Song of the Week

Many of you know I'm a HUGE Stones fan ... I figure it's time to actually make one of their songs my "song of the week." Most people tend to gravitate to the "classic" Stones songs from their earlier years - songs like "Satisfaction," "Sympathy for the Devil," and "Let it Bleed." I enjoy those songs, but I tend to favor their "newer" songs ... post 1972 albums ... I'm probably in the minority, but I don't care.

My favorite Stones album of all time is 1978's Some Girls ... it's an album you can play, and never have to worry about skipping a song (what makes an elite album, in my opinion). Some Girls boasts mega-hits like "Miss You," "Beast of Burden," and "Shattered." However, it's a lesser-known track that I can't get enough of ... and strangely enough, Mick isn't even singing lead on this particular song.

"Before They Make Me Run," is a straight-up rocker, with Keith Richards on lead vocals as well as one of the few times he's credited for playing bass-guitar. The lyrics obviously pay homage to the "situation" Keith went through in Toronto, in which he was almost thrown in jail for extended time.

Here's some more info on the song, courtesy of Wikipedia.org:
Written by guitarist Keith Richards, the song is a response to his arrest for heroin possession in Toronto in February 1977. The criminal charges and prospect of a prison sentence loomed over the Some Girls recording sessions and in fact endangered the future of the Rolling Stones.[1]

In the lyrics Richards reflects unapologetically on his lifestyle up to that point. The line "it's another goodbye to another good friend" in the first verse can be interpreted as referring to Gram Parsons, Richards' close friend who died in 1973 from a drug overdose,[1] and/or to heroin itself: Richards had sought medical treatment for heroin addiction following his arrest in Toronto, and his resolution to overcome his addiction would be a significant factor in his upcoming trial.[2]

Originally entitled "Rotten Roll", the song was recorded in a Paris studio in March 1978 during one of Mick Jagger's absences from the Some Girls sessions.[3] The completed track - "a high-energy rock & roller"[3] - features Richards on lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitars and bass; Ronnie Wood on pedal steel, slide guitar and backup vocals; Charlie Watts on drums and Jagger on backup vocals.[4]