Mick Jagger goes political with first solo single in a decade

“Gotta Get A Grip” and “England Lost” are Jagger’s first solo tracks in more than a decade

Itโ€™s fair to say the Rolling Stones have never been a political band. However, over their fifty-plus years in existence, theyโ€™ve always kept up with the times, with Mick Jagger giving his two pence about the current state of the world at the moment. From the horrors of the Vietnam War in โ€œGimme Shelterโ€ with the lyrics โ€œWar, children, it’s just a shot away, it’s just a shot awayโ€ to pointing out we killed the Kennedyโ€™s in โ€œSympathy For the Devil,โ€ Jagger and the Stones have always had something to say, good or bad, while adding thunderous rock guitar riffs, and a bluesy sound to give it punch.

In his first solo release in over a decade, Jagger is again talking about the state of the world, more specifically Brexit and the way he sees it only going from bad to a little bid more bad with the release of โ€œGotta Get A Grip/England Lostโ€. The double A sidesโ€”released immediately after being recorded so not to lose any impact in their messageโ€”finds the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer pessimistic about the world, the political climate, โ€œfake newsโ€, and almost rapping to a bunch of synthetic, studio created beats but the results are impressive. Jagger loses none of his familiar swagger or bravado. These songโ€™s lyrics may not have much hope or optimism but thereโ€™s obviously a lot of todayโ€™s music that influenced the musical direction these tracks take. If thatโ€™s a sign of things to come in a future solo project weโ€™re in.

Jagger fans can still take solace knowing thereโ€™s still plenty of the old Mick featured on both tracks. โ€œGotta Get A Gripโ€ has a nice sharp, bluesy feel going on for the bulk of the track, complete with harmonica, and heavy guitar licks over lyrics โ€œGotta keep it zipped / shoot โ€™em from the hip / beat โ€™em with a stickโ€.

For โ€œEngland Lostโ€ Jaggerโ€™s vocals go from hard in your face to a soft tone for the chorus, with music provided by heavier riffs than in โ€œGotta Get A Gripโ€ but still capturing that bluesy edginess to help deliver his most direct diatribe: โ€œI went to see England but England lost / I went round the back but they said piss off.โ€ Or to get more blunt quoting sir Mick, โ€œI went to find England and it wasnโ€™t there/ I think I lost it down the back of my chair / I think Iโ€™m losing my imagination/ Iโ€™m tired of talking about immigration / You canโ€™t get in and you canโ€™t get out / I guess thatโ€™s what itโ€™s really all about.โ€

At 74, Mick Jagger still has it with two outstanding tracks that definitely leave us more than satisfied!

Rob Perez
Rob Perez

Rob Perez is a freelance writer who has been with The Music Universe early on. As a Correspondent for The Music Universe, you will find him writing reviews and live tweeting awards shows.