« Back to Top Level | Rolling Stones, The

The Rolling Stones - Black Box CD-1 (1967)

Track listing:
  1. Heart Of Stone 2:43
  2. Not Fade Away 1:50
  3. And Mr. Spector and Mr. Pitney Came Too 3:14
  4. Andrews Blues 3:02
  5. Don't Lie To Me 2:04
  6. Hi Heel Sneakers 2:59
  7. Stewed And Keefed 4:08
  8. Look What You've Done 2:18
  9. Tell Me Baby, How Many More Times 1:54
  10. Down In The Bottom 2:43
  11. We're Wastin' Time 2:54
  12. Hear It 3:07
  13. Sleepy City 3:02
  14. Try A Little Harder 2:25
  15. Something Just Stick in Your Mind 2:30
  16. As Time Goes By 2:13
  17. Blue Turns To Grey 2:38
  18. Satisfactiion 3:42
  19. Looking Tired 2:15
  20. Paint It Black 2:20
  21. Lady Jane 3:09
  22. Get Yourself Together 3:09
  23. Have You Seen Your Mother Baby, Standing In The Shadow #1 2:29
  24. Have You Seen Your Mother Baby, Standing In The Shadow? # 2 2:28
  25. Let's Spend The Night Together 3:48

Notes

http://bootlegzone.com/album.php?name=yd-046&section=9

CD-1:

- Heart Of Stone: The released version of the song in mono.

- Not Fade Away: An alternate take with a different harp track

- And Mr. Spector and Mr. Pitney Came Too: More or less the instrumental version of Andrews Blues. A.k.a. 1964 Blues Jam on some releases.

- Andrews Blues: Vocal by........Gene Pitney. He says thank you at 2:01 when Jagger mentions his name during his vocal piece of the song. Supposedly, rare acetates of this song were made for members of the band with "Between The Buttons" like cartoons on the labels drawn by Charlie Watts!

- Don't Lie To Me: The early 1964 studio ("Metamorphosis") version of the Chuck Berry song. Also covered live by the band on the BBC in 1964, and in Ft. Worth, Texas, June 24, 1972.

- Hi Heel Sneakers: The following five tracks (excluding Look What You've Done) originally surfaced on the early seventies release "Bright Lights Big City" (RS 541) on Trade Mark of Quality. There is an interesting story of how this first recording of rare acetates was made in the book "Bootleg: The Secret History Of The Other Recording Industry" a.k.a "The Great White Wonders" in the UK by Clinton Heylin, on page 87. These songs were recorded at Chess Studios, Chicago, June, 1964.

- Stewed and Keefed: This is the same "cleaned-up" (no acetate pops) version that first appeared on "Mad Shadows" on Scorpio (SC-91022) and "Bright Lights Big City" Anniversary Edition (TSP-CD-BLBC)

- Look What You've Done: Jagger introduces the title of the song, but other than that it's similar to the released album take. A Muddy Waters song, recorded June, 1964 at Chicago Chess Studios.

- Tell Me Baby, How Many Times: A "Big" Bill Broonzy number.

- Down In The Bottom: Exhumed for the 1995 European Tour. Written By Willie Dixon and also performed by early Stones inspiration Howlin' Wolf.

- We're Wastin' Time: From the non-US versions of "Metamorphosis" with a slightly longer intro and outro. This and the following four tracks were cut with a studio session band and/or the Oldham Orchestra. Recording session date: July-Sept., 1964. Sort of a country feel to this, which didn't surface on record until High and Dry on "Aftermath" in 1966.

- Hear It: An instrumental track with Keith possibly on acoustic guitar and an Oldham orchestrated back-up arrangement. Recording date: July-Sept., 1964.

- Sleepy City: A Jagger vocal demo from "Metamorphosis". Recording date: July-Sept., 1964.

- Try A Little Harder: Another "Metamorphosis" track with count in. Recording date: July-Sept., 1964.

- Somethings Just Stick In Your Mind: Again from non-US versions of "Metamorphosis". A vocal demo recorded with session musicians.

- As Time Goes By: Alternate vocal/electric guitar take of As Tears Go By in best quality sound.

- Blue Turns To Gray: An Oldham orchestrated horn induced alternate that would have fit the standard set by the other early tracks found on "Metamorphosis", but not part of that compilation. Recording date: Nov., 1963.

- Satisfaction: An instrumental version of the song that has been in circulation for some time, but this is the best quality.

- Looking Tired: Another of the original "Bright Lights Big City" tracks this time the recording source is RCA Studios, LA, Sept., 1965. The guitar riff is lifted from Robert Johnson's 32-20 Blues, which he lifted from a piano blues by Delta Bluesman Skip James called 20-20 Blues! The earliest Johnson influenced Stones song I have come across.

- Paint It Black: An instrumental version of the song that has been in circulation for some time, but this is the best quality. Recorded in March, 1966.

- Lady Jane: The vocal is way in the back on this, but audible.

- Get Yourself Together: The vocal version of this title in best quality. Out of place for a 1966 track. It might have worked on "Between The Buttons".

- Have You Seen Your Mother Baby, Standing In The Shadow?: Only the backing vocals are present.

- Have You Seen Your Mother Baby, Standing In The Shadow?: An alternate take.

- Let's Spend The Night Together: Noticeable "wow" on the tape source in a couple of places. Only the backing vocals are present. Recorded in January, 1967.

Hardcore addicts may revel in this collection, but the average Stones fan would do well to stick to legitimate releases. Curiosities include an obscene studio schtick with Gene Pitney, and a heap of early obscurities (e.g. "We're Wastin' Time," "Sleepy City," "Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind") which blur indistinctly into one big mess o' blues. Instrumental backing tracks from Aftermath, Flowers and Between the Buttons are included — most of which are surprisingly listenable. A Jagger-less "Satisfaction" riffs on ad nauseum, but diamond-in-the-rough alternates of "Gimme Shelter" and "Brown Sugar" are worthwhile. In short, the Black Box is a dissertation on Mick and Keef; well-researched musically, but not for the faint-hearted.