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Rolling Stones songs: Salt of the Earth
A TOAST FROM THE STONES TO THE WORKING CLASS When Mick Jagger belts out “Let’s drink to the hardworking people”, it hits different. Salt of the Earth isn’t just another Stones tune—it’s their gritty, heartfelt nod to everyday heroes. With Keith Richards kicking things off on lead vocals for the first time, the song oozes raw honesty and soul. It’s the Stones putting down the swagger for a second to raise a glass to the real world.
Let’s think of the wavering millions/ Who need leaders but get gamblers instead…
Original title: Silver Blanket Written by: Jagger/Richard Recorded: Olympic Sound Studios, London, England, May 9-10 & 13-18 1968; Sunset Sound Studio, Los Angeles, USA, July 1968 Guest musicians: Nicky Hopkins (piano), Watts Street Gospel Choir (backing vocals) *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
More about Salt of the Earth by The Rolling Stones
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
A Toast to the Unsung Heroes
When Mick Jagger sings “Let’s drink to the hardworking people”, it’s more than a lyric—it’s a rare, heartfelt salute from a band not usually known for social commentary. Salt of the Earth, from Beggars Banquet, stands out in The Rolling Stones’ catalog as a moment of unfiltered reverence for the working class. The song opens with Keith Richards delivering his first-ever lead vocal on a Stones track, bringing a raw, everyman quality that perfectly fits the theme.
Gospel elements—courtesy of the Watts Street Gospel Choir—blend with acoustic blues and Nicky Hopkins’ loping piano, lifting the track into a near-spiritual experience. Yet, for all its sincerity, there’s an underlying ambiguity: in the bridge, Jagger sings about a faceless crowd, possibly his own audience, and questions whether he truly sees them. That uncertainty makes the track even more poignant—a moment of solidarity clouded by the fame-induced distance between performer and listener.
From Scripture to Song: The Evolution of Salt of the Earth
The phrase “salt of the earth” has biblical roots, referring to those who live righteously and give life its flavor—those who are, in essence, the best of humankind. But over time, its meaning shifted. No longer reserved for the morally elite, it came to represent the everyday heroes: the laborers, the exploited, the forgotten. In that spirit, Jagger’s lyrics raise a glass to the foot soldier, the worker, the disillusioned voter, and the silent millions searching for guidance but finding only opportunists. Though the Stones rarely tread overtly political ground, this track manages to do so with grace and grit. It even drew covers from unexpected names like Joan Baez, Judy Collins, and The Rotary Connection, who reimagined it with sweeping orchestration and Minnie Riperton’s soaring voice—a testament to its lasting emotional reach.
Jagger’s Cynicism Meets Society’s Reflection in a Stones Classic
The Rolling Stones’ singer’s cynicism is matched only by the cynicism of society at large. “‘Salt of the Earth,’ I think I came up with the title of that and had the basic spur of it, but Mick did all the verses,” Keith Richards pointed out in his Life autobiography. “This was our thing. I’d spark the idea… and after that, Mick, it’s all yours. Halfway through he’d say, where do we break it? Where do we go to the middle? Where’s the bridge?”
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