History Music / BeggarsBanquet

---> ''I watched with glee as your kings and queens''
---> ''Fought for ten decades for the gods they made''

---> ''Let's think of the wavering millions''
---> ''Who need leaders but get gamblers instead''
---> ''Spare a thought for the stay-at-home voter''
---> ''His empty eyes gaze at strange beauty shows''
---> ''And a parade of the grey suited grafters''
---> ''[[MortonsFork A choice of cancer or polio]]''

* AlternateAlbumCover: The BathroomStallGraffiti cover was meant to be the original artwork, but was replaced with the "R.S.V.P" cover. The toilet cover now appears on most reissues.

* AlternateAlbumCover: The toilet cover was meant to be the original artwork, but was replaced with the "R.S.V.P" cover. The toilet cover now appears on most reissues.

* VillainSong: "Sympathy for the Devil", sung from the viewpoint of Satan himself, though RefrainFromAssuming it's actually sympathetic to him. As the lyrics progress it turns out that Satan questions why people call him "evil", as they too have accomplices in his crimes over the centuries.

Music/BrianJones, who halfheartedly showed up to the recording sessions, was playing a far lesser role in the band by this point and had his judgment marred considerably through drug abuse. While Jones contributed a few minor instrumentals, most notably the slide guitar on "No Expectations" and sitar on "Street Fighting Man", Music/MickJagger and Music/KeithRichards largely conceived of an album which would return to a {{Blues}}-inspired, [[CountryMusic Country]] sound heavily associated with the working conditions of the poor. Achieving unity in structure even while exploring such diverse topics as underage groupies, [[PoliceBrutality chaotic riots]], and [[NotChristianRock religious symbolism]], the Stones sought to reconcile these complex ideas to represent the political restlessness of the era through [[ThreeChordsAndTheTruth a more simplistic sound]].

In any case, the influential recording sessions to some songs of this album were filmed in Creator/JeanLucGodard's ''One Plus One/Sympathy for the Devil'' from 1968. A documentary about the creative process behind the making of this album can be seen in the ''Series/ClassicAlbums'' TV documentary series.

''Beggars Banquet'' is the seventh studio album (ninth American album) by Music/TheRollingStones, released in December 1968 on Creator/DeccaRecords in most of the world and its subsidiary London Records in the US and Canada. It is considered a return to their old rebellious and subversive roots, compared to their previous albums, the psychedelic ''Music/BetweenTheButtons'' and ''Music/TheirSatanicMajestiesRequest'', both from 1967. ''Beggars Banquet'' is best remembered for such tracks as "Sympathy for the Devil", "Stray Cat Blues", and the hit single "Street Fighting Man", and is ranked among the band's best albums.

The album's release was delayed considerably due to the [[ExecutiveMeddling ongoing conflict between the Stones and the record label]], which despised the original "toilet" cover art and forced its replacement. While the original cover was eventually reinstated on reissues, this conflict speaks to the band's rapidly shifting role from a group of talented musicians to a mouthpiece for a generation. From the introductory track, which is the TropeNamer to SympathyForTheDevil and ManOfWealthAndTaste, to the largely SelfDeprecating indictment of [[SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll debauchery of their lifestyle]], the songs both implicate society and defend the people largely undercut by privilege. Fitting for an album heavily influenced by the violence and politics of the 1960s, the cover and the album's themes are now viewed as a celebration of [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores cultural rebels and impoverished people]] disenfranchised by society.

Music/BrianJones, who halfheartedly showed up to the recording sessions, was playing a far lesser role in the band by this point and had his judgment marred considerably through drug abuse. While Jones contributed a few minor instrumentals, most notably the slide guitar on "No Expectations" and sitar on "Street Fighting Man", Music/MickJagger and Music/KeithRichards largely conceived of an album which would return to a {{Blues}}-inspired, [[CountryMusic Country]] sound heavily associated with the working conditions of the poor. Achieving unity in structure even with diverse subjects such as underage groupies, [[PoliceBrutality chaotic riots]], and [[NotChristianRock religious symbolism]], the Stones sought to reconcile these complex ideas to represent the political restlessness of the era through [[ThreeChordsAndTheTruth a more simplistic sound]].

The band delayed the record's release considerably due to the [[ExecutiveMeddling ongoing conflict between the band and the record companies]], who despised the cover shown on the right. While the original cover has been reinstated on reissues, this conflict speaks to the band's rapidly shifting role from a group of talented musicians to a mouthpiece for a generation. From the introductory track, which is the TropeNamer to SympathyForTheDevil and ManOfWealthAndTaste, to the largely SelfDeprecating indictment of [[SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll debauchery of their lifestyle]], the songs both implicate society and defend the people largely undercut by privilege. Fitting for an album heavily influenced by the violence and politics of the 1960s, the cover and the album's themes are now viewed as a celebration of [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores cultural rebels and impoverished people]] disenfranchised by society.

* DisgustingPublicToilet: Shown on the original cover.

** Among the graffiti on the original toilet cover are "Music/BobDylan's Dream" (a song from ''Music/TheFreewheelinBobDylan'') and "Music from Big Brown" (a reference to Music/TheBand's ''Music from Big Pink'').

** The line ''summer's here and the time is right for fighting in the street'' in "Street Fighting Man" is similar to the refrain of "Dancing in the Street" by Martha and the Vandellas, except with the word "dancing" instead of "fighting".

* RunawayBride: "Dear Doctor", the fiancé receives a note from his bride

-->I rode a tank, held a General’s rank\\
While the Blitzkrieg raged and the bodies stank

--> ''Let's drink to the hard working people''
--> ''Let's drink to the lowly of birth''

--> ''Waiting for a girl, she has no money anywhere''

--> ''I watched with glee as your kings and queens fought for ten decades for the gods they made''

--> ''Let's think of the wavering millions''
--> ''Who need leaders but get gamblers instead''
--> ''Spare a thought for the stay-at-home voter''
--> ''His empty eyes gaze at strange beauty shows''
--> ''And a parade of the grey suited grafters''
--> ''A choice of cancer or polio''

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: "I watched with glee while your kings and queens fought for ten decades for the gods they made." The Hundred Years' War was not about religion since at that time both sides were Catholic. It was a simple case of the Plantagenet kings of England also wanting to be kings of France, and the kings of France not wanting that.

[[UsefulNotes/TheCrusades Fought for ten decades for the gods they made]]''

[[caption-width-right:325:[[labelnote:Click here to see the "toilet" cover originally intended for the album, rejected by Creator/DeccaRecords and used on post-1986 reissues.]]\\

''Beggars Banquet'' is the seventh studio album (ninth American album) by Music/TheRollingStones, released in December 1968. It is considered a return to their old rebellious and subversive roots, compared to their previous albums, the psychedelic ''Music/BetweenTheButtons'' and ''Music/TheirSatanicMajestiesRequest'', both from 1967. ''Beggars Banquet'' is best remembered for such tracks as "Sympathy for the Devil", "Stray Cat Blues", and the hit single "Street Fighting Man", and is ranked among the band's best albums.

[[caption-width-right:325:[[labelnote:Click here to see the "toilet" cover originally intended for the album, rejected by Creator/{{Decca|Records}} and used on post-1986 reissues.]]\\

[[caption-width-right:325:[[labelnote:Click here to see the "toilet" cover originally intended for the album, rejected by Decca and used on post-1986 reissues.]]\\

** The independent UK music label Beggars Banquet Records takes its name from this album.

* ContemptibleCover: The original cover, depicting the album credits as BathroomStallGraffiti in a DisgustingPublicToilet, was rejected by Decca Records. This caused the album's release to be delayed by several months while they came up with a new design. They eventually settled on a [[MinimalisticCoverArt spare white cover]] resembling a formal invitation card.
** In the interim, another well-known English pop group, Music/TheBeatles, happened to release a [[Music/TheWhiteAlbum double album with an all-white cover of their own]]. This led to the Stones being accused of ripping off said album cover come the release of ''Banquet'', while they themselves never had anything to do with it.

* NewSoundAlbum: A huge departure from the psychedelia of their previous albums, though there are still some elements of it on this album.

In any case, the influential recording sessions to some songs of this album were filmed in Creator/JeanLucGodard's ''One Plus One/Sympathy for the Devil'' from 1968. A documentary about the creative process behind the making of this album can be seen in the ''Series/ClassicAlbums'' TV documentary series. The record was also listed at #58 in ''Magazine/RollingStone's'' [[UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]] and #94 on ''Magazine/{{NME}}'s'' [[UsefulNotes/NME500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime list]].

[[AC: Side One]]

[[AC: Side Two]]

Music/BrianJones, who halfheartedly showed up to the recording sessions, was playing a far lesser role in the band by this point and had his judgment marred considerably through drug abuse. While Jones contributed a few minor instrumentals, most notably the slide guitar on "No Expectations" and sitar on "Street Fighting Man", Music/MickJagger and Music/KeithRichards largely conceived of an album which would return to a {{Blues}}-inspired, [[CountryMusic Country]] sound heavily associated with the working conditions of the poor. Achieving unity in structure even with diverse subjects such as [[{{Jailbait}} underage groupies]], [[PoliceBrutality chaotic riots]], and [[NotChristianRock religious symbolism]], the Stones sought to reconcile these complex ideas to represent the political restlessness of the era through [[ThreeChordsAndTheTruth a more simplistic sound]].