| abstract
| - %22Salt of the Earth%22 is a song from the 1968 Rolling Stones album Beggars Banquet.Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the song is notable for its opening lead vocal by Richards, who sings the first verse. This was the second officially released Rolling Stones track to feature Richards on separate lead vocal. (The first was %22Something Happened to Me Yesterday%22 from Between the Buttons.) The lyrics (written primarily by Jagger) salute the common workers of the world:Notable within the lyrics is the salute to the salt of the earth but no action to change or improve the circumstances of working people is implied or suggested. In a twice-repeated stanza, the singer professes a distance from his subject that seemingly belies the sentiment of the verses:The Salt of the Earth uses a quote that refers to a passage in the Bible where Jesus is trying to encourage people to give the best of themselves (« You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned ? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men » - Matthew 5:13)It is also an expression of doubt on the basis of the status of %22star%22, and about elitism more generally ... The evocation of %22a swirling mass of gray and black and white%22 seems to call into question the binary Manichaeism, which seems unreal when you look closely at the particular experiences of individuals.%22Salt of the Earth%22 heavily features the acoustic work of Richards, typical of most songs from Beggars Banquet. Richards also performs the slide guitar throughout the song as Brian Jones, notable for his slide on other songs from Beggars Banquet, was absent from these sessions. While some songs from Beggars Banquet were famously recorded by Jagger and Richards with only a tape recorder in between them, %22Salt of the Earth%22 was recorded at London's Olympic Sound Studios from May until July in 1968.Featuring on the song are the Los Angeles Watts Street Gospel Choir and a piano performance by Nicky Hopkins. These additions, and their prominence near the end of the song, are thought to have had an influence on their next album Let It Bleed's closing song, %22You Can't Always Get What You Want%22.%22Salt of the Earth%22 has a unique live history. It has only been played once to an instrumental playback and live five times.- The first filmed rendition was for the taping of the 1968 television special The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (not released until 1996). However, this version features Keith Richards and Mick Jagger singing live while sitting with the audience as the backing track that appeared on Beggars Banquet is played.- It was then revived 21 years later for three performances in Atlantic City during the 1989-1990 Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour, where the Stones were joined onstage by Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin of Guns N' Roses (Video on YouTube). Axl and Izzy were given their choice of songs, and when they chose this, the Stones had forgotten it, and had to listen to it to remember.- Jagger and Richards performed it as a duet on YouTube for the 2001 %22The Concert for New York City%22, commemorating the fallen of September 11, 2001, although they changed the lyrics to make its message more positive (most notably %22Let's drink to the good and the evil%22 was changed to %22Let's drink to the good not the evil%22).- Its only other performance was in London, Twickenham Rugby Ground, on September 20, 2003 during the Licks Tour.
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