Some Girls (1978)

Some Girls is the fourteenth studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 9 June 1978 by Rolling Stones Records. It was recorded in sessions held from October 1977 to February 1978 at Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris and produced by the band's chief songwriters – lead vocalist Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards (credited as the Glimmer Twins) – with Chris Kimsey engineering the recording.

By 1976, the Rolling Stones' popularity was in decline as the music industry was dominated by disco and newer rock bands. In addition, the punk rock movement was an emerging cultural force in the UK. Due to legal troubles surrounding Richards, Jagger is generally regarded as the principal creative force behind Some Girls. With him drawing influence from dance music, most notably disco, the recording sessions were highly productive, resulting in numerous outtakes that appeared on subsequent albums.

It was the first album to feature guitarist Ronnie Wood as a full-time member; Wood had contributed to some tracks on the band's prior two albums, It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974) and Black and Blue (1976). With a stable lineup in place for the first time in several years, the album marked a return to basics for the Rolling Stones and did not feature many guest musicians, unlike many of their prior albums. Notable contributions to the album, however, come from blues harmonica player Sugar Blue on "Miss You" and the title track.

Despite controversy surrounding its cover artwork and lyrical content, Some Girls was a commercial success, peaking at number two on the UK Albums Chart and number one on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart. It became the band's top-selling album in the United States, having been certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling six million copies by 2000 in the country. Several hit singles emerged from the album, which became rock radio staples for decades, including "Beast of Burden" (US number eight), "Shattered" (US number 31), "Respectable" (UK number 23), highlighted by "Miss You", which reached number one in the United States and number three in the UK.

Rebounding from the relative critical disappointment of Black and Blue, Some Girls was a critical success, with many reviewers calling it a classic return to form for the band and their best album since Exile on Main St. (1972). It became the only Rolling Stones album to be nominated for a Grammy Award in the Album of the Year category. Retrospectively, it has continued to receive acclaim, with many commending the band's ability to blend contemporary music trends with their older signature style. Some Girls is considered one of the band's finest records, and Rolling Stone has included it in their lists of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".

Background

By 1976, the Rolling Stones' popularity was in decline as the charts were dominated by disco and newer bands such as Aerosmith and Kiss. In the UK, the punk rock movement was a rising force and made most artists connected with the 1960s era seem obsolete. The group had also failed to produce a critically acclaimed album since 1972's Exile on Main St.

On 7 February 1977, the Stones were scheduled to play El Mocambo in Toronto, Ontario; however, Keith Richards and his partner Anita Pallenberg were arrested for possession of heroin and suspected of drug trafficking. With the help of Jimmy Carter, who obtained visas, the pair was permitted to leave Canada so that Richards could undergo detoxification in the United States. During this time, Richards obtained a conditional visa for France and met the rest of the Stones in Paris to begin work on what became Some Girls. Facing the possibility of Richards receiving a seven-year sentence in Canada, Jagger and Richards both believed that the Stones might be forced to disband and that Some Girls could be the last album. During Richards' trial, the courtroom was filled with Stones fans and it became clear to reporters present that he would not be "sent to jail". Overseeing the trial, Judge Lloyd Graburn stated that while "heroin addicts should go to prison if they commit theft to support their habit, or make no effort to kick the habit...Richards was different. He made so much money as a rock star, he didn't need to steal, and his effort to remove himself from the drug culture was an example to others." Graburn issued Richards a one-year probation and ordered that he play a benefit concert for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind within six months; Graburn chose this sentencing option after speaking with a blind fan whom Richards had befriended years earlier and ensured her safe passage to and from concerts. Tickets were provided for free to the blind and other tickets were made available for sighted fans at regular price.