Goat's Head Soup

While Mick Jagger scored headline pages following his marriage to Bianca Pérez-Mora Macías, Keith Richards was in a Swiss rehab clinic to put the brakes on his heroin usage. Their next album "Goat's Head Soup" was like throwing all their ideas in a cauldron to see what happens. It was also their first album to be recorded in Jamaica but not including any influence of reggae. They still lived outside of the UK due to the fact they were tax exiles. Recordings were started in November 1972 and would be released in 1973 and it included the hit single "Angie". It was also their last album to produced by Jimmy Miller who produced all albums since "Beggars Banquet" from 1968. Bill Wyman only appears on 3 of the tracks. 

"Angie" - single cover

It was rumoured that the song "Angie" was about David Bowie's ex-wife Angela. These rumours were false. It was named after Keith Richards'baby daughter Dandelion Angela. The lyrics are about Mick's breakup with Marianne Faitfull. As a single "Angie" reached #5 in the UK, #1 in the Neterlands and also #1 in the US. As a second single they released "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)" in the US reaching #15. In the Netherlands "Star Star" was released reaching #21.

They recorded lots of songs for the album including "Tops" and "Waiting On A Friend" which would surface on "Tattoo You" in 1981.  "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)" and "Dancing with Mr. D." were intended to follow the early seventies disco style.

"Star Star"/"Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo" - single cover

The song "Star Star" whas banned by the BBC due to its obscene lyrics and was originally titled "Starfucker". The best songs on the album are the ballads of which "Angie" is the best known. But also "100 Years Ago", "Coming Down Again" and "Winter".  The album managed to reach #1 in the Netherlands, UK and US.

Katharine Hepburn in "The African Queen".

Original album cover with photo of Mick

The album cover was designed by Ray Lawrence and photographed by David Bailey. The photo's of the band members were meant to resemble Katharine Hepburn in "The African Queen". The title of the album was represented in a photo of a real goat head in a soup and was meant to be the front cover but was considered to be controversial. A first album cover was designed by the legendary Hypgnosis but was rejected.

First design for the album cover by Hypgnosis

Goat's Head Soup (1973)

Dancing With Mr. D / 100 Years Ago / Coming Down Again / Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) / Angie / Silver Train / Hide Your Love / Winter / Can You Hear The Music / Star Star

Angie - Promo

Coming Down Again

Winter