Rolling Stones, The Rolling Stones - Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass)
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Free Music Notes for Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass)
Free Music Review: this is terrific
Hit: 5 Stars
big hits is a great compilation from the stones and containing my favorite stones track satifaction.hugely recommended.Free Music Review: A Classic Set You Probably Don't Need
Hit: 4 Stars
Back in the days of records, the first three "albums" I ever bought for myself were SURREALISTIC PILLOW by the Jefferson Airplane and AFTERMATH and BIG HITS (HIGH TIDE AND GREEN GRASS) by the Stones. Looking back, that was a great purchase. All are classics and are loaded with absolute killer songs. On BIG HITS, "It's All Over Now" and "The Last Time" were the tunes that first made me a Stones fan, and "Satisfaction" is considered by many to be the greatest single rock song of all time. At a time when the Beatles usually occupied the top spot on the "charts", Satisfaction" was a monster hit and dominated radio airplay for months during the spring and summer of 1965. With the recent purchase of this CD, I now have all three of the albums from my first purchase on disc.
BIG HITS was the first of many collections of Stones "greatest hits". It was the definitive collection when I first got it, but because it's their earliest greatest hits release, many of the cuts on this disc are relatively unpolished and some are now less well-known than later material. Nevertheless, these are still great songs and, on it's own, this disc is still very much worth owning. The problem is that, if you're a real fan, you have these songs on other discs, so this one is a bit superfluous. Conversely, if you're just a casual listener, there are now several Stones "hits" collections that are bigger and more complete.
I don't want to downplay this disc. It's still a great set and there are people out there that will want to own it, but most will simply want to look elsewhere for Stones collections, and that's why I've only given it 4 stars. It's a 5 star body of material, but it's utility has been outmoded by subsequent releases. Still, if it fills a need for you, or a gap in your music library, go for it. It remains a superb body of work and the sound quality on this disc is quite good.
Free Music Review: Pure energy
Hit: 5 Stars
My first Stones album and probably my favorite. I love the nice bluesy beats and guitar slang. This is the Stones at an early stage of their creativity. The songs are raw and they aren't lovey-dovey. These are self-loathing, to the point, in your face songs with a kick to the ribs. I tell you, when I hear these songs as I play them load I feel as if Mick is spitting the lyrics in my face while Brian, Keith, Charlie, and Bill are playing their instruments into my ear like way street bullies breathe heavily down your neck to intimidate you.
This was sent out in 1965 so this is probably the Stones last attempt to create an image of hardcore street toughs. Afterward the guys got much more effeminate and happygoing with songs like Ruby Tuesday and She's a Rainbow. Then came their effort to show the world that they were mature, creative musicians with their own talents. Songs like Street Fighting Man and Sympathy for the Devil revealed their energy. Sadly, their street tough outlook had gone for good. By 1968 they now smiled for the camera, wore pink scarfs and silk shirts, smoked exotic drugs, and had long girlish hair(before their hair was long but it could have been considered manly in a way. But by the beginning of '69 they hair was truly girlish.).
If you want raw on the streets beer drinking young holligans check out this album. The force of the music will rearrange your senses and make you feel like a man who eats charcoal for breakfast.
Free Music Review: Classic early Rolling Stones!
Hit: 5 Stars
What more needs to be said? After attending many Rolling Stones concerts, I still have great respect for the early recordings. Yes, they were "raw" in the early days, but very talented as well. Many of the songs have achieved "cult status", such as "Satisfaction" and "The Last Time". Many of these tracks can be accredited to the late Brian Jones, a very significant part of the group's early success. Satisfaction continues to be rated as one of the greatest (number ONE in many polls) rock classics of all time. Any Rolling Stones collection is not complete without this classic CD.Free Music Review: Hit Squad
Hit: 4 Stars
If your not interested in The Rolling Stones beyond February of 1966, and all you want are the U.S. hits and some B-sides then this is the cd for you! Released largely as a vehicle for their new single "19th Nervous Breakdown" (#2 on the U.K. & U.S. charts) "Big Hits" concentrates on the singles released in the U.S. between March 1964 and February 1966. As part of a larger Stones collection this anthology works in that it's fun to listen to the singles offerings of this period in isolation.Possibly the most famous song the band ever recorded, "Satisfaction" (U.K. & U.S. #1) was their first #1 in the U.S. and picks up where "The Last Time" left off, combining aggressive music with angry lyrics to create a scorching piece of music that still sounds fresh today. "The Last Time", recorded three months before "Satisfaction" is the archetypal Rolling Stones song. With a signature guitar hook, lyrics that begin with a warning, and a sound that could fill the Grand Canyon (Phil Spector was present during the recording) you've got an instant classic. "As Tears Go By" originally written for Marianne Faithfull (went to #9 in the U.K.), is a beautiful acoustic ballad replete with strings that kept the hit machine humming, reaching #6 in the U.S. What else can be said about "Time Is On My Side"? the version heard here with Ian Stewart's organ intro was the bands first song to break the top 10 in the U.S. eventually landing at #6. "It's All Over Now" (U.K. #1 U.S. #26) with it's thundering opening riff and great guitar interplay between Messrs. Jones and Richards was the second classic to come out of "12 X 5". "Tell Me" (U.S. #24) (the first Jagger/Richard composition to appear on a Stones recording) is interesting, but off the mark.
The reason why we were called here in the first place, "19th Nervous Breakdown" is a cyclone of a song. Launched by a high voltage guitar riff courtesy of Keith Richards, and piloted by some stinging vocals from Mick Jagger, this song is a powder keg that sounds like it could've been recorded yesterday. "Heart Of Stone" (U.S. #19) is next and is the strongest Jagger/Richards composition to that point. This is a song full of danger and angst that easily could have been sung by Johnny Cash. Ok try to stay seated..., I'm not crazy about "Get Off My Cloud" (U.K. & U.S. #1). The more I hear this song the less I like it, and I think I've figured out why. We're treated to an amazing opening; Joe Frazier couldn't have hit skins any better than Charlie Watts does here, Mick Jagger shouts, Keith Richards launches into a great riff; good opening stanza, great chorus, and we're off to the races...or are we? In runners' parlance the song then hits the wall, the lyrics are little goofy, and blasphemy Richards and Brian Jones' guitars are going in opposite directions! Having said all of this the song did deliver the desired result; it became their 2nd #1 single in the U.S. With the opening acoustic riff, and the maracas kicking in a moment later "Not Fade Away" (U.K. #21, U.S. didn't chart) is a rollicking number that does justice to the Buddy Holly classic. "Good Times, Bad Times" (B-side "It's All Over Now") is a semi-acoustic slow blues that simmers throughout, and is aided and abetted by some of Brian Jones's great harp playing. "Play With Fire" (B-side "The Last Time") finds the band in rare Edwardian form. This largely acoustic song has a haunting quality to it, and features Phil Spector on guitar and Jack Nitzsche on guitar and harpsichord.
Notes: Surprisingly enough, even though we tend to think that the Stones were rife with hits during this period, this album contains one song that didn't chart in the U.S. and two B-sides. This cd represents another repackaging opportunity for ABKCO in that they could include the U.K. singles, all the U.K. B-sides, and the remaining U.S. B-sides.
Recording notes: "19th Nervous Breakdown" recorded 12/3-8/65 RCA Studios, Hollywood. For recording notes on the remaining songs see the reviews of the albums from which they came.