EXPERIENCE ROCK HISTORY!
The ROLLING STONES – “FLOWERS” – June 26, 1967
The Rolling Stones’ “Flowers” compilation album was sandwiched in Between The Buttons and Their Satanic Majesties Request album releases and was a righteously brilliant album of unreleased, previously U.K. released, and never released in the U.S. tracks.
The Summer of Love was epic for many cultural reasons and music was at the forefront presenting truly historic albums by truly historic bands; “Flowers” was a perfect example. Besides the righteous vinyl tracks, the album cover featured a perfect expression of the fun to look at and fun to read 1960’s psychedelic lettering. The mugshot portraits of the band are taken from the Decca UK album cover of “Aftermath”, and it is rumored that Brian Jones had no leaves as a joke perpetuated by Jagger.
Over-looked and slightly derided as a quick buck grab from mostly US fans (thank you!); this was nothing less than an exquisite greatest hits of the “evolved” Stones. This album captures some monster era classics as well as the first peek of what was to come in ’68’s “Beggars Banquet” and ’69’s “Let It Bleed”.
Although a compilation, “Flowers” has a concept album feel as all of the tracks are about women, and relationships.
00individual easily played this album more than Sgt’s and even more than Satanic, and here’s the reason:
Side one
“Ruby Tuesday” – 3:17
(a January 1967 single release also featured on the American edition of Between the Buttons)
“Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?” – 2:34
(a September 1966 single release)
“Let’s Spend the Night Together” – 3:36
(a January 1967 single release also featured on the American edition of Between the Buttons)
“Lady Jane” – 3:08
(Also featured on Aftermath in 1966, as well as the b-side of the U.S.-only “Mother’s Little Helper” single in July 1966)
“Out of Time” – 3:41
(An abridged alternate mix of the version originally released on the British edition of Aftermath in 1966)
“My Girl” (Smokey Robinson/Ronald White) – 2:38
(Previously unreleased; recorded in May 1965, with strings added in autumn 1966)
Side two
“Backstreet Girl” – 3:26
(Originally released on the British edition of Between the Buttons)
“Please Go Home” – 3:17
(Originally released on the British edition of Between the Buttons)
“Mother’s Little Helper” – 2:46
(Originally released on the British edition of Aftermath; first released in the U.S. as a single in July 1966)
“Take It or Leave It” – 2:46
(Originally released on the British edition of Aftermath)
“Ride On, Baby” – 2:52
(Previously unreleased; recorded during the 1965 sessions for Aftermath)
“Sittin’ on a Fence” – 3:03
(Previously unreleased; recorded during the 1965 sessions for Aftermath)
All songs by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, except where noted.
Vinyl Record Listening Culture
Back then there were two main competing AM radio stations in Los Angeles, KHJ 93 and KFWB 98, and the great KRLA 1110 the “oldies” station, and then there was Wolfman Jack on XERB 1090 the 250,000 watt ‘border blaster’ station in Rosarito, Mexico, but beyond those stations, and any appearences of bands and singers on television shows like Shindig, Hullabaloo, and late night shows In Concert, Midnight Special, and Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, the way to really get the most of the music was to buy the album or single.
Repeated listenings of any album allowed Record Collectors, Rockers, and Music Lovers the abilty to savor every bit of every song, over and over again; this was the Vinyl Record Listening Culture.
You bought an album and basically played it so much that you could remember every nuance (even the occaisional pop and/or click – Imported virgin vinyl eventually solved that issue) to the point that those special anticipated moments of joy uplifted the soul.
And then there was the social aspect; 00individual and friends actually sat and listened to music silently while getting stoned, or as background ambient music. Righteous album sides stacked on a turntable provided continuous self-programmed music choices – 00individual was great at gauging the “room”.
Granted, not all albums had both sides worthy of repeated listenings, but with “Flowers” it was an absolute pleasure – still is.
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