There is no doubt that this is a record that defines rock music, it is a benchmark by which other judge their success and their failure.

In the mythology of rock it was recorded in the basement of Nellcôte, the villa that Keith rented in the South of France; the truth is that significant portions of it were recorded at Stargroves, Mick’s home in England as well as at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles. From “Rocks Off”, the opening track on side one of the first record through to the closing of side two, “Soul Survivor”, the Stones conjure up a rock tapestry that leaves nothing to the imagination, and yet it leaves everything. “Tumbling Dice”, US, number seven and UK, number five, was the only real hit single from the album, although “Happy”, with Keith on lead vocals, made the Billboard Top Thirty.