The Rolling Stones – “Scarlet” (ft. Jimmy Page) [Song Review]

1973 was one hell of a year for bombastic classics. Simply fathom Jimmy Page joining The Rolling Stones. That makes the wheels in your head spin, right? The lost track “Scarlet” from the Goats Head Soup sessions sounds exactly like one might think; a gemstone for suckers of the ‘70s. At this point in Page’s career, his guitar style is a cross between Led Zeppelin III and Houses of the Holy. Now mesh that in with the thunder found on The Stones’ Exile on Main Street and Goats Head Soup.

In all honesty, Goats Head Soup was a hard handful of pills to swallow compared to Exile on Main Street, but they can’t all be winners now, can they? Finding a diamond in the rough, “Scarlett” by itself makes this a perfect resale option for an overblown, extended box set. The one cool thing about The Stones is how they redefined themselves from album and era the same way Led Zep did, which makes this the perfect juxtaposition between British lads.

Mick Jagger had this to say about the collaborative experience, “Jimmy and I had a recent phone call about it cause we were talking about when we did it and Page remembers it really well.”

Soft-spoken Jimmy Page chimes in with, “Woody was living at a house called The Wick and he had a studio in the basement. There was an invite to do a session and it was with Keith. So I said, ‘I’ll tell you what, I’ll bring my guitar’ and I layed the solo parts on it.” 

Mick croons about a head case named “Scarlet”: “Baby you excite me, but you talk too much. Went stand on a corner, love you more oh yeah.” Page’s lead guitar voyage has an open airiness about it like a Caribbean castaway accompanied by a kinfolk Calypso drum beat. “Scarlet” is a precursor standout track for a deluxe, expanded reissue of Goats Head Soup that’s been remastered and will come in various concoctions such as CD, LP, and even cassette (hey man, wheres the 8 track tape for the Impala?). Equipped with the standout track “Scarlet,” Goats Head Soup 2020 will be released September 4th, just in time for your trick-or-treat ghosts and gobbly-goo holiday shenanigans.

Run Time: 3:44
Release Date: July 22, 2020
Record Label: Universal Music

Artwork for ‘Goats Head Soup (2020 Deluxe)’ by The Rolling Stones