[purchase]
The Other Guy theme is about that member of the band who doesn't do/rarely does the lead vocals. Keith Richards fits the bill. As I dug around for background info for this post, I came across an online
resource that credits Richards with the main vocals in only about 20 of the hundreds of
songs the Stones have recorded. Yes, he frequently sings background vocals, but that's not at all the same skill. Hence,
the other man.
Away from the Stones, for example on his solo Talk is Cheap
album from 1988, Richards is credited with the lead vocals, and you can catch
him here doing the lead vocals with X Pensive Winos. Although it is noted that he sang in a (young) boys' choir for the Queen, today, his voice sounds kind of scratchy and he doesnt exactly shine at keeping a melodious tune (post-puberty voice change, no doubt). However, there are those few
and far between times when his voice is a better choice for a Rolling Stones song than
Jagger’s.
And this is one. Originally recorded for 1969’s Let It Bleed, the live
version of You Got The Silver linked above is tagged as being only about a
month old. Having dug for several hours to research my options, I have to say
that this is one of the better showcases of the man's vocal talents that I was able
to locate. His singing calls to mind the quality(?) of Bob Dylan's voice.
As an additional thought, if you consider the relationship between gold and silver/Jagger and Richards, I wonder if there is more to the choice of lead vocalist for this song than meets the eye.
As an additional thought, if you consider the relationship between gold and silver/Jagger and Richards, I wonder if there is more to the choice of lead vocalist for this song than meets the eye.