Bill Wyman’s birthday yesterday makes this as good a time as any to get some past Stones stuff onto the blog. From Mick’s birthday, July 26, 2011.

Happy birthday, Mick
68 years of big lips,
Those skinny-ass hips

The rolling-est Stone
Fronting THE rock ‘n’ roll band
Nearly five decades

For generations
He symbolized rebellion
But was he that wild?

Born in Dartford, Kent
Dad Basil and mum Eva
Teacher, hairdresser

Sang in church choir
Guess he learned sympathy for
The devil later

But Mick, Keith Richards
Were school chums early, got back
Together later

Chance train stop meeting
Joint love for Muddy and Chuck
Glimmer Twins were born

Keith, Brian Jones planned
A band; Mick kept up
London School studies

But the music won
What’s a bachelor’s degree
Versus world conquest?

Mick and Keith, wedded
For life, like rhythm and blues
Yeah, like rock ’n’ roll

Mick said he was just
“This guy from suburbia
“Who plays in this band”

But he had the look,
Strut and swagger to make him
Rebel No. 1

And he had the band
To mine the grooves, much longer
And so much deeper

“The Last Time”: first time
They wrote a No. 1 hit
It wasn’t the last

No stopping the Stones
They played with fire, tears went by
No satisfaction

His cloud and his thumb
Flash, shelter and street fighting,
Women, wild horses

The music’s menace
Took shape and then came to life
A little too real

The suburban boy
Grew up fast in the spotlight
Brian dead, fans killed

Drug charges, tax bills
Women troubles multiplied
But the band played on

Killer albums all
For years on end, and the best
Came while in exile

Forty albums, give
Or take, hits beyond counting
Across the eras

Glam rock and disco
Country, punk, soul, but always
Back to R&B

He played the celeb
Better and worse, married twice
Seven kids all told

But for all his wealth
You know he couldn’t always
Get what he wanted

“Sir Michael Jagger”
Knighted by the Queen, caught some
Grief from Keith for that

Star turns with Tina
Vamping with Bowie, singing
With Michael Jackson

Stones’ output slowed down
But tours still broke all records
Fans’ hunger untamed

Mick just keeps rolling
Shaking it on the Grammys
Forming a new group

And there should be more
Music from the Stones, the itch
Mick still has to scratch

Happy birthday Mick
Thanks for being you, helping
Us get what we need

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Gilda Radner’s Mick tribute and Patti Smith send-up: “Gimme Mick”