The Rolling Stones

Still Life (1982)

 


  1.Intro: Take the A-Train
  2.Under My Thumb
  3.Let's Spend the Night Together
  4.Shattered
  5.Twenty Flight Rock
  6.Going to a Go-Go
  7.Let Me Go
  8.Time is on My Side
  9.Just My Imagination (Runnin' Away With Me)
 10.Start Me Up
 11.(I Can't Get No)Satisfaction
 12.Outro: The Star Spangled Banner

  

Still Life was released in 1982 to commemorate what had been, by all accounts, one of the most elaborate and triumphant world tours the Rolling Stones had ever undertaken. Following the overwhelming success of Tattoo You, the band launched a massive stadium tour across North America, proving to skeptics and fans alike that they still possessed the showmanship, charisma, and sheer force to command enormous crowds. By this point, however, it had only been four years since their previous live outing, Love You Live, which may explain why this release was confined to a single LP rather than the sprawling double-album format that had characterized live sets by many contemporaries.

What’s immediately apparent, though, is how much better this record sounds compared to its live predecessor. From the opening riff of Under My Thumb, there’s an ease and energy that makes Still Life feel instantly more vibrant and approachable than Love You Live, which often felt bloated and muddled. The performances here are tight, enthusiastic, and mostly well-recorded, offering a surprisingly polished snapshot of the band in motion.

That said, the album’s limitations are hard to ignore. With only ten actual tracks (excluding the brief Take the A Train intro and closing reprise), one has to question some of the song choices. The inclusion of two cover songs—Going to a Go-Go and Twenty Flight Rock—feels like a missed opportunity. The former, at least, offers a lively groove and was released as the album’s lone single, but the latter lacks the kind of distinct personality one expects from a Stones performance. While they handle it capably, it doesn't feel particularly necessary.

Fortunately, the band would go on to issue a veritable flood of live recordings in the years to come, allowing listeners ample access to a wealth of superior concert material. But Still Life remains a worthwhile listen, even in its brevity. It captures the Stones in a moment of renewed confidence and mass appeal, at a time when many had already written them off as elder statesmen of rock. If it doesn’t reach the heights of the band’s best live work, it at least proves that they were still capable of delivering a thrilling performance on stage—even if, just this once, it might have deserved a longer running time.

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