When the Stones were still pretty boys (The Rolling Stones- Big Hits (high Tide And Green Grass) - The Rolling Stones)

Member Name: eiley123

Product:	The Rolling Stones- Big Hits (high Tide And Green Grass) - The Rolling Stones
Date:	16/02/08 (60 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Classic, young and fresh, raw, recognisable, sing and dance along

Disadvantages: Too old and raw for some

Shopping after Christmas, in our City Centre's new huge Tesco, with Hubby, we decided to check out their non-food section. They seem to stock just about anything and everything. I had a couple of Tesco vouchers from some recent surveys and so decided to leave Hubby browsing the CD'S. As has always been the case I could shop the whole town and get back to any CD store or section where I had left my guy and he would still be there in seventh heaven.

When I returned he had almost decided on his purchases, one of which was The Rolling Stones High Tide and Green Grass, which was a pleasant surprise for me. Out of the two of us I was the biggest fan of the Stones in my youth. Of course I have moved on but I still enjoy some of their old hits. So was it as good as I remembered?

Of course times have changed, and for many this compilation will be just too dated, but for me it still has it's appeal. Released originally in late 1966 it certainly has some age. The CD case insert has some nostalgic photographs of the Stones, a fair few of guitarist Brian Jones. He was my favourite when I was a dumb teenager. Sadly he died at a young age in 1969, just a few months before my Dad died. This CD has Brian on all tracks.

The photograph on the rear of the CD was apparently the front cover on the American release of the original LP. You know, vinyl to you youngsters. It is strange to see Keith Richards looking so fresh and young also as I am so used to seeing him looking these days like he has just been dug up!

The CD has 12 tracks which were all hits of the time for the Stones although if my memory serves me well (that statement brings back memories also, but you will need to be over 40 I should think) some were the B or Flip side of a single.

The sixties was a period when the charts and chart heroes were important to the youth and most teenagers had large record collections. I guess that is why I did not buy the original of this back in 1966. As a 14 year old I had all the singles but my pocket money would not always stretch to the LP'S., especially if I had all the tracks anyway. So enough of this drivel the tracks are:

I can't get no satisfaction
The Last Time
As Tears Go By
Time is on My Side
It's all over now
Tell Me
19th Nervous Breakdown
Heart of Stone
Get off my Cloud
Not Fade away
Good Times, Bad Ties
Play with Fire.

When I first looked down the list the only track I could not readily recall and sing instantly was Tell me. I do not know if this claim is something good or something which I should be pitied for. However when I played it Tell Me was actually a favourite. It is quite basic and raw but great.

The CD Hubby bought has been remastered and I suppose this helps the sound. After all these early Stones offerings were usually mono recorded. Still at that time I had no such thing as a stereo just my little Dansette record player which needed a two shilling piece on the arm to play some records. Oh the deprivation. Looking back it certainly sounds an age ago, and so it was. After all we are talking a different century. It is strange to think that the Stones are still recording and performing live.

I will not attempt to describe each track as, if you are a fan you will have heard them all, and if your are not it will not make sense to you. If you like early sixties pop rock though you should love it. I will say that the remastering has taken the rough edge off the sound without spoiling the original quality. The tracks are all classics in their own way. 'As tears go by' is sad and fairly slow with violins and an orchestra. This track was a hit for Marianne Faithful who, at the time, was Mick Jagger's girlfriend. 'Play with Fire' is another slow, sentimental track. Most of the other tracks though are upbeat in true rocking Stones mode.

The tracks are the pop music of 1966. Some have R and B roots, but not what is termed R and B these days. They come from the sounds of people like Chuck Berry and B B King. Eight of the tracks are compositions of Jagger and Richards and I think their writing talents are often underrated. They sort of were forgotten with Lennon and McCartney being so highly acclaimed.

Looking at the front cover in some ways it is hard to see what shocked parents so much, and in other ways I can still see why they did. However for young Stones fans, all those years ago, the shock value was part of the attraction. Listening to this CD though makes me realise that the music was great also.

Recommended for Stones fans, those on a nostalgia trip and those looking for classic sixties pop rock. Now if you will excuse me I feel a bit of singing and dancing coming on to 'It's all over now'

Thanks for reading
(C) Eiley 2008

Summary: Classic Stones from the original line up.