my slight obsession with the rolling stones, "shattered."

the older i get, the more i like the rolling stones song, "shattered." something about hearing it more and getting older that helps me appreciate this song more and more.

the first time i ever heard this song i thought, "are you fucking kidding me? what the fuck is this? the rolling stones can lay any turd and sell it for millions." at first listen, it sounded like they weren't trying very hard on this one. they kinda went in a studio somewhere, went through the motions of what at bare minimum makes a song and came out with, "shattered."

i couldn't stand it and didn't get it and if you had asked me at the time, i'd have said i never will.

now many years have passed and i've had to hear this song countless times. this is one of those songs you'll never stop hearing. classic radio will spin it till radio's dead. classic rock dudes and dudettes will put it in their party play lists. it'll be played on bar jukeboxes forever more.

and that's what confounded me.... obviously tons of people not only like, but love this fucking song. but why? it's the stones! they've done so much great shit, produced so many classics. why waste any space anywhere in the world with this song.

and then i realized i wasn't even really listening to the song anymore. i had made my judgment on what i felt about the song and anytime i heard it anywhere, i stuck to that judgment and blocked the song out of my brain. yea it was playing, but i had always downgraded it to background noise that demanded none of my focus.

and then at some point i thought that's kinda a dickish attitude to have. i really had only given this song one chance... maybe it was about time i gave it another try.

and then i liked it. i can't explain the specifics. maybe my tastes changed... who knows... all i know is i opened my mind to it and i was now among the masses who enjoy, "shattered."

i'll still stick to the idea that this isn't the best stones song out there. and i think only the stones could get away with writing this song and turning it into a hit. if some unheard of band tried to write this song today, it'd never see the light of day. this isn't the kind of song that makes a band. and to get away with it, you need a boatload of street cred.

and who has more cred than the rolling stones? they earned the right.

so at your next party or get together... or next time you're throwing together a play list... throw a little "shattered" up in there. with the right attitude, i think you'll dig.

and now for your enjoyment: