Last week I proffered my favourite song from 2023; now it’s time to tout last year’s best (in my humble estimation) album: The Rolling Stones’ “Hackney Diamonds.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m not typically blinded by any and every offering from rock bands whose best days are years (decades!) in the past, but dropped-jaw kudos to Mick, Keith et al, whose latest album is, I daresay, right up there with some of their best.

The Stones’ first collection of original material since 2005 – and first since the death of drummer Charlie Watts in 2021 (who is present on some tracks) – the album features contributions from former Stones bassist Bill Wyman, along with Elton John, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, and, perhaps more unexpectedly, Lady Gaga.

But the guest list is no gimmick – this is a Stones album through and through, and just like the old days. Indeed, listening to (and watching on the video below) Lady Gaga’s parlay with Mick brings to mind his prime-time duets with Tina Turner (most notably at Live Aid in 1985).

Their number, “Sweet Sounds of Heaven,” penned by Jagger-Richards and drawn here from a performance at the Racket Club in New York last fall, evenly matches two incomparable talents who more than do justice to the song title, and remarkably surpass the sum of their parts.

I don’t use the words lightly, but it is goosebump-worthy. As the song says, “Let the music play   loud… Let us shout, let us stand up proud, let the old still believe that they’re young.”

(A tip: Do not click off after the pair take their initial bows around the 5:10 mark!)

Lyrics

I hear the sweet, sweet sounds of Heaven
Fallin’ down, fallin’ down to this Earth
I hear the sweet, sweetest sounds of Heaven
Driftin’ down, driftin’ down to this Earth
Bless the Father, bless the Son, hear the sound of the drums
As it echoes through the valley, it bursts, yeah
Let no woman or child go hungry tonight
Please protect us from the pain and the hurt, yeah

I smell the sweet, sweet scents of Heaven
Comin’ down (comin’ down), comin’ down (comin’ down)
To the Earth (from the Earth)
I hear the sweet sounds (sweet sounds)
The sweet sounds (ooh, the sweet sounds of children) of children
And they’re praisin’ (praisin’)
The land of their birth

(No) no, I’m not going to hell
In some dusty motel
And I’m not, not goin’ down
In the dirt (yes, yes, yes)
I’m gonna laugh (I’m gonna laugh)
I’m gonna cry (I’m gonna cry)
Eat the bread, drink the wine
‘Cause I’m finally, finally quenchin’ my thirst, yeah

You can’t have a light without a little shadow, yeah
Always need a target for your bow and arrow
I want to be drenched in the rain
Of your heavenly love, oh, yeah, come on

Let the music (let the music) play loud (play loud)
Let it burst (let it burst) through the clouds (through the clouds)
And we all feel the heat
Of the sun, yeah
Yeah, let us sing
Let us shout (let us shout)
Let us all stand up proud (all stand up proud)
Let the old still believe that they’re young, yeah

(Sweet, sweet sound)

Sounds so sweet (oh, so sweet)
Sounds so sweet (so sweet)
(Heaven, Heaven)
Down, falling down (falling down) to this Earth