IMO, Hand of Fate is one of the best rockers of the '70s era, an underrated gem of a song. It's got a great, simple riff, and a great solo and very very Southern style bridge by Wayne Perkins, with as always some great piano tinkling by Nicky.
And Mick's lyrics are awesome here, telling a great Western sort of story which moves the song. Actually, I think for one of their 70s rockers, lyrically it's up there with Brown Sugar and Rocks Off. It's like a great, basic, Stones track.

I think it should opened the album Black & Blue, rather than Hot Stuff. It'a got a great, "We're back!" sort of feel after two years away...Whereas Hot Stuff isn't that great of an opening track. It'd make a great middle of the record track, or even the second song, but a poor choice for the opener.

Totally agree. Great tune.

Gimme Shelter wrote on Feb 24^th, 2011 at 2:41am:

Totally agree. Great tune.

Yeah, it kind of harkens back to 1971-1972 era Stones after a few years of malaise, and is a very fitting mid-70s rocker--a good song to come out in the era of Aerosmith and other such bands challenging the Stone's claim to the throne

StickyStones wrote on Feb 24^th, 2011 at 1:26am:

I think it should opened the album Black & Blue, rather than Hot Stuff.

Talk is Cheap had the same James Brown funk>classic open chord keithriff rocker as first and second songs.

if you play this album around non Stones friends, they will buy it.

StickyStones wrote on Feb 24^th, 2011 at 1:26am:

IMO, Hand of Fate is one of the best rockers of the '70s era, an underrated gem of a song. It's got a great, simple riff, and a great solo and very very Southern style bridge by Wayne Perkins, with as always some great piano tinkling by Nicky. And Mick's lyrics are awesome here, telling a great Western sort of story which moves the song. Actually, I think for one of their 70s rockers, lyrically it's up there with Brown Sugar and Rocks Off. It's like a great, basic, Stones track. I think it should opened the album Black & Blue, rather than Hot Stuff. It'a got a great, "We're back!" sort of feel after two years away...Whereas Hot Stuff isn't that great of an opening track. It'd make a great middle of the record track, or even the second song, but a poor choice for the opener.

Yeah, Hand of Fate is brilliant, but Hot Stuff is the right opener, you don't want to lose that sublime transition from Hot Stuff to Hand of Fate!

Ronnie Richards wrote on Feb 24^th, 2011 at 11:14am:

StickyStones wrote on Feb 24th, 2011 at 1:26am: IMO, Hand of Fate is one of the best rockers of the '70s era, an underrated gem of a song. It's got a great, simple riff, and a great solo and very very Southern style bridge by Wayne Perkins, with as always some great piano tinkling by Nicky. And Mick's lyrics are awesome here, telling a great Western sort of story which moves the song. Actually, I think for one of their 70s rockers, lyrically it's up there with Brown Sugar and Rocks Off. It's like a great, basic, Stones track. I think it should opened the album Black & Blue, rather than Hot Stuff. It'a got a great, "We're back!" sort of feel after two years away...Whereas Hot Stuff isn't that great of an opening track. It'd make a great middle of the record track, or even the second song, but a poor choice for the opener. Yeah, Hand of Fate is brilliant, but Hot Stuff is the right opener, you don't want to lose that sublime transition from Hot Stuff to Hand of Fate!

Harvey Mandel is that you?

As good as Hand of Fate is.That's how bad Hot Stuff is. :interestingstuffronnie

I avoided buying Black and Blue for the longest time because I thought  - ack if it all sounds like Hot Stuff, plus it had a reputation of being a really bad album.

I'm glad I did because I love Hand of Fate!  That Jagger growl....and the riff....gives me goose bumps.

I played it one night when hubby let me program one half of his radio show a couple of years back.  A kid called in "Hey, I didn't know the Stones had a new song out!"  That was great.  

Great song!

Some Guy wrote on Feb 24^th, 2011 at 8:51am:

if you play this album around non Stones friends, they will buy it.

I have no non Stones friends.....I've lead a very Gimme Sheltered life........

gimmekeef wrote on Feb 24^th, 2011 at 2:40pm:

Some Guy wrote on Feb 24th, 2011 at 8:51am: if you play this album around non Stones friends, they will buy it. I have no non Stones friends.....I've lead a very Gimme Sheltered life........

Over the course of my life, I've helped move at least 2 copies of Black and Blue...

love the dirty slutty Stones swagger
:aimama

coked. doped and smoked up.......

:pullanolte

mojoman wrote on Feb 24^th, 2011 at 9:58pm:

coked. doped and smoked up....... :pullanolte

Or as it's better known....Monday. :interestingstuffronnie

Hand of Fate = 8.5...on an album where the worst song ranks 7.5...and the best ranks 9.5

I love the NYC scratchy mix of Hot Stuff...don't know the actual mix/version of the song...but that scratchy, AM radio NYC mix is AMAZING!!!
Anyone have info on it?!?
/////

Love Hot Stuff. Live version from Love You Live is fantastic.

I like Hand Of Fate, also. But just a few years ago I learned that KR didn't play on it - which somewhat mutes me cheering for it.

Hand of Fate always reminds me of a guy I was seeing at the time Black & Blue came out. We used to blast this song and sing it to each other loud when we were in bed with our hands all over each other. The hands of fate! Not exactly what the song was intended for, or was it?

Bitch wrote on Feb 25^th, 2011 at 8:01pm:

Hand of Fate always reminds me of a guy I was seeing at the time Black & Blue came out. We used to blast this song and sing it to each other loud when we were in bed with our hands all over each other. The hands of fate! Not exactly what the song was intended for, or was it?

It's posts like this that make me wish I was alive in the 70s.

B n B as an ALBUM has been GROSSLY underrated.
HOF is so damn "stonesy".
I'm gonna pop in the stereo.

Yeah.