Beatles vs. Stones: A No-Decision

I've never subscribed to the theory that you had to be either a Beatles guy or a Stones guy. Anyone who's read some of my bios knows that I am a Beatle nut; however, I don't think that means I have to hate The Stones.

In many ways, it's not really fair to compare them. The Beatles have an edge because they were finite. The Stones seem to be eternal, which leaves them open to the occasional clunker of an album that The Beatles might have made had they stayed together longer. And the music of the two bands couldn't be any more different, both in style and in subject matter. And when the bands tried to cross over into the other's territory, it never seemed natural. Their Satanic Majesties Request was a low point for the Stones as they tried to make their own Sgt. Pepper's, and The Beatles approach to a blues song like "Yer Blues" felt forced when you compare it to the Stones.

Personally, I've always been partial to The Stones lesser-known ballads, but then I'm a ballad kind of a guy. And so I tend to search out tracks like "I Am Waiting", so memorable in Rushmore, or "Slippin' Away", a Keith-Richards-sung weeper from Steel Wheels.

"Memory Motel" fits into this category, andis my favorite Stones song of all-time. Though I tend to dislike rock songs about life on the road, Mick and Keith make this tale of love found and lostrelatable to everyone.

So don't buyinto that Beatles vs. Stones garbage.And check out "Memory Motel" if you haven't heard it. You'll see beyond the Stones caricature into what makes them truly special.