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It was June 1968 at Redlands and The Rolling Stones disappeared into the blues. Their sprawling take on Muddy Waters’ Still A Foolstretches past nine minutes, riding waves of wailing slide guitar, crying harmonica, and Mick Jagger’s deep, Southern-styled moan. It’s raw, hypnotic, and unapologetically loose. Nicky Hopkins’ piano punches through the haze, grounding the jam while the band digs into Delta roots with feral intensity. More than a cover, this unreleased performance feels like a laboratory for ideas that would soon surface elsewhere, hinting at the dark grooves of Midnight Rambler. For blues lovers and Stones devotees alike, it’s messy, immersive, and utterly irresistible.
Rolling Stones unreleased: Still A Fool
Also known as: Two Train Blues ; Two Trains Running Written by: McKinley Morganfield (Muddy Waters) Recorded: Rolling Stones Mobile, Redlands, England, June 26-30 1968 Guest musicians: Nicky Hopkins (piano)
From Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012: Still A Fool is a return to the Little Red Rooster style blues. The song was a 1951 Muddy Waters tune. Slide guitar, wailing harmonica, piano, and Jagger moaning in true southern Delta fashion creates a track lasting over nine minutes, which should be sought by blues critics and Stones’ official collectors alike. It returns to the past, but also is predictive of the future. It must have given them confidence to tackle tracks like the impending Midnight Rambler. Still A Fool, also known as Two Trains Running is essential collecting material.
Recorded at Redlands, England, between June 26–30, 1968, Still A Fool finds The Rolling Stones diving deep into the blues that first inspired them. Originally a 1951 classic written by McKinley Morganfield (aka Muddy Waters), the track channels the raw, hypnotic style of Little Red Rooster. Over nine minutes, Jagger moans in true southern Delta fashion while slide guitar wails, harmonica cries, and Nicky Hopkins’ piano punctuates the groove. It’s a sprawling, immersive blues experience—part homage to the past, part hint at the band’s future explorations on tracks like Midnight Rambler. For any blues enthusiast or Stones collector, it’s an essential listen, capturing a band confident enough to stretch out and play without boundaries.
Influence and Legacy
Interestingly, 1968 was also the year British group The Groundhogs recorded Still A Foolfor their debut Scratching the Surface. Whether this inspired the Stones remains unclear, but it illustrates the transatlantic fascination with Muddy Waters’ work. Known also as Two Trains Running or Two Train Blues, the Stones’ version stands out for its authenticity and daring improvisation. Unlike their radio hits, this track wasn’t crafted for chart success—it’s a piece for aficionados, showcasing their respect for Delta blues while foreshadowing the experimental edge they would fully embrace in later recordings. For anyone tracing the evolution of the Rolling Stones’ sound, Still A Fool is a must-have—a bridge between roots and nostalgia.
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