Patti Smith Covers The Rolling Stones, and the Best Moments Stand Alone

Patti Smith has spent decades singing about the Rolling Stones, and now she has put that fandom on record. Covers The Rolling Stones collects twelve songs she has performed live over her career, recorded in 2007, and it plays like a personal playlist rather than a formal tribute album. The record is a direct line from Smith’s early shows to her recent work, and it holds together because her voice carries the weight of a lifelong listener.

Not Fade Away and Jumping Jack Flash

The album opens with two acoustic versions of classic rock songs, Not Fade Away and Jumping Jack Flash. These are not renditions meant to impress; they are quiet, almost intimate, and they establish the record’s mood immediately. Smith sings them as though she is sharing a favorite record with a friend, and the stripped-down approach lets the songs breathe.

Time Is on My Side and Parachute Woman

Time Is on My Side follows with a slower, more soulful reading that suits Smith’s range. Parachute Woman is a darker, more theatrical piece, and it shows off the dramatic side of her performance style. Both tracks are solid, but neither reaches the heights of the acoustic opener.

Paint It Black and The Last Time

Paint It Black is a highlight. Smith’s delivery captures the song’s melancholy without losing its menace. The Last Time closes the first half of the record, and it is a strong choice, even if it does not top the earlier tracks.

Second Half

The second half of the album repeats Jumping Jack Flash and Not Fade Away, which feels like filler rather than a deliberate arrangement. Salt of the Earth is a decent rock song, but it does not stand out. Like a Rolling Stone is a bold choice, and Smith handles it well, though the track is longer than the others and tests the patience of listeners who want to get to the final stretch.

Gimme Shelter

Gimme Shelter is the emotional peak of the record. Smith’s version is urgent and raw, and it earns its place as the penultimate track. The energy carries over into the bonus medley that closes the album.

Bonus Medley

The bonus medley is a mixed bag. It strings together four songs — Bo Diddley, Gonna Have a Funky Good Time, Living in America, and Not Fade Away — without much logic beyond the fact that they are all rock standards. It works as a coda, but it is not essential listening.

What Works and What Does Not

The record succeeds when Smith commits fully to a song, whether it is the acoustic intimacy of the opener or the raw energy of Gimme Shelter. It falters when it repeats itself or leans on lesser-known tracks that do not justify their place on the running order. The production is clean, and the sequencing is uneven.

Covers The Rolling Stones is a love letter to a band Smith has followed since she was young, and it is most effective when it stops trying to be a polished tribute and becomes a personal performance. The best moments here — the acoustic opener, Paint It Black, Gimme Shelter — are worth hearing on their own terms.

• Album: Covers The Rolling Stones (2007)
• Tracks: 12
• Recorded: Live recordings from 2007
• Key Tracks: Not Fade Away, Paint It Black, Gimme Shelter

Verdict: 7 of 10.

album review · cover album · Patti Smith · rock music · Rolling Stones