History Music / DirtyWork

Upon release, it was greeted with mixed to negative reviews. "Harlem Shuffle"-- originally by Bob & Earl-- became their first lead single to be a cover since "Little Red Rooster" in '''1964'''! To this day, ''Dirty Work'' is generally considered to be the worst Rolling Stones album, owed in part to how heavily the negative recording atmosphere reflected in the quality of the tracks (many reviewers at the time characterized the band as sounding old and tired throughout the album), although it's not without it's fans. Fan favourites include "One Hit (To The Body)", "Harlem Shuffle", "Winning Ugly" and "Had It With You".

On a [[TearJerker sadder note]], Stones founding member Ian Stewart (who was demoted to road manager and session musician in 1963) died of a sudden heart attack (At a hospital waiting room) shortly after the album was completed; Stewart provided piano parts for the album as a session musician. As a tribute to Stewart, the Stones chose to end ''Dirty Work'' with a recording of him playing a cover of "Key To The Highway". They also dedicated this album to him - "Thanks, Stu, for 25 years of boogie-woogie". Stewart's role with the Stones would be filled by [[Music/TheAllmanBrothersBand Chuck Leavell]].

[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/22rs_3086.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:320: ''Dirty Work'', an album where Jagger was mostly absent and thus had others do the [[IsntItIronic dirty work]] for him.]]

''Dirty Work'' is the eighteenth studio album (twentieth American album) by Music/{{The Rolling Stones|Band}}, released in 1986. It was recorded during the lowest period of the Stones career (and indeed the relationship between Music/MickJagger and Music/KeithRichards) where they came dangerously close to breaking up. This is largely due to Jagger placing his developing solo career as his top priority over the Stones. After the album was released, Jagger refused to go on tour with the Stones, and went back to his solo career. [[Main/{{Understatement}} Richards was infuriated]].

# "One Hit (To The Body)" (4:44)

# "Back To Zero" (4:00)

# "Had It With You" (3:19)

# "Key To The Highway" (0:33)

''Dirty Work'' is the eighteenth studio album (twentieth American album) by Music/TheRollingStones, released in 1986. It was recorded during the lowest period of the Stones career (and indeed the relationship between Music/MickJagger and Music/KeithRichards) where they came dangerously close to breaking up. This is largely due to Jagger placing his developing solo career as his top priority over the Stones. After the album was released, Jagger refused to go on tour with the Stones, and went back to his solo career. [[Main/{{Understatement}} Richards was infuriated]].

* TheEighties: ''Dirty Work'' is probably the most blatantly 80's of any of the Stones' 80's albums, from the booming drums and heavy reverb on many tracks to the 60's throwbacks to the comic on the inner sleeve parodying the contemporary workout craze to the bright pastel outfits on the front cover. Had this album been released ten or twenty years later it might've been viewed as a ''parody'' of the decade.

Upon release, it was greeted with mixed to negative reviews. "Harlem Shuffle" - originally by Bob & Earl - became their first lead single to be a cover since "Little Red Rooster" in '''1964'''! To this day, ''Dirty Work'' is generally considered to be the worst Rolling Stones album, although it's not without it's fans. Fan favourites include "One Hit (To The Body)", "Harlem Shuffle", "Winning Ugly" and "Had It With You".

* ComicStrip: The original vinyl release contained a comic strip, drawn by Mark Marek of ''WesternAmimation/KaBlam'' fame, called "Dirty Workout".

On a [[TearJerker sadder note]], Stones founding member Ian Stewart (who was demoted to road manager and session musician in 1963) died of a sudden heart attack (At a hospital waiting room) shortly after the album was completed. As a tribute to Stewart, the Stones chose to end the album with him playing a cover of "Key To The Highway". They also dedicated this album to him - "Thanks, Stu, for 25 years of boogie-woogie". Stewart's role with the Stones would be filled by [[Music/TheAllmanBrothersBand Chuck Leavell]].

* ComicStrip: The original vinyl release contained a comic strip, drawn by Mark Marek, called "Dirty Workout".

'''''Dirty Work''''' is the eighteenth studio album (twentieth American album) by Music/TheRollingStones, released in 1986. It was recorded during the lowest period of the Stones career (and indeed the relationship between Music/MickJagger and Music/KeithRichards) where they came dangerously close to breaking up. This is largely due to Jagger placing his developing solo career as his top priority over the Stones. After the album was released, Jagger refused to go on tour with the Stones, and went back to his solo career. [[Main/{{Understatement}} Richards was infuriated]].

Upon release, it was greeted with mixed to negative reviews. "Harlem Shuffle" - originally by Bob & Earl - became their first lead single to be a cover since "Little Red Rooster" in '''1964'''! To this day, ''Dirty Work'' is generally considered to be [[ParvumOpus the worst Rolling Stones album]], although it's not without it's fans. Fan favourites include "One Hit (To The Body)", "Harlem Shuffle", "Winning Ugly" and "Had It With You".

Upon release, it was greeted with mixed to negative reviews. "Harlem Shuffle" - originally by Bob & Earl - became their first lead single to be a cover since "Little Red Rooster" in '''1964'''! To this day, ''Dirty Work'' is generally considered to be [[TheScrappy the worst Rolling Stones album]], although it's not without it's fans. Fan favourites include "One Hit (To The Body)", "Harlem Shuffle", "Winning Ugly" and "Had It With You".

[[caption-width-right:320: "Dirty Work", an album where Jagger was mostly absent and thus had others do the [[IsntItIronic dirty work ]]for him.]]

Upon release, it was greeted with mixed to negative reviews. "Harlem Shuffle" - originally by Bob & Earl - became their first lead single to be a cover since "Little Red Rooster" in 1964! To this day, ''Dirty Work'' is generally considered to be [[TheScrappy the worst Rolling Stones album]], although it's not without it's fans. Fan favourites include "One Hit (To The Body)", "Harlem Shuffle", "Winning Ugly" and "Had It With You".

[[AC:Side One]]

[[AC:Side Two]]

* CoverVersion: "Harlem Shuffle" (a Bob & Earl cover), "Too Rude" (a cover of "Winsome" by reggae dancehall musician Half Pint) and "Key To The Highway" (originally by Big Bill Broonzy). Incidentally "Harlem Shuffle" was the first cover song the Stones had released as an opening single off a new studio album since 1965.

* RepurposedPopSong: The small snippet of "Key To The Highway" that appears as a hidden track at the end of the album was originally recorded in 1964, but never officially released. The Stones used a 33-second instrumental from the song as an album closer, because Ian Stewart, who died during the recording of "Dirty Work", played that part. So it's pretty much a farewell salute to their longtime member.
* RogerRabbitEffect: The music video of "Harlem Shuffle" shows the band in the presence of animated cartoon characters. The live-action parts were directed by Creator/RalphBakshi, famous for his adult animated features in the 1970s, and the animated parts by Creator/JohnKricfalusi, future creator of ''WesternAnimation/RenAndStimpy''.

** [[Music/{{Kiss}} Anton Fig]] plays the drums on several of the songs. Among others, Music/TomWaits [[note]] A year earlier, on Waits' ''Music/RainDogs'' (1985) Keith Richards had a guest spot [[/note]], reggae legend Jimmy Cliff, actress Beverley D'Angelo, folk singer Music/KirstyMacColl, Patti Scialfa [[note]] member of Music/BruceSpringsteen's E Street Band, who would marry Springsteen in 1991 [[/note]] and [[Film/NationalLampoonsVacation Beverly D'Angelo]] sings backing vocals on several of the songs.

[[caption-width-right:320:''Dirty Work''.]]

# "One Hit (To The Body)"
# "Fight"
# "Harlem Shuffle"
# "Hold Back"
# "Too Rude"
# "Winning Ugly"
# "Back To Zero"
# "Dirty Work"
# "Had It With You"
# "Sleep Tonight"
# "Key To The Highway"

* CoverVersion: "Harlem Shuffle", "Too Rude" and "Key To The Highway".
* DarkerAndEdgier: The trend continues from "Music/{{Undercover}}" as the relationship between Jagger and Richards worsens.

* PrecisionFStrike: "Had It With You", with the opening line ''"I love you dirty fucker"''.

** [[Music/{{Kiss}} Anton Fig]] plays the drums on several of the songs. Among others, Music/TomWaits and [[Film/NationalLampoonsVacation Beverly D'Angelo]] sings backing vocals on several of the songs.

'''''Dirty Work''''' is the eighteenth studio album (twentieth American album) by Music/TheRollingStones, released in 1986. It was recorded during the lowest period of the Stones career (and indeed the relationship between Mick Jagger and Music/KeithRichards) where they came dangerously close to breaking up. This is largely due to Jagger placing his developing solo career as his top priority over the Stones. After the album was released, Jagger refused to go on tour with the Stones, and went back to his solo career. [[Main/{{Understatement}} Richards was infuriated]].

* Mick Jagger - lead vocals, harmonica