Womack, Don Covay, Patti Scialfa, Tom Waits, Kirsty MaColl, Ivan Neville, Anton Fig, Steve Jordan, Charley Drayton, Philippe Saisse.

(Click on song for lyrics and song personnel)

SONG 1998 RATING 2005 RATING  2018
RATING*
 
ONE HIT  (TO THE BODY) 6.0 6.5 6.6
FIGHT 5.2 5.8 5.9
HARLEM SHUFFLE 6.1 7.0 7.2
HOLD BACK 4.8 4.9 4.8
TOO RUDE 6.0 6.2 6.0
WINNING UGLY 5.5 6.0 6.0
BACK TO ZERO 5.3 5.3 5.2
DIRTY WORK 5.6 5.4 5.4
HAD IT WITH YOU  5.8 6.0 6.1
SLEEP TONIGHT  5.4 5.1 5.0
Ave. 5.57 5.82 5.82

 

MINI REVIEW

When the Stones went into the studio to record this album, things just weren't going too good between Mick Jagger and the rest of the Band. Mick was thinking about going solo and seemed to put more effort into his solo album, which in turn pissed off Keith Richards. Also, Ronnie Wood, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts and Keef all wanted to tour to support the album, and Mick said no way. No wonder this turned out to be their poorest effort. Two of the three best songs on the album, "Harlem Shuffle" (best tune on the LP) and "Too Rude", are covers. But most of the other songs on Dirty Work just don't go anywhere. Yes, this LP is a dirty mess!

On another sad note, Ian Stewart aka "Stu", who was with the band since day one, died from a heart attack a week after they finished recording the album. The album was dedicated to him and closes with a short, hidden track, a piano solo of "Key to the Highway", played by Stu, and the 30 second take is the best thing on the whole album.

- Keno, 1998

*Old Ratings vs. New Ratings

The oldest ratings that you see here are from back in 1998 when I first rated the album for this site. Since time does change one's point of view, I decided to listen to and rate the album again, doing so in late 2005. In December, 2018, 20 years after the first ratings were made, I rated all of the songs for a third time. Also note that I did not look at the old ratings from 1998 until after I placed my new ratings here in both 2005 and 2018.

To listen to some sound clips from DIRTY WORK or to buy it, click on:  Dirty Work [Reissue]

To read others reviews about this album, go here.

To see how Dirty Work's songs were voted on by fans, go here.

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