The best and worst of Mick Jagger as a vocalist
When talking about the most recent Rolling Stones album, Hackney Diamonds, the producer, Andrew Watt, said, “Listen to his vocals, man – there’s no difference between 18 and 80.” Generally speaking, when people comment on an older singer’s ability saying they sound like their younger self, that can only be ever taken as a positive, but for someone like Mick Jagger, who has received as much bad press as good throughout his career, the sincerity behind the comment can be called into question.
By suggesting that Jagger’s voice is the same as it was when he was 18 is to give him his flowers and do him a disservice simultaneously. Both an underrating and overrating of his ability as a singer, as those who heard early Rolling Stones demos and compared them to Jagger’s voice later in his career were quick to say how much better his singing had gotten. “His has changed somewhat and has a different texture… but it’s stronger now,” said Lenny Kravitz in an interview over a decade ago.
It brings us to the classic question that has plagued the Stones throughout their time as a band: whether they were at their creative peak or struggling to get new ideas off the ground, the same four words have followed them like hip-thrusting shadows: “Can Mick Jagger sing?”
The first thing to do when tackling this question is to determine what it means when we call someone a good singer. Is a good singer merely someone who can hold a tune and perform in key? Well, that rules out a lot of people then, as many who have previously been considered the best, such as Ozzy Osbourne and Robert Plant, don’t restrict themselves to specific keys and notes; they are vocal acrobats, dipping in and out of various scales to create something dramatic and laced with chaos.
So, does that mean that any singer who can’t achieve the notes of Plant should be considered bad? No, that would be ludicrous, as the bar is set so high and to such a specific standard if that’s the case. Often, the role of a vocalist is also to be the frontman, to grasp the attention of the audience and to hold it tight. As such, there have been many singers who were successful because of how much they could engage with an audience, as opposed to their specific vocal ability.
Realistically, Mick Jagger can be considered a blend of the above. While he has decent-enough vocal ability, he is also not so exceptional that he could manage as The Rolling Stones’ frontman without his charisma. People turn up to a Rolling Stones gig not just for his voice but the whole package, meaning his dancing, attitude towards the live show, and overall likeability.
This is hardly a controversial opinion either, as when the Rolling Stones were starting out, one of their demos sent out to Decca Records came back with the response, “A great band, but you’ll never get anywhere with that singer.” Even the band’s guitarist, Keith Richards, has previously had sly digs at Jagger’s technical ability, as when asked to name his top 20 vocalists, his bandmate was missed off the list.
The man’s ability fluctuates so much that regardless of whether you are on the side of him being lucky or a genius, you will be able to find evidence to back up your argument. For instance, if you listen to the isolated vocals on tracks like ‘Gimme Shelter’, ‘Start Me Up’, and ‘Beast of Burden’, it is difficult to find any negative words about what you’re hearing.
‘Beast of Burden’, despite coming from a period of adjustment for the Rolling Stones as they settled into more soft rock territory, remains one of the highlights throughout their entire discography. Jagger is in tune and emotive as he sings with a pleading voice filled with longing that can’t be turned away from.
At the same time, there are a number of Jagger songs that just can’t hit the mark. His duet with David Bowie, ‘Dancing In The Street,’ comes to mind as it wasn’t only the music video that was embarrassing but also Jagger’s performance. He sounded almost like a caricature of himself, putting so much emphasis into every “umph” and “ahh” that the song came across as parody. Other particular lowlights include the likes of ‘You Gotta Move’, which also falls victim to Jagger’s exaggerated vocals being his downfall.
The success of The Rolling Stones doesn’t necessarily need to be explained, merely enjoyed. Sure, there is a debate to be had on Jagger’s vocal talents, but when you see him as a performer, it’s difficult to deny his overall talent. There is a reason audiences continue to be drawn to him, as Keith Richards said despite not including him in his list of the best vocalists of all time, “Why would you want to be anything else if you’re Mick Jagger?”
