Jump Back: The Best of the Rolling Stones

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The Rolling Stones

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Jump Back: The Best Of The Rolling Stones: `71-`93 was released only in the UK on November 22, 1993. It was the *18th* compilation album released in the UK. It was also the first release of the Stones new contract with Virgin Records. None of the songs appear on either Hot Rocks or More Hot Rocks. The album seems mis-titled because it does not include any of the single releases from 1989-1993 and in fact does not include *16* UK single releases from this time period. It was an attempt to release the most the most popular of the Stones hits since they left Decca (London in the US) in 1971. A better title would have been "Some Stones Hits '71-`89", but then who would have bought an album with an ambiguous title and the last hit 4 years earlier....other than those rabid Stones fans, anyway? Well, this is what happens when you have such a huge catalog of hits and you try to do a greatest hits album. Look at all the stuff that had to be left off of the 2002 release 40 Licks. If they ever release the entire Stones catalog as a box set it will have to come in a trunk that comes with a dolly to get it out of the store.

These songs are the most popular from the Rolling Stones Records releases. Here are the original UK release dates of each song (US release and re-release dates were often different during this period):

4-16-71 & 6-29-84 Brown Sugar

4-16-71 Bitch

4-23-71 Wild Horses (on Sticky Fingers - not released as a single)

4-14-72 Tumbling Dice

8-21-73 Angie

7-26-74 It's Only Rock `n' Roll

4-16-78 Hot Stuff

4-16-78 Fool To Cry

5-19-78 Miss You

8-29-78 & 6-1-82 Beast Of Burden

9-14-78 Respectable

6-20-80 Emotional Rescue

8-14-81 & 2-11-83 Start Me Up

12-1-81 Waiting On A Friend

11-1-83 Undercover Of The Night

3-4-86 Harlem Shuffle

8-17-89 Mixed Emotions

10-24-89 Rock And A Hard Place

Here are the *16* UK single releases that were NOT on the album. Ruby Tuesday, Highwire, Terrifying, Almost Hear You Sigh, Jumpin' Jack Flash, One Hit (To The Body), She Was Hot, Let's Spend The Night Together, Time Is On My Side, Going To A Go Go, If I Was A Dancer, Honky Tonk Women, Out Of Time, I Don't Know Why, Sad Day, Street Fighting Man

This information comes from "It's Only Rock And Roll: The Ultimate Guide To The Rolling Stones" by Karnbach and Bernson and from my own collection.

This import-only CD (and why Virgin hasn't issued this disc, or something like it, in the U.S. is beyond me) is an okay introduction for the uninitiated or for those who only want the biggest radio hits, but you really can't do without albums like STICKY FINGERS, EXILE, and SOME GIRLS. And I agree with those who decry those who would butcher (er, edit) these tracks just to cram 'em onto a single CD.

Speaking of the Virgin label, whatever happened to the box sets and rarities compilations that fans were promised when the label acquired the Stones' post-Sixties catalog? They've reissued the original albums, released a handful of new titles, and put out this best-of overseas, but that's pretty much been it. Why isn't the catalog of this monumental band being handled more thoroughly and creatively? Are the Stones themselves to blame, or is it Virgin's fault? At any rate, between ABKCO (1963-1970) and Virgin (1971-present), this band's recorded output (and its fans) have been rather ill-served, I'm afraid. Oh, well, maybe things'll improve in another 15 or 20 years...