My Unpublished Rolling Stones Book

Ten years ago, at the tender age of twenty-four, I began an interesting and ambitious project. In those days before the Internet (or, rather, those days before I had the Internet) I decided to make an attempt to put my years of collecting rock and roll trivia to good use. Inspired by my recent acquisition of a home computer, as well as my love of writing and, specifically, my love for showing off what I know, I came up with the idea of writing a book about The Rolling Stones. With my interest in the group primarily being in their 1960s material, I decided I would write an album by album, song by song examination of all their releases of the decade. In addition to all the albums, I'd have a special *Leftovers* chapter of non-album releases, details on alternate versions or alternate mixes available, Jagger-Richards songs given to other artists, outside productions, and of course a full discography.

Well, I spent countless hours writing, researching, editing, listening, pouring over reference books in hopes of accumulating every tidbit there was to be had about every song in their collection.

All in vain, for when I was finally finished (and in the world of editing one's own work, "finished" merely means "stopped before going crazy") I shopped it around to a few publishers, only to have the project fall on deaf eyes, so to speak.

For a while I continued to touch it up, but eventually became less interested in bringing it to the masses. By the mid to late 1990s there were already other books on the market that looked at the albums song by song, and anyway, all the information was out there on the web to be had.

But...just so my time and effort wasn't completely wasted, I offer you, Fufkin readers, a sample chapter of my unpublished work. Here is the chapter on the band's 1964 debut album. I've left most of it as is, but I changed things such as "as of 1994" to "as of 2004," and other references that dated the original work to 1994.

If you enjoy this, write to Fufkin and say so, and maybe, just maybe, I'll bring out the other chapters over time.

That said, enjoy this peek into my unpublished work.

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The all important debut album from the Rolling Stones arrived in The United States in May of 1964, just a few weeks before the group's first visit to the country. Titled England's Newest Hitmakers - The Rolling Stones, it was a slightly modified version of their first English album, The Rolling Stones, (released two months earlier), containing only eleven of that album's twelve selections, but substituting their first American single, "Not Fade Away," in place of "Mona (I Need You Baby)."

The Stones recorded this collection at Regent Studios in London, a small studio used primarily for the purpose of cutting demos. So inadequate were the facilities that on some tracks a single microphone had to be used to accommodate both Keith's vocal and his acoustic guitar. It also didn't help that some of the technical crew had absolutely no experience with recording a rock and roll band, and therefore no sense of right or wrong in obtaining the best sound for the group. When the quintet visited America on several occasions in 1964, they visited studios in Chicago and Los Angeles, and felt much more comfortable with more experienced producers who had the technical know-how to offer the band a variety of options of sounds. This, understandingly, inspired The Stones to do almost all their studio work for the next few years in The United States.

Like most debut albums from British rock groups at the time, this debut set features a sampling of their current stage repertoire, including nine covers of songs originally recorded by their early heroes like Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed and Slim Harpo. There are only three original compositions, one an instrumental jam, and another mostly a jam with a few quickly assembled lyrics stitching the track together. The third was extremely rudimentary.

London Records kept the British album's cover pretty much intact, except for adding the group's name on the front in large, white, impossible to miss lettering, whereas the British front cover had no group name or verbiage of any kind at all. On the back, Andrew Loog Oldham, Rolling Stones' manager and producer, contributes some liner notes describing how well the Stones' concerts and records had been received in England, and predicting that they will soon break barriers in pop music - a prediction that would be realized before long. Andrew also hit home in his first sentence when he described The Rolling Stones as more than just a band, but a way of life!

Five individual pictures of the band members lay side by side along the bottom of the back sleeve, with the name of each Stone and his instruments listed above. Oddly enough, Brian Jones and Bill Wyman are listed as vocalists (which they were to a degree in the early days,) yet Keith Richards is not. Of course, Bill and Brian would soon become vocally mute, and Keith would forever be the second most prominent vocalist of the group.

When first issued in 1964, the album came with a giveaway color photo inside the sleeve of the band, and with an ad on the back cover urging record buyers to write to a given address for information on how to start a Rolling Stones Fan Club.

England's Newest Hitmakers provides a good summation of the early Stones, demonstrating their own brand of loud, raucous, rough, crude rock and roll and rhythm and blues. The listener gets a good sense of the frenzy that accorded the Rolling Stones in performance in 1964.

The album wound up peaking on the Billboard album charts at Number Eleven, hardly a poor showing for a debut album with no smash hit single preceding it, and by a band not too many Americans had heard about or from. Forty years later, this remains the only Rolling Stones studio album not to place in the Top Five.

Side One:
"Not Fade Away" (Petty-Hardin):

The first example of The Rolling Stones ever heard in the United States, as this was chosen as their first single here, released in March 1964, preceded the release of the album by two months. The band gives a powerful treatment to this song originally recorded in 1957 for Brunswick Records by its author, Charles Hardin Holly, better known, of course, as Buddy Holly. Mick sings over a fast-paced Bo Diddley beat produced by driving drums, two guitars - one acoustic, one electric, and thumping bass. Brian plays wailing harmonica, most likely dubbed in with the tambourine, maracas, and handclaps, and Mick's brief vocal doubling at the very end. Contrary to popular rumor, Phil Spector, the legendary record producer who turned songs by artists such as The Ronettes, Crystals and Righteous Brothers into groundshaking productions through his 'Wall Of Sound' (his trademark term, coined by Oldham,) did not play the maracas on "Not Fade Away." Andrew Oldham fabricated the story for cheap publicity. Spector did, though, visit the Stones frequently at their sessions for this album, but not until after "Not Fade Away'"s January 10th completion (When The Rolling Stones embarked on their first headlining tour in England in the first few weeks of 1964, The Ronettes, featuring the future Ronnie Spector on lead vocals, were booked as a supporting act. The female trio tried to be friendly with The Stones, but received a stiff reception back from the quintet. Wondering why the group was being so cold, the ladies approached Andrew Oldham with the matter, who explained to them that a certain male associate of the trio had threatened The Stones against messing around with his girls!)
Though a great record, and certainly worthy of being a hit single, combining enough required ingredients for Top Forty radio without straying from the band's intentions of playing honest rock and roll, "Not Fade Away" faded away from the charts after climbing only as high as Number Forty-Eight, not surprising for the first record by an unknown band. As with the album, things would prove brighter with the next one.

"Route 66" (Troup):

The album's second track was actually the kick-off track on the English album, and it's easy to hear why. Beginning with a chunky lead guitar riff, with the band kicking in shortly after, it isn't long before the power is pounding out of the speakers, rattling like a locomotive.
This song was written by Bobby Troup. His ode to the sights seen when driving from Chicago to Los Angeles quickly became a standard, recorded by scores of artists, including Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Sammy Davis Jr. and Bing Crosby. The Stones, however, were obviously intrigued by Chuck Berry's rendition, found on his NEW JUKE BOX HITS album, released in 1961.
This is the studio version of a song that would be featured in live form on an album a year and a half later.

"I Just Wanna Make Love To You" (Dixon):

Another of the early classic covers from The Stones. This time around they take on a Willie Dixon composition recorded for Chess Records in 1954 by Muddy Waters (who thought highly of the group and their versions of his songs.) Brian plays a mean harmonica while Mick absolutely shouts out the lyrics as the band plays at breakneck tempo. It's obvious that all five were playing hard and strong, but unfortunately, the overdubbed percussion and handclaps overshadow Charlie's drums most of the way through. Keith, towards the end of the song, plays a jangling lead guitar line identical to the one he would incorporate into "You Can't Catch Me" later in the year.
"I Just Wanna Make Love to You" was also released on the reverse side of the album's second single, "Tell Me (You're Comin' Back)."

"Honest I Do" (Hurron-Calvert):

Few would dispute claims that this song represents the weakest spot on the album. The Stones take a break from fast rockers with this Jimmy Reed tune (released on Vee-Jay Records in 1958) that plays at a slower blues tempo. The guitars sound out of tune, and Mick sounds tired in his vocal performance, almost as if he is reading the words off a piece of paper while singing them.

"Now I've Got A Witness (Like Uncle Phil And Uncle Gene)" (Nanker Phelge):

Oddly enough, this recording, meant as a sequel to "Can I Get A Witness," actually precedes that song on the album. Not really a song, but rather an improvised jam in an uptempo blues progression which bears resemblance to the original song only in the keyboard playing, which retains the piano riff, here played on organ. In fact, it is organ and harmonica, rather than guitars, that dominate the piece. The organ is played by Ian Stewart, the harmonica most likely by Brian, and the tambourine probably by Mick.

The two uncles in the title are the legendary Phil Spector and the clean-cut American pop singer Gene Pitney, who befriended the Stones after meeting them through Andrew Oldham, who served as the press agent for Pitney's European tour occurring at this time. Oldham invited Pitney to the session in hopes that Pitney's presence would inspire and motivate the band, who were not getting very far in the day's work, due to tension between musicians. Pitney even wound up playing on one of the album's tracks, the next one. (Pitney had also worked with Phil Spector on an early single, "Every Breath I Take"/"Mr. Moon, Mr. Cupid And I").

But Gene Pitney had some Rolling Stones' related significance even before meeting them, for Gene Pitney's single, "That Girl Belongs To Yesterday," released in December 1963, has the distinction of being the very first Jagger-Richards composition ever released on record in America. Pitney happened to hear an aborted attempt of the song by George Bean (a singer who released a single on Decca Records of two Jagger-Richards compositions never released by The Stones: "Will You Be My Lover" and "It Should Be You"). Intrigued, Pitney added his own voice to the track. By releasing it, Pitney carved his name in Rolling Stones history. His version failed to make the Top Forty in America, but in England it rode up to Number Seven.

"Now I've Got A Witness (Like Uncle Phil And Uncle Gene)" was not the only recording by The Stones to include those two names in the title. Another instrumental jam track with Gene Pitney on piano counting in the rest of the band was recorded but not released, most likely never even intended for the album. The track was logged as "And Mister Spector And Mister Pitney Came Too."

A more legendary outtake from these sessions has been served up on bootlegs for years. "Andrew's Blues" is an ad-libbed X-Rated song with lyrics mostly sung by Phil Spector and directed towards Andrew Oldham. Spector and Oldham had struck up such a good rapport that Spector offered to distribute The Stones' records in The United States on his greatly successful Phillies label. Oldham, a big fan of the American producer and his artists, saw this as a chance of a lifetime, and instantly gave Spector his approval, but told him it still needed to be put to the head of Decca Records, Sir Edward Lewis. Much to Spector's and Oldham's dismay, Lewis would not break them free from their American deal with London, and forty minutes of attempted persuasion from the two producers did nothing to change the old executive's mind. Saddened by the outcome of the meeting, Phil and Andrew had a few drinks before heading to the band's recording session, and when the band started up an uptempo jam, the plastered Phil let out his feelings by delivering a obscenity-filled vocal performance about such things as Andrew having sex with Jack and Jill, breaking a vow of maintaining virginity until after marriage, and a take off on "Annie Had A Baby," but substituting the name Andrew instead. In between, Andrew came in, imitating the gravelly voice of Sir Edward Lewis, saying "Play the blues, everybody, play the blues. Phil Spector's a load of shit." Mick came in, here and there, at one point singing the names of everyone in the studio, including The Hollies (as Graham Nash and Tony Hicks were singing backing harmonies and adding percussion), Gene Pitney and even the non-present Hal David and Burt Baccarach, the famous songwriting team who wrote some of Pitney's hits.
"Now I've Got A Witness" is credited to Nanker Phelge, a false name seen on several early Stones' tracks released through July 1965. Such tunes represented original compositions from the band for which all five would share the royalties, rather than just Mick and Keith. The band considered the fact that a short false identity representing all five members took up less space on the record label or cover than 'M. Jagger-K. Richards-B. Jones-B. Wyman-C. Watts' would have. Other groups like The Hollies and The Grateful Dead borrowed this idea, each creating their own nom de plume. Most 'Nanker Phelge' tracks are the more jamming numbers, borne out of improvisation rather than a songwriting session. The Stones discontinued the name for credits after 1965, though it remained the name of their publishing company for years after that.

"Little By Little" (Phelge-Spector):

Another uptempo blues closes out the first side. A little slower than the one that precedes it, it is mostly instrumental, with a few lyrics written by Mick and Phil Spector during a break in the session loosely holding it together. For the most part, it was modeled after Jimmy Reed's "Shame Shame Shame."
"Little By Little" begins with a short duet of twangy guitar and harmonica, before the full band starts up. Both the guitar and harmonica get sufficient time for solos (Mick can be heard summoning Keith to begin his improvisational portion, and singing 'My turn' just before he blows his harmonica away for his own twelve bars of spotlight.) Contrary to the credit on the back cover, Phil Spector does not plays maracas, but does clink an empty cognac bottle with a quarter. The cognac had been supplied by Pitney. Sensing the tension in the studio Andrew had warned him about, Pitney lied and claimed it was his twenty-third birthday (the session was February 4, 1964 and Pitney's twenty-third birthday was not for another two weeks, on the 17th) and told them to all have some cognac in celebration, hoping this would loosen things up.

Pitney and Ian Stewart sit together at the same piano, both making contributions. In between the two verses (which are rather far between) Mick lets out a few screams. He can also be heard shouting "Let's get out of here!" just before the fade.

In England, "Little By Little" served as the flipside of the "Not Fade Away" single. London Records instead used what had been their first English Top Ten hit, "I Wanna Be Your Man." Unfortunately, their great cover of the Lennon and McCartney song written specifically for The Stones was left off the album, and it never saw release on any other piece of American vinyl until 1989 (See LEFTOVERS chapter for full description).
As Phil helped with the lyrics, this was one time he actually deserved the co-writing credit he received (Spector often gave himself a writing credit on records he produced even if he never contributed a word or note to the song.)

Further proof of The Stones' fondness for Phil Spector can be found on a 1964 album released only in England by The Andrew Loog Oldham Orchestra And Chorus, titled 16 Hip Hits. Among its contents was a cover of the classic Crystals' hit, "Da Doo Ron Ron." The few who bought this collection should have recognized this track's lead singer, though neither the ten letters of his name nor a picture of him and his huge lips could be found on the jacket. Oldham and his assistant producer on the project, John Paul Jones (who would come back to work with The Stones in 1967), made up an arrangement quite different from what Spector had given The Crystals. The main difference is the change of tempo. The Crystals' hit was fast-paced, while Oldham's is slowed down so much it almost sounds like a precursor to the 1966 novelty classic, "They're Coming To Take Me Away" by Napoleon XIV. And while Darlene Love sang with spirit, Mick sounds rather tired.

Side Two:
"I'm A King Bee" (Moore):

Returning to straight ahead blues, The Stones give life to this Slim Harpo classic (soon afterwards a Stones classic) full of sexual metaphors, released in 1957 on Excello Records. Playing at a medium tempo in the key of E, the band uses acoustic guitar, a sliding bass line, a stinging slide guitar solo from Brian, and a buzzing harmonica solo from Mick.

The band's appreciation of Harpo was further shown eight years later on their album Exile On Main Street which featured Slim's "Hip Shake (Shake Your Hips)," a song that mentions the Blues legend by name in its lyrics.

"Carol" (Berry):

The Stones, especially Keith Richards, were big fans of Chuck Berry, and it was obvious. Not only did they cover a lot of his compositions, but they also covered his own unique arrangements of songs that Berry himself covered (like "Route 66" on this album and "Confessin' The Blues" and "Down The Road Apiece" on future albums). In fact, there were several other Chuck Berry classics the Stones included in their repertoire in the early days that never made it to any Stones studio albums. These include "Roll Over Beethoven," "Memphis, Tennessee," "Beautiful Delilah," "Let It Rock" and "Little Quennie" (though live versions of the latter two have been officially released.)

But they must have had strong feelings for "Carol," recorded by Berry in 1958, as they not only put it onto record, but kept it in their stage set for many years, even into their days with Mick Taylor. They certainly had good reason to be impressed with what they made of it. They remain rather faithful to the Berry version, with handclaps dubbed in for maximum bop potential. The Rolling Stones' take of "Carol" is comparable to The Beatles' "Roll Over Beethoven." Both have the same basic arrangement.

Keith's love of Chuck Berry went much further. In 1979, Keith issued his first solo single, a cover of Berry's Christmas classic, "Run Rudolf Run." Eight years later, he organized an all-star concert in honor of Berry's sixtieth birthday, filmed for the movie Hail Hail, Rock and Roll. And one listen to the song "Could Have Stood You Up" on Keith's first solo album, 1988's Talk Is Cheap, is all anybody needs to figure out who the song was a tribute to (Keith also once claimed that Berry has the distinction of being the only person in the world to give him more headaches than Ol' Blubber Lips ever did.)

"Tell Me (You're Coming Back)" (Jagger-Richards):

The first Rolling Stones record to feature the familiar Jagger-Richards writing credit might not have been the most marvelous example of songwriting, but it was catchy enough to be a popular number. So popular, in fact, that London Records tried it as the second American Stones single (in a slightly different version - see Big Hits.) Stones fans across the United States, who were increasing in number at a casual but quick enough pace, helped send it to Number Twenty-Four, a definite improvement over the first single's mediocre placing.

Beginning with an acoustic guitar and drum intro, "Tell Me" has Mick begging a former lover to return, promising things will be different if she does.

The chorus has the standard and rudimentary fifties' rock chord progression (C, Am, F, G7), with Mick singing the title line, with Keith and a second Jagger track adding what sounds like spontaneous backing vocal bits. The guitar solo between the second and third verse actually sounds less like a solo than the chord formations played note by note. There's even a slightly humorous gaff in the vocals during the last verse. Mick's two vocal tracks on the line "I hear the knock on my door that never comes" are rhythmically out of sync with each other.

But despite these flaws, "Tell Me" is enjoyable not only as a song, but also as a document of Mick's and Keith's first attempts of trying to write pop tunes.

"Can I Get A Witness" (Holland-Dozier-Holland):

The Stones take a stab of the Marvin Gaye hit on Motown Records from the same year, and do an excellent job at it. Ian plays the riff on piano, which leads us into a firm backing. Both Mick and the backing vocalists sound as if they're putting full force into the song.

In addition to the blues and Chicago rock and roll, The Stones also had a strong fondness for Motown. They had already recorded "Money (That's What I Want)," first done by the label's Barrett Strong, on their first EP, and as of 2004 they have covered a total of eight songs which were originally hits on the famous Detroit label by artists such as The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, and The Miracles. One could also add to the list Mick's and David Bowie's 1985 cover of Martha And The Vandellas' "Dancing In The Street." And, as we'll see later, another Vandellas record served as the prime inspiration for a future Rolling Stones hit.

"You Can Make It If You Try" (Jarrett):

This almost sounding like it came from the same session as "Good Times, Bad Times" or "Little Red Rooster," since all have the same basic arrangement of acoustic guitar playing lead over a slow swing style (though both of the songs above were recorded and released months later). Ian Stewart's organ playing is prominent on this cover of a Gene Allison tune released on Vee Jay Records in 1959. During the bridge, Bill and Brian contribute some "Sha-la-la-la" backing vocals.

Walking The Dog (Thomas):

Another great cover, this one a 1963 hit on Stax Records for Rufus Thomas, who composed the song as well. Though The Stones leave out the "Wedding March" intro found on the Thomas record, the band provides a tough solid backing for Mick's nasal recitations of fairy-tales leading up to each chorus. Once he gets there, he is joined by Brian for the blonde's most prominent vocal appearance on any Rolling Stone record. Brian sings the gritty harmony vocal line, and he also contributes the dog whistles at the end of each chorus. The song ends with the title line sung three times, leading up to the final crash of sound which closes the track and makes a great curtain drop for the album.

Some may notice that Mick gets several of the words wrong. Rufus told us that the elephant didn't get back until "the Fourth Of July." Mick, a native of a country that doesn't celebrate that date, has the tusked mammal back at "a quarter to five".

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