Album: The Singles Collection – The London Years
Year: 1968
. . .
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Normally, when I write about both sides of a single, I write about the A side first, but I’m switching it up here, because “Child of The Moon” was really the last song from the Rolling Stones experimental period to get recorded, while the song it’s the b-side of — motherfucking “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” y’all – is really the kickoff of that period where they well and truly became the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world.
“Child of The Moon” had its roots in the Satanic Majesties sessions, but for reasons, I guess, they never really did anything with it then, which is too bad, because it would have been the best song on that record.
Instead, in early 1968, with new producer Jimmy Miller in tow, they worked it up, and sure, it might sound too much like the Beatles “Rain” for some people’s tastes — which is insane, because “Rain” rules — but I think it is spectacular from the beginning, especially Keith’s opening guitar fanfare and subsequent riffs, over which Mick sings an enigmatic love song to (probably) Marianne Faithfull.
The wind blows rain into my face
The sun glows at the end of the highway
Child of the moon, rub your rainy eyes
Oh, child of the moon
Give me a wide-awake crescent-shaped smile
And in case you’re not sure they’re going for psychedelia here, check out Keith’s harmonies — along with his cool doubling against itself lick — on “myyyyyyyyyyyyyy faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace” and “hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiighwayyyyyyyyyy”
A million extra points to Charlie Watts here. He is on fucking fire, playing trippy rolls both when you least expect them and when you most expect them, right there with Keith’s almost dancing rhythm guitar. In the meantime, Brian Jones adds a soprano sax for color and Nicky Hopkins doubles both on piano explosions and organ textures for good measure.
She shivers, by the light she is hidden
She flickers like a lamp lady vision
Child of the moon, rub your rainy eyes
Child of the moon
Give me a wide-awake crescent-shaped smile
Probably because of Miller, the sound of “Child Of The Moon” is both fuller and more natural than anything from their experimental period, a thick stew of ever-changing sounds that is as gorgeous as all fuck while still retaining ball-out rock and roll power.
Like “We Love You,” “Child of The Moon” didn’t make its debut on any U.S. Rolling Stones record until 1972’s More Hot Rocks (Big Hits and Fazed Cookies), which is where I first fell in love with it in the early 1980s, and pretty much ignored after that, showing up only on 1989’s The Singles Collection – The London Years, which is simultaneously the most indispensable and most redundant compilation ever released. (Technically, “Child of the Moon” also on the 80 song version of 2012’s GRRRR! cash grab, so there’s that.)
BTW, my copy of The Singles Collection – The London Years was a gift from a clerk who worked at one of the Wherehouse locations in like 1990, and one that I still appreciate, as it fills in a lot of gaps.
Oh, and one more thing: while on the single, it’s called “Child of The Moon,” on the both More Hot Rocks and The Singles Collection, it’s called “Child of the Moon (rmk)” for reasons that seem to be obscure. (It’s not “remake,” as it’s the same version that was on the original single.) The best explanation I saw was that “rmk” where the initials of the evil Allen Klein’s daughter, who was born under a moon sign, and so he stuck it on because he could, I guess.
“Child of The Moon”
“Child of The Moon” official video
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