Rolling Stones Single-By-Single Thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Parachute Woman, Mar 6, 2018.

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  1. John54

    John54 Senior Member

    Location:
    Burlington, ON
    I like It's All Over Now ...

    I tend to think of Not Fade Away, It's All Over Now, Time is On My Side and Heart of Stone as a bloc of four that are pretty good (and about equally so) but they're just a warm-up for the really good stuff to follow beginning a year or two later. These being the Stones tracks I actually heard in the '60s (Tell Me wasn't). I suppose I could rank them easily enough if I had to ...
     
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  2. ohnothimagen

    ohnothimagen "Live music is better!"

    Location:
    Canada
    "It's All Over Now" is still a classic Stones song...the decision to record at Chess studios was justified by this song alone! IMO this is the point where the Stones become, you know, THE STONES...

    "Good Times Bad Times"...meh. Nice twelve string work, but other than that...meh. It's a B-side.
    Hell, that solo is still ferocious by 2018 standards, it's a quintessential Keith Richards solo. He throws in a couple of licks in that solo he would quote a few times, including in "Sympathy For The Devil".
    One of my favourite Stones performances, captured on a pretty damned decent audience recording to boot! (no pun intended.)
     
  3. Parachute Woman

    Parachute Woman Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Next, we have the second of the two EPs released during this period (and the final EP we'll be covering in this thread):

    Five By Five EP (1964)


    If You Need Me (above)
    Empty Heart
    2120 South Michigan Avenue
    Confessin' the Blues
    Around and Around

    [​IMG]
    Released: 8/14/1964 (UK)
    Charts: #1 (UK EP charts)

    Five by Five is the second EP by The Rolling Stones and was released in 1964. Captured during a prolific spurt of recording activity at Chess Studios in Chicago that June, Five By Five was released that August in the UK shortly after their debut album, The Rolling Stones, had appeared. The title of Five by Five is a play on words—five tracks recorded by the five members of the band.

    Because Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were still honing their songwriting skills, only "Empty Heart" and "2120 South Michigan Avenue" were credited to "Nanker Phelge", a pseudonym for band-written compositions. The rest of the EP is composed of R&Bcovers from some of their favorite artists. Andrew Loog Oldham produced Five by Five and even contributed liner notes (a tradition begun here) where he lists the band's achievements thus far (and stretches the truth by claiming The Rolling Stones' debut album had spent 30 weeks at #1 when it, in fact, was at the top for 12).[citation needed]

    The full recording of "2120 South Michigan Avenue", now heard on the remastered 12 X 5, was faded early here for lack of time available on a conventional EP in 1964.

    Five by Five reached #1 in the UK EP chart,[citation needed] while its five tracks and namesake would form the basis for their second American album, 12 X 5, later in 1964.

    In his book The Rolling Stones: An Illustrated History, British rock critic Roy Carr wrote that "along with the Beatles' Long Tall Sally four-tracker, 5 X 5 is unquestionably the first and last great EP."[2]

    Five by Five was reissued on CD in 2004 on the Singles 1963–1965 box set through ABKCO Records. In November 2010, it was made available as part of a limited edition vinyl box set titled The Rolling Stones 1964-1969, by itself digitally at the same time, and in 2011 as part of the 60's UK EP Collection digital compilation.

    On April 20, 2013 the EP was reissued on 7-inch vinyl record as a part of Record Store Day 2013.

    Personnel[edit]
    The Rolling Stones

     
  4. Parachute Woman

    Parachute Woman Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Here they are doing "Around and Around" on Ed Sullivan in October '64:

     
  5. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    Absolutely love that record, especially Empty Heart, which is odd and unique in the 'Stones canon. I like the 'Stones on Around And Around better than Chuck, and I'm a fan. They did wonderfully on Confessin' The Blues, too. Gettin' good at this point.
     
  6. Aftermath

    Aftermath Senior Member

    The group's initiative to record at Chess Studios was a brilliant move and the results on this EP prove it. Ron Malo was an exceptionally good engineer and group's reverence to their blues mentors is on full display. Seems like every member shines on different tracks--Mick and Brian's harmonica work, Ian Stewart's piano, Keith's guitar work, and of course, Bill and Charlie's fine rhythm work. Brian played exceptional slide on some tracks not featured here, but I think the omission is excusable given that it would show up in the near future.
     
  7. idleracer

    idleracer Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    :kilroy: Also released at around this time, was this Rag Doll rip-off. The demo with Mick on lead vocals somehow managed to escape the attention of the people who cobbled together the "Metamorphosis" album some eleven years later:

     
  8. stewedandkeefed

    stewedandkeefed Came Ashore In The Dead Of The Night

    Must agree with the importance of that Chess sound. It puts "It's All Over Now" a cut above their other cover singles. I enjoy listening to all the Stones Chess sessions together and this single is always a highlight.
     
  9. Guy E

    Guy E Senior Member

    Location:
    Antalya, Turkey
    Absolutely. They really took a step up at Chess Studios in Chicago.
     
  10. Standoffish

    Standoffish Smarter than a turkey

    Location:
    North Carolina
    If You Need Me

    The guitar part reminds me of "Unchained Melody", which I think came out later. Mick's voice sounds like the one I know. Nice little song.

    Empty Heart

    Love the go-go dancers in the video! Groovy dance song. I especially like the guitars.

    2120 South Michigan Avenue

    Love the guitar solo - I don't know who plays it, but I love the tone. Another groovy one!

    Confessin' the Blues

    Decent song, but it's kind of your standard-issue blues number.

    Around and Around

    Is this a Chuck Berry cover? Sounds a lot like him. A fun, rollicking tune.
     
  11. No Bull

    No Bull Forum Resident

    Location:
    Orlando Florida
    I love the original Chuck Berry version...and I really love The Stones version... My favorite Rolling Stones cover of all time.
     
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  12. Parachute Woman

    Parachute Woman Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    I first heard the songs from Five By Five on the American album 12x5. It's funny, when I was a teenager and first into the Stones that album was my least favorite of the early albums and I played it less often than The Rolling Stones Now and the debut. But re-listening to these songs for the first time in awhile...they really sounded fantastic during this period. This stuff is so well-produced at Chess and the group just has this ability to sound both tight and loose at the same time. I'm not sure I can explain that, but it's what I hear.

    My favorite of the bunch is "Around and Around," which is fantastic! This is vintage early Stones and probably my favorite of their many Chuck Berry covers. "If You Need Me" has a great performance from Mick, who is really coming in to his own. "Empty Heart" is, as Edogawa said, kind of an unusual, odd little song that adds some flavor. Stu sounds great on the piano on this batch of songs...some really cool boogie boogie from him.

    I agree! Does anyone here happen to know whether that is Brian or Keith on the solo?
     
  13. John Fell

    John Fell Forum Survivor

    Location:
    Undisclosed
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    My favorites on the EP are Around and Around and Empty Heart. Empty Heart was played live in 1964 and then I believe it was dropped from their shows. Confessin' The Blues is cool as well and likely that they discovered it on one of Chuck Berry's albums. I have always hoped they would bring back Around and Around to their live set list.

    Bill Wyman says he came up with the original riff for 2120 South Michigan Avenue on the bass and then the others joined in.
     
  14. Hillel abramov

    Hillel abramov Forum resident

    Location:
    Tel Aviv
    Empty heart could even be classified as the beginning of psychedelic music.
    I still like to listen again and again to the "talking" part of If you need me, just great.
     
  15. danasgoodstuff

    danasgoodstuff Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR
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  16. tim_neely

    tim_neely Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Central VA
    In case anyone doesn't know, 2120 South Michigan Avenue as of 1964 was the Chicago address of Chess Records.
     
  17. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    Moreover, I've always thought the tracks recorded at Chess were probably had the best SQ of any of those early 'Stones tracks. Certainly better than anything RCA -- who didn't seem to have much luck recording rock records -- and also better than Olympic IIRC. Before I was aware of any of these details I'd always wonder why the SQ would vary so much track-to-track on the early LPs -- from really pretty good like the Chess to "whoa" that kinda stinks on others.
     
  18. Given that it's not a slide solo, you can pretty much bet your bottom dollar it was Keith. Also, Brian played harmonica on the original track - though Mick took the harp part when they played it over the closing credits during their second Sullivan show appearance.
     
  19. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    I think I mentioned before -- I like the 'Stones on Around And Around better than the Chuck Berry original.

    The opening guitar chords to Empty Heart almost sound like the 'Stones giving a nod to The Kinks or The Who. I suppose I Can't Explain hadn't been released yet, but both You Really Got Me and All Day And All Of The Night had. I love the clumsy falsetto background vocal and the guitar licks in that. Just an oddball in the 'Stones catalog that I get a kick out of every single time.

    edit note: I just released the EP was released Aug. 1964. Shoots my nod to the Kinks theory down.
     
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  20. ohnothimagen

    ohnothimagen "Live music is better!"

    Location:
    Canada
    Five By Five is awesome. "If You Need Me" is the only song I'm iffy about. "Empty Heart" and "2120" are my favourites. Like yerself I first heard these tracks on 12 X 5.
    Indeed. Andrew Oldham's decision to set them up at Chess Studios was one of his more inspired moves. And it paid off in spades. The sound quality is excellent as well- give the the Chess recorded stuff over the L.A. RCA Studios tracks anyday.
    My money would be on Keith, although rumour and/or urban legend has it that Muddy Waters himself sat in on the session, so make of that what you will. I think the solo's Keith, though.
     
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  21. idleracer

    idleracer Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    :kilroy: Also out around this time would be this give-away. Still in the process of learning the ropes in the songwriting department, but they did instinctively know when a song would sound much better if delivered by someone else. Oldham produces, while John Paul Jones twirls the knobs:

     
  22. oxenholme

    oxenholme Senile member

    Location:
    Knoydart
    Only just chanced on this thread and all my favourites have been and gone :( 1963-1964 was my favourite era.

    There is an interesting variant of Five X Five from Jugoslavia. All songs in true stereo and with EQ that I find particularly attractive. Sadly the playing surface is rough so there is plenty of extraneous noise.

    [​IMG]

    I have a needledrop of DEF 8590 (NOT DFE 8590) - heaven alone knows whether I will ever find a copy of my own - it sounds good, but I prefer the EQ of the Jugoton.
     
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  23. Guy E

    Guy E Senior Member

    Location:
    Antalya, Turkey
    There was a good thread last year about the early Stones recordings. I thought that this post was brilliant - it's a wonderful hypothetical album with incredible "period" artwork:
    Rolling Stones: first 3 Decca vs. 5 London albums
    [​IMG]

    Side 1
    1. Road Runner
    2. Diddly Daddy
    3. Baby What's Wrong
    4. Bright Light Big City
    5. Fortune Teller
    6. Poison Ivy
    7. Come On!
    Side 2
    1. Bye Bye Johnny
    2. Money
    3. You Better Move On
    4. I Wanna Be Your Man
    5. Stoned
    6. Go Home Girl
    7. I Want To Be Loved
    Contains some of their IBC demos, the Rolling Stones EP and their early singles.
    In this record 'Poison Ivy' is the early version (not from the EP), originally planned as a Decca single b/w 'Fortune Teller' but scrapped a bit later, instead 'I Wanna Be Your Man'/'Stoned' came out.

    'I Want To be Loved' is the version taken from the 'Come On' single, there's also an IBC version of it but I wanted to put in their first singles completely here.

    ~ andrewskyDE ~
     
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2018
  24. oxenholme

    oxenholme Senile member

    Location:
    Knoydart
    I have that Saturday Club LP. Nice music, but not one of Decca's best pressings!!!
     
  25. a customer

    a customer Forum Resident

    Location:
    virginia
    I love that guitar solo it is awesome even today . One of his best
     
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