Their Satanic Majesties’ Request

THEIR SATANIC MAJESTIES’ REQUEST

Their Satanic Majesties Request is the sixth British and eighth American studio album by the Rolling Stones, released in December 1967. Its title is a play on the “Her Britannic Majesty requests and requires . . .” text that appears inside a British passport. Their Satanic Majesties Request was the Stones’ only self-produced album, which Mick Jagger admitted was not for the best. Upon its initial release, the album “drew mixed reviews from the critics as well as some mixed reactions within the group itself”. In recent years, however, it has gained a cult following since it was The Rolling Stones’ only overt outing into the psychedelic realm, and because of its lenticular cover (which critics still compare to the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album). (More from Wikipedia)

Many other artists in the 1960s also took a whack at psychedelia. Kenny Rogers’ first band the First Edition had an early hit song with “Just Dropped in (to See What Condition My Condition was In)”; though the lyrics kind of miss the boat, they are still charmingly corny. “Hurdy Gurdy Man” is one of many great psychedelic songs Donovan came up with. The Beatles had Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and the Rolling Stones had Their Satanic Majesties’ Request. Even Motown got into the act: The Supremes hit with “Reflections”, while the Temptations had several psychedelic songs – “Psychedelic Shack”, “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World is Today)”, “Runaway Child, Runnin’ Wild”, and others. Many were on their 1970 album Psychedelic Shack; one of the biggest hits by the B-52’s, “Love Shack” was in part an homage to this record.

(March 2011)

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The Rolling Stones were the “bad boys” of the British Invasion. They played around with Satanic themes and imagery, most famously with their hit “Sympathy for the Devil”, and also their under-rated psychedelic album that had the unfortunate title of Their Satanic Majesties’ Request. (From Wikipedia: “The album’s title is a play on the ‘Her Britannic Majesty requests and requires . . .’ text that appears inside a British passport.”)

But even the Stones came up with a religious themed song a while back, or at least Mick Jagger did: “God Gave Me Everything” was co-written by Mick and Christian rocker Lenny Kravitz (who also performed on the recording) and was included on his 2001 album, Very Best of Mick Jagger. I remember seeing the video many years ago back when you’d see those on MTV from time to time.

(November 2014)