Rolling Stones songs: New Faces
*Click for MORE ROLLING STONES SONGS 1962-PRESENT

Well, well who is under his spell/ Is paying the devil his due…

Written by: Jagger/Richards
Recorded: Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland, Nov. 3-Dec. 10 1993; Ronnie Wood’s Sandymount Studios, Kildare, Island, July 9-Aug. 6 and Sept. 1994; Don Was’ Studio and A&M Studios, Los Angeles, USA, Jan. 15-Apr. 1994
Guest musicians: Chuck Leavell (harmonium and harpsichord:), Luis Jardim (shaker), Frankie Gavin (pennywhistle)
*Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012

From the The Rolling Stones – All the Songs book:
With “New Faces,” the Stones send us back to the mid-sixties. In particular,
the song calls to mind the atmosphere of the album Aftermath and the ballad
“Lady Jane.” The main difference lies in the lyrics. There’s a new guy in
town… He’s the figure of youth/His eyes are so blue and they’re looking at
you: the years have passed and the narrator no longer embodies the
insolence of youth. He cannot be sure anymore of the feelings of the
woman he loves, who may well allow herself to be seduced by another.
The Stones singer wrote this ballad on the guitar. “… When we were
in Barbados, Keith started playing keyboards on it,” recalls Mick. “And
then I switched to play keyboards, and he played guitar and I played
harpsichord. So it gave it a slightly different feel, but it always was a sort of
16th century form. And I was trying to take it away from there a little bit,
but then I brought it back.” The bridge, on the other hand, could easily have
been written by Keith Richards…

In the Elizabethan atmosphere of this new ballad, Mick Jagger adopts a
vocal timbre that we rarely get to hear: lowish, well rounded, serene…
perhaps reflecting a more fulfilling period in his life. The improved
relations with Keith are probably not unconnected with this. Mick also
plays acoustic guitar (on the left), and apparently whispers the count-in at
the beginning of the track. Keith plays second acoustic guitar with an
excellent touch, as can be heard in his solo at 1:49. For one of the very few
times since he officially joined the band, Ron Wood plays no part in the
recording. Charlie’s contribution is limited to the tambourine, assisted by
Luís Jardim on the shaker (from 1:33). After having played fiddle on the
“The Worst,” Frankie Gavin now picks up the pennywhistle, which is not
greatly in evidence, to tell the truth, although it can be heard from 1:33.
Darryl Jones plays a solid bass line, but with a sound that is not particularly
well adapted to this musical style. Finally, Chuck Leavell delivers a good
harpsichord part, probably on a synthesizer. This was Mick’s idea (also
claimed by Keith!), but in all honesty the success of this choice of
instrument and its highly prominent place in the mix is questionable.
(Ref. new faces)