I have been a Rolling Stones fan for some 20-odd years, and it only recently struck me how important the unreleased material is in terms of "understanding" just how incredible this band truly is. Clearly, the officially released albums are more than enough evidence for the Stones to (at the very least) stake a claim as the Greatest Rock n Roll Band In The World, but when combined with the unreleased numbers, it becomes almost beyond debate.

To say nothing of the alternate versions/takes floating around - which can enrich one's understanding of the creative process (see: Sympathy For The Devil), give one a window onto the development of lyrics/feel/etc, and in some cases even provide a superior version to the released take (in my estimation, the boozy "gimmelittledrank" version of Loving Cup is the money take) - I'm speaking solely about the completely unreleased numbers, songs that, were it not for bootlegs, would never have been heard by the general public.

We've all bemoaned the lack of a legit "Bootleg Series"-style release from the Stones camp, for myriad reasons, but I feel the Stones are actually short-changing themselves and in some ways diminishing their legacy by not letting the world at large really see what an incredibly prolific band they were when they were at their peak. At points during their career, classics just poured out of them - too many to release them all. Even though Tattoo You revisited some songs that would have otherwise been relegated to bootlegdom (to great effect, I might add), it's simply not enough to cherry-pick a handful of songs and re-record them (and I won't even start on the Starbucks "Rarities" disc).

There are certifiable classics we all know and love that have never seen proper release, songs that would enhance the Stones legacy and put the afore-mentioned debate (who's the GRnRBITW) to bed for good.

I was listening to "No Spare Parts" a couple of days ago, and I realized that what I was hearing could very well be the absolute peak of Mick Jagger as a songwriter. I started thinking about Criss Cross Man & Yellow Cab & Everlasting Is My Love & I Ain't Lying & Zip Mouth Angel & A Different Kind & Fast Talking & Travelling Man, and short snatches of tape like Still in Love, and dubiously titled monsters like I Love Ladies & Do You Get Enough (Sexy Eye). I was moved to write this, hoping some Stones person might read it and realize the truth to it. Don't do it for us, Rolling Stones, do it for yourselves (we'll just come along for the ride).

You're right. All the songs you mentioned are great. And there are so much I would like to see released, such as: Claudine (both versions!), Tried To Talk Her Into It, I Can't Help It, Strictly Memphis, Hillside Blues, We Had It All, Fiji Jim, Misty Roads, Drift Away, Treat Me Like A Fool, Honest Man, I Can See It, Lonely At The Top, Munich Hilton, I Need You, She Was Hot (extended version), Precious Love to name a few plus all you mentioned of course.

I realize most of these songs are not nearly finished and not many would like to listen to tracks with half finished lyrics. But these are the songs I think are ready (and with fully finished lyrics):

Claudine (R&R version)
Criss Cross Man
I Can't Help It
We Had It All
Zip Mouth Angel
Strictly Memphis
Honest Man
She Was Hot (extended version)
Precious Love
I Ain't Lying

These tracks and probably some that we don't know of yet could make a decent outtakes compilation. Jagger showed us he's willing to open the vaults by releasing the excellent Too Many Cooks last year so I believe this could happen.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-03-10 22:37 by Guðni Gunnarsson.

Yeah .........and if they wait to long we all be dead and gone

Just make it a 5 CD box called Rolling Stones "Left Overs"

and not with songs we all know but with songs we never heard before like......

Thinking Of You '63
I'm Glad '64
Dreaming '64
Ain't You Happy '65

etc....

__________________________

Yeah, and Bent Green Needles....you can hope, but it wont happen...

JR

She Was Hot (extended version) - very good choice
Separetley
Potted Shrimp
Munich HIlton
And whats the name of that 1968 blues with Brian on slide? And Mick doing a little Morrison thing? Still A Fool



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-03-10 23:58 by LA FORUM.

I don't think that's Brian on Slide, if it is from the Trident mixes I thought that was rehersals with Mick Taylor. Still a Fool is incredible! Would have loved to see that when it was done live!! I think on the Vodoo lounge tour?

I didn't think so either but according to this he does

[www.keno.org]

I have to add "Reelin' And Rockin'" and "You Can't Judge A Book By It's Cover" to my list above. They are fantastic.

>dubiously titled monsters like I Love Ladies


What's dubious about that particular title? Mick mentioned that specific title in an article on BLACK AND BLUE way back in '76, in a list of songs that didn't make the final product ("Worried About You" was another one).

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NICOS
Yeah .........and if they wait to long we all be dead and gone

Yes! Also as the poster who started this said the Stones are short changing themselves too.

And the market for this -- us -- ain't gettin' any younger.

Always did like Everything's Turning to Gold from Sucking in the Seventies.

I've long held the belief that the Stones, outside of Bill Wyman, are perhaps the worst care takers of their own legacy. It's as if they can't be bothered. Some may postulate that they are a progressive band who are moving forward and don't want to look back but the bulk of their setlists and scarce studio output in recent years would bely that I think. Rather, it is left to us, their fans to document and carry forward their considerable legacy,

Case in point is my friend Dave who when I last saw him was studiously transcribing studio chatter on a bootleg from English into Japanese for the benefit of the non English speaking Japanese fan base. No one was paying him to do this, He was doing it because he had to because in his view every subtle nuance of the Stone's history needed to preserved for later generations. Now that's a fan!

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Glam Descendant
>dubiously titled monsters like I Love Ladies


What's dubious about that particular title? Mick mentioned that specific title in an article on BLACK AND BLUE way back in '76, in a list of songs that didn't make the final product ("Worried About You" was another one).

Didn't know that - I just never hear him say "I love ladies" during the song. I hear "I can(t) make it". Great song though. How about "Do You Get Enough (Sexy Eye)"? That title's gotta be a bootlegger's creation.