Out of Our Heads

by

The Rolling Stones

Edit

With the release of the remastered super audio CDs (SACD) of the Stones ABCKO catalog (which includes all the early Decca/London material), there is now mass confusion about the Out Of Our Heads releases. Allow me to clarify for you:

There are 3 Out Of Our Heads Releases (all were released with lower case titles):

July 30, 1965 - U.S. London Records vinyl out of our heads

(the heads cover with Keith at center)

September 24, 1965 - U.K. Decca Records vinyl out of our heads

(the hallway cover with Brain at front)

December 3, 1965 - U.S. London Records vinyl december's children (and everybody's)

(the hallway cover with Brain at front)

This new remastered SACD is the July 30, 1965 - U.S. London Records vinyl out of our heads release. This version of included include the following tracks that were not to be on the U.K. release: The Last Time, I'm All Right, Satisfaction, Play With Fire, Spider And The Fly, and One More Try. The U.K. version added She Said Yeah, Talkin' Bout You, Oh Baby, Heart Of Stone, and I'm Free.

Note: ABCKO acquired the Stones' catalog when Allen Klein became their manager in the 70s. The resulting legal battles produced releases that the Stones opposed (they took out full page adds asking fans not to buy them), including the controversial Metamorphosis releases (which are now available on CD for the 1st time ever). But the sad fact is that the Stones lost control of their great early material. With these remastered SACD releases, we at last have some idea of what they really sounded like in the studio. I guess if we had these 40 years ago they would have ended up Greatest Rock And Roll Band in the Universe instead of just our tiny little World.

You must buy all 3 releases to get all the tracks, although if you bought the 2 U.S. releases + the earlier U.S. release The Rolling Stones, Now! you would get everything on this U.K. Out Of Our Heads release.

Here is a listing of which tracks are on which release:

U.S. Out Of Our Heads tracks

.....The Last Time

.....I'm All Right

.....Satisfaction

.....Play With Fire

.....The Spider And The Fly

.....One More Try

U.S. Out Of Our Heads & U.K. Out Of Our Heads tracks

.....Mercy Mercy

.....Hitch Hike

.....That's How Strong My Love Is

.....Good Times

.....Cry To Me

.....The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man

U.K. Out Of Our Heads tracks

.....Oh, Baby (we got a good thing going)

.....Heart Of Stone

U.K. Out Of Our Heads & U.S. December's Children tracks

.....She Said Yeah

.....Gotta Get Away

.....Talkin' `Bout You

U.S. December's Children tracks

.....I'm Free

.....You Better Move On

.....Look What You've Done

.....The Singer Not The Song

.....Route 66

.....Get Off Of My Cloud

.....As Tears Go By

.....Blue Turns To Grey

.....I'm Moving On

The album includes the most famous of all Stones tracks (Satisfaction) as well as The Last Time (one of their most enduring compositions). The U.S. Out Of Our Heads tracks were recorded during 1964-5 as follows:

1964: Oct 27 - Nov 2 at RCA Studios in Hollywood

.....Hitch Hike

1965: Jan 17-18 & Feb 17 at RCA Studios in Hollywood

.....The Last Time

.....Play With Fire

Live in the UK on March 6 (Empire in Liverpool), 7 (Palace in Manchester), or 16 (Granada in Greenford)

.....I'm All Right

May 10, 1965 at Chess Studios in Chicago

.....That's How Strong My Love Is

.....Mercy, Mercy

.....Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man

May 11-12, 1965 at RCA Studios in Hollywood

.....Satisfaction

.....Good Times

.....Cry To Me

.....The Spider And The Fly

.....One More Try

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.

I have purchased six of the remasters so far including Out of Heads, Beggar's Banquet, Flowers, Satanic Majesties, Ya Ya's, and Aftermath. Out of Our Heads was the fifth remaster I purchased and I was completely disappointed. I remembered very much enjoying the record as a teen. It is a bit of a hodge podge, singles pieced together to form an album. The performances are still good for the most part, there are some all time classics like Satisfaction and one or two lost classics like Spider and the Fly; a couple of tracks don't hit the mark at all. The sound on the remaster is not only not improved from the earlier it is worse. I promptly returned it for Aftermath which is a joy and an enormous sonic improvement. Out of our Heads, three stars, hasn't aged well, overrated in retropect, and a lousy remastering job. Get Beggar's Banquet. Next up NOW and Let it Bleed.