The way it should be (but you can’t always get what you want, obviously) | PREVIOUS
1. The Last Time (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, January 17, 1965)
Single A-side • February 1965
2. Play With Fire (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, January 17, 1965)
Single B-side • February 1965
3. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, May 12/13, 1965)
Single A-side • June 1965 (US) • August 1965 (UK)
4. The Spider And The Fly (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, May 12/13, 1965)
Single B-side • June 1965 • US
5. One More Try (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, May 12/13, 1965)
released on US-album »Out Of Our Heads« • July 1965
Album »Out Of Our Heads« • September 1965 • UK
6. She Said Yeah (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, September 6/7, 1965)
7. Mercy Mercy (recorded Chess Studios, Chicago, May 10, 1965)
8. Hitch Hike (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, November 2, 1964)
9. That’s How Strong My Love Is (recorded Chess Studios, Chicago, May 10, 1965)
10. Good Times (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, May 12/13, 1965)
11. Gotta Get Away (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, September 6/7, 1965)
12. Talkin’ ’bout You (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, September 6/7, 1965)
13. Cry To Me (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, May 12/13, 1965)
14. Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Goin’ (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, November 2, 1964)
15. Heart Of Stone (recorded RCA Studios,Hollywood, November 2, 1964)
16. The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man (recorded Chess Studios, Chicago, May 10, 1965)
released on single »Satisfaction« (uncensored) and UK album »Out Of Our Heads« (edited)
17. I’m Free (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, September 6/7, 1965)
18. Get Off Of My Cloud (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, September 6/7, 1965)
Single A-side • September 1965 (UK) • October 1965 (US)
19. The Singer Not The Song (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, September 6/7, 1965)
Single B-side • October 1965 • US
20. Look What You’ve Done (recorded Chess Studios, Chicago, June 10/11, 1964)
Released on US-album »December’s Children« • December 1965
21. Blue Turns To Grey (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, September 6/7, 1965)
Released on US-album »December’s Children« • December 1965
22. I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, May 12/13, 1965)
Released on album »Got Live If You Want It!« with overdubbed applause • Undubbed version on 4-LP Box »The Best Of The Rest« • 1983 • Germany
23. My Girl (recorded RCA Studios, Hollywood, May 12/13, 1965, strings overdubbed October 26, 1965)
released on US-album »Flowers« • July 1967
What makes a Rolling Stones album a real classic Stones album? Certainly not a poorly-recorded live track, added at the end of side one. So the US version of »Out Of Our Heads« (and its companion, »December’s Children«) doesn’t count – although they’re more representative of the band at this point in time than the official British version of their third album.
By 1965 the Rolling Stones were recording whenever there was time and a studio available, and their management put out these tracks – apparently at random – on numerous singles, EPs, albums, compilations and foreign versions: a discography so confusing that there are still tracks that haven’t been compiled on reissues to this day. And who decided to release »Satisfaction« on a single in America (in May 1965, the same month it was recorded!), and wait till August before it finally appeared on a 45 in the UK and Europe?
So, let’s start with two singles:
1. The Last Time
A few weeks after the second album (mainly comprised of cover versions) comes a single written by Jagger & Richards. Jangling guitars and that sloppy Stones beat enhance a song that’s clearly worlds away from the pop tunes of the day. Keith plays a prototype of THE Rock Guitar Riff throughout while Brian Jones adds lead guitar, and this song is the first in a string of classic Stones singles.
2. Play With Fire
An acoustic ballad for the B-side. Shades of Baroque Pop from Jack Nitzsche on harpsichord (and Phil Spector on acoustic guitar!), and the lyrics point to the regal poetry of »Aftermath«.
3. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Sounds more like a 1966 Dylan track than 1965 beat music. Fuzz guitar lick, and Charlie supplies a stomping rhythm, accented by Bill’s pumping bass. The »wide stereo« mix on some continental compilations clearly shows what a fabulous arrangement this is – listen to the acoustic guitar fills, and a piano comes in during the second half. Most of all, Mick shouts and half-sings the lyrics in an early demonstration of rock vocal mannerisms to come.
4. The Spider And The Fly
A relaxed Nanker/Phelge song on the US flip side. Starts like a studio jam, and ends with energetic harmonica.
5. One More Try
Exclusive to the US Version of the album, here the band hurries through another Chess-style original, prominent harp ‘n’ all..
»Out Of Our Heads« was the first Stones LP recorded entirely in America, and it clearly shows how they have progressed from the previous albums. But as they didn’t include singles on their long players in the UK it results in the weird impression that the band was still very much a covers band: the three accompanying singles, entirely self-written and with carefully constructed arrangements, tell a completely different story.
6. She Said Yeah
Is this the beginning of Garage Rock? Scorching guitars, shouty backing vocals, all recorded like a demo. Certainly not the known way to start an album after several number 1 hits.
7. Mercy Mercy
The vastly improved Stones machine tackles a Don Covay song. Again, it all sounds rather loose and rocking’.
8. Hitch Hike
A return to the sound of the first two albums – a fitting environment for this Marvin Gaye song. Irritating little guitar solo in the middle.
9. That’s How Strong My Love Is
Mick in full soul man mode – and surprisingly low in the mix. Again, the chaotic recording gives it an unexpected authenticity.
10. Good Times
This is more poppy, with Bill in inspiring mood.
11. Gotta Get Away
The Stones kinda playing it safe, doing one of their bad boys/anti-love songs.
12. Talkin’ ’bout You
A bluesy Chuck Berry song, totally re-arranged, with a piercing guitar solo over Bill’s fat bass line.
13. Cry To Me
Mick tries a real, soulful vocal, and yet again, the somewhat shambling arrangement and sloppy recording gives it a certain charm.
14. Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Goin’)
Stones-by-numbers. By now they can’t put a foot wrong – they’re a really competent R&B dance band. No backing vocals this time, thank God.
15. Heart Of Stone
From the first few bars on this clearly is in a different league. Beautifully played and recorded, and a fabulous anti-pop song it is, too.
16. The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man
The Nanker/Phelge boys try their hand at a kind of mid-Atlantic, Kinksian walking blues. About the rock business, no less. British flip to »Satisfaction«, and quite rightly so..
17. I’m Free
The tambourine is back! The song mixes Dylan attitude with a semi-Townshend message – and shows the Stones sound of 1965 at its best (Recorded two weeks before the album was released!).
And finally – another single:
18. Get Off Of My Cloud
Listen to Charlie’s hard-as-nails drumming, from the intro all the way through this fantastic song. The guitar rifferama is toned down a bit, with all the action in the vocals and the incessant drum shots. Another of these curious »wide stereo« mixes on a French EP sounds completely different with the main guitar riff pushed way up high into the foreground, building up an unnerving and monotonous atmosphere.
19. The Singer Not The Song
Another pop B-side, heavy on acoustic guitars – Brian gets to shine in the middle. Mick and Keith sing in close harmony!
20. Look What You’ve Done
With all their different compilations and albums the Stones still had a backlog of unused tracks. This is an outtake from the Chess studio sessions for the »Five By Five« EP the previous year.
21. Blue Turns To Grey
One from the Immediate Pop songbook. The Stones could do a decent impression of a Kinks track if they wanted.
22. I’ve Been Loving You Too Long
Another cover version from the 1965 Hollywood sessions. Somewhat uneventful – maybe this is why some bright spark put crowd noise over the recording and buried the track in the »Got Live If You Want It!« album.
23. My Girl
Some effort was put into this well-arranged performance. They even overdubbed a string arrangement in October 1965. But maybe the time for cover versions had ended by now as it remained unreleased for a while.
24. Off The Hook
The B-side of the »Little Red Rooster« single, and a clear counterpart: The Nanker/Phelge boys try their hand at Merseybeat. Hmm, but why?
25. Suzie Q
Oh dear, those nagging handclaps from the first album make a return on a track that sounds like two bands playing at the same time. Everything is just busy and competitive, and they all get into each other’s way.
plus:
26. As Time Goes By
A demo recording, just Big Jim Sullivan and Mick, from one of those Andrew Loog Oldham Orchestra recording sessions. Mick sings the first draft of what would soon become »As Tears Go By«, and it’s fascinating to hear how a few small changes can make all the difference.
Chicks With Disks 