And then when they parted company with him, and this was at the same time Jagger and Richards were briefly imprisoned for drug possession, the tracklists on the U.K. and U.S. releases starting with Their Satanic Majesties' Request (their first record that Oldham didn't produce, even though some of the tracks were written before he'd left) were one and the same. Only some best-of albums, such as 1969's Through the Past, Darkly and 1984's Rewind, had different track lists. Ironically, the U.K. custom of not releasing singles on albums continued into the 1980s. For example, Culture Club's "Time (Clock of the Heart)" and "Church of the Poison Mind" were originally released in the U.K. as standalone singles (in November 1982 and April 1983, respectively), but they were included on the U.S. releases of Kissing to Be Clever and Colour by Numbers respectively. ~Ben
It was an outtake recorded in May 1965, but with strings overdubbed in late 1966 for possible future use. “Flowers” was a release done and approved by the band to buy time in the U.S. Andrew Oldham compiled it and it was then released during the Summer Of Love 1967. Many people suggests that The Stones were quite serious about their album releases. In fact, they weren’t. They only started to take the album format serious quite late and they adjusted to the different markets in the UK and the US. What was recorded and ready to go, went out on the next release.
Discussed on this board many times. There is no such thing as an ‘official’ version in the UK or US. Andrew Oldham in a personal e-mail to yours truly, in 2012: "We went along with the american idea that US fans expected the hits in new LP's and felt cheated if they did not get them. In the UK we knew that the opposite was true and had we included hit singles then the fans in the UK would feel cheated. So the US and UK track listings were done by us with that agenda. best, o" Ok, but who are "we". Did he say? The boys said "We trust you" ? US album. (But really just a compilation.) December's Children is 29 minutes and includes 2 live tracks (from Got live, EP)
Agree, they probably relied on the suits to tell them what would make $$, and were busy touring, recording, etc. Things got more serious with Aftermath... still relied on marketing types (UK/US versions). They grew up.
And as I’ve mentioned before, as an American kid, we didn’t know any of this stuff, we would go to the record store or a drug store, etc, and hey.. here’s a new Stones album! Long before Rolling Stone magazine or much else, we would buy whatever Rolling Stones album appeared at a store. Flowers was as a great a Stones album as any other album for me. I didn’t know it was a hodge podge of tracks . Of course, in that era one could throw pretty much any 10-12 tracks by the Stones, Beatles , Byrds etc., on vinyl and it was gonna be great in my book . Sometimes the innocence and naivety of that era, not knowing everything about everything, was nice .
I knew about the strings being overdubbed over a year after the original recording, so I guess it makes sense that it was earmarked for release one way or another. I just reckon it sits uncomfortably among that particular track selection, and at a time when they were knocking high quality, edgy original material out of the park. I find it rather jarring.
The first two American releases : England's Newest Hitmakers, and Rolling Stones Now ! are superb. Although there is some overlap with those two compilations, Singles Collection—The London Years /3-CD ℗2OO2 ABKCO–882 340-2 is the grail, the one to have. For fans of the Brian Jones years, it can't be beat, with respect to the early-R&B stuff. Between the Buttons [UK version] is also a personal favourite, though finds the band moving in new directions.
That was only due to one countries ban (on Sister Morphene) and not a decision originally intended by the group.
They took Aftermath very seriously following on from Rubber Soul with 14 original tracks from 2 marathon groups of sessions and packaged it in uniquely distinctive cover artwork. Edit: No Oldham nonsense sleeve notes either as suddenly that was given over to an industry professional to spotlight the Stones current standing in a more serious and deliberate tone. A far cry from the attempted ALO hipness of 12 blackbands in hand and Elvis being the diplomat of only months earlier.
Great years for the Stones! 1966 was a big vintage year for the burgeoning psych scene as well as the British blues revival. Between the Buttons and Flowers are marvelous albums and Satanic Majesties is my favorite Stones album.
I like Flowers because of the 3 new songs, but dislike Flowers because of the song repeats with the US albums. There were enough songs not on the albums to make a full album of new songs!
They should have just added the non-lp b-sides from the period Sad Day, Long Long While, Who's Driving Your Plane and the other U.K. lp only track What To Do and it would have been more useful.
And what about We Love You/Dandelion which came out a few weeks later, and the outtakes If You Let Me and Get Yourself Together? And 1965 leftovers like I've Been Loving You Too Long, Looking Tired? And if that's not enough, the rest of the summer 1964 Chess session and nearly all the 1963 songs are still very much on the table. They had so much material on their hands.
We Love You and Dandelion are a bit beyond period covered by the compilation and some of the other stuff is earlier. I was trying to keep in the time frame of the compilation but yes that material was out these as well. I burned my own Flowers cdr a long time ago which added some of the material mentioned from the same time frame.
Maybe. Apologies for being born in 1978 I admit to being surprised that i didn't enjoy any of their albums pre Beggars Banquet. Different strokes and all that. They're still better albums than any of those made by Herman's Hermits or Gerry and The Pacemakers if that makes you feel any better
Not really a comparison that makes sense. Comparing the 'Stones albums to the LPs released by The Animals, The Pretty Things, The Kinks pre-Face To Face and the others mining the rnb sound makes some sense if you're evaluating the early rnb phase. Herman's Hermits and Gerry and The Pacemakers were something else completely -- safe, light, upbeat pop/rock. Herman's Hermits especially -- the band was pitched to the young girls market once Beatlemania started to wane and The Beatles grew older and seemingly more "serious."
