5 Deep Cuts From the Rolling Stones You Should Be Listening To

Fans of the Rolling Stones are being spoiled with content from the band amid their 60th-anniversary celebrations. From a sprawling world tour to a tell-all documentary series, if you love the Stones we measure you’re feeling pretty good right about now.

After spending 60 years at the top of the music industry, the band seems to be taking some time to reflect on their legacy—which has not surprisingly sparked an interest for all us music fans to do the same. Below we’re going through just a few (among a long list) of lesser-known Stones tracks that warrant more of a spotlight.

And don’t miss My Life as a Rolling Stone, the four-part docuseries about The Rolling Stones, premiering on the EPIX network on August 7.

5. “Dead Flowers”

Just nine days after their infamous show at the Altamont, the Rolling Stones headed into London’s Olympic Studios to cut “Dead Flowers.” The ominous overtones in the track were likely inspired by the tragedy the band witnessed during the recent show.

I’ll be in my basement room/with a needle and a spoon, Jagger sings. And another girl to take my pain away.

The song came at a time that country rock groups (Poco and the Flying Burrito Brothers for example) were taking off. The influence of the sub-genre is pretty clear in this track. Townes Van Zandt covered the song many years later, which was memorably used in the film, The Big Lebowski.

4. “Sway”

Finding a home between “Brown Sugar” and “Wild Horses” on Sticky Fingers, “Sway” was the first strong showcase of what Mick Taylor could do for the band. The guitarist wrote the track with Jagger, believing he’d receive his due acknowledgment, but it was ultimately credited to the Jagger/Richards duo. It was the type of slight that the guitarist took in his stride in the early days but, would grow into a larger issue in the coming years.

Despite departing from the group in 1974, Taylor temporarily rejoined the group on three different occasions in 2013 to play this deep-cut track.

3. “Moonlight Mile”

Another highlight from Sticky Fingers is the gorgeously melancholic “Moonlight Mile.” The six-minute track wraps up the album with a stunning arrangement by Paul Buckmaster—who was also working similar magic on Elton John’s music at the time.

Buckmaster’s touch elevated this song into an absolute masterpiece. Despite its grandeur, the Stones tried the song live in 1999, but it never truly took off.

2. “Time Waits For No One”

Though Mick Taylor may not have spent a long time with the Rolling Stones, given the relative scope of their career, he certainly made a lasting impact while he was in their ranks.

By the time the band cut It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll in 1974, Richards was going through a rough patch and wasn’t always available to record with the band. Because of this, Taylor played a crucial role in writing “Time Waits for No One.” He claimed that Jagger once again promised him a long-overdue writing credit for the track, but ultimately failed to follow through again. Because of the rift, Taylor made the decision to leave the band, but not before leaving this incredible track behind as the final word.

1. “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking”

Sticky Fingers is rife will underappreciate gems it seems as over half of this list comes from that album. We’re delving back into the 1971 LP for the final deep cut—”Can’t You Hear Me Knocking.”

On “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking,” Richards melds with his then-new bandmate Mick Taylor perfectly. The song ends with a pseudo-jam session, complete with a soulful guitar line. Reportedly, the song was recorded in a single take without Richards even realizing they were rolling.

The iconic back-and-forth between the two guitarists is recreated every time the band decides to drudge up the song for a live performance. Its most recent setlist inclusion happened earlier this year amid the group’s 60th-anniversary tour.

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