Artist: STEVIE WONDER; Title: I DON'T WHY I LOVE YOU; Label: TAMLA MOTOWN; Format: 7"; Cat. No.: TMG 690; Year; 1969; Country: UK
Carrying on the theme of singles flipped in favour of their B Sides which I mentioned in connection with the recent Shirelles post, looking today at what's probably one of the classic cases of this happening. This 1969 offering from Stevie Wonder.
The A Side as it was originally issued is the rather excellent "I Don't Why I Love You". Which finds Stevie Wonder in fine form on this excellent bit of late 60's Soul/Funk - and you can hear creative muscles beginning to be flexed - as the bosses at Motown were beginning to be aware of just what this blind kid was capable of. I actually came to the song via the Stones cover of it that surfaced on the mid-70's 'Metamorphosis' set which they'd recorded around the time this came out - ie 1969 when their relationship with Decca had soured somewhat.
And what's on the B Side you may ask? Only what went on to become one of Stevie Wonder's biggest ever hits. A little ditty entitled "My Cherie Amour". Still prefer the A Side though!
Like most bands who started in the 60's the Stones did their amount covers in their early years - obviously in the case of Jagger and Co it's mainly blues, but like The Beatles before them they also did a fair amount of Soul stuff too. There's a version of Marvin Gaye's "Hitch Hike" on the 1965 'Out Of Our Heads' LP (Decca SKL 4733) (along with versions of Don Covay's "Mercy Mercy"and Barbara Lynn's "Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Going)"), but what I'm concentrating on is the 3 cover of tracks by The Temptations spread over a 12 year period - i.e. 1967-1978.
Artist: The Rolling Stones; Title: Flowers; Label: DECCA/NOVA; Year: 1967; Format: LP; Cat. No.:6.21.407; Country of Issue: Germany.
First up is "My Girl" which appeared on the non-UK album 'Flowers' issued in 1967. The track is unreleased for the session for 1966's 'Aftermath' LP and was my own introduction to the song - having heard this ahead of the Otis Redding version and then eventually the Temptations' original version. It's a good version and Jagger treats it with the respect it deserves. It finally made its UK debut on the 1971 'Stone Age' (SKL 5084) comp that Decca put out after the Stones had set up their own label via Atlantic.
Artist: The Rolling Stones; Title: Ain't Too Proud To Beg; Label: ROLLING STONES/ATCO/CONTINENTAL; Year: 1975; Format: 45; Cat. No.: 3-05-101-004; Country of Issue: Brazil.
Next up is 1975 version of "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" - which I hadn't realized they'd done - and from the 'It's Only Rock 'n' Roll' LP and again unissued as a single here in the UK. And rather good it is too - well worth checking out - as the previously owner of this Brazilian copy, someone called Vitor thought too, as he was happy to put his name to it twice!!!!
Artist: The Rolling Stones; Title: Some Girls; Label: ROLLING STONES/EMI; Year: 1978; Format: LP; Cat. No.: CUN 39108. Country of Issue: UK.
The 3rd Temptations cover they did (as far as I'm aware) is the version of "Just My Imagination" that's on 1978's 'Some Girls'. Again a creditable cover and like the version of "My Girl", my own first experience of the song.
Artist: T.Rex. Title: 20th Century Boy. Label: T.Rex Wax Co./EMI. Format: 7". Country of Issue: UK. Cat. No.: MARC 4. Year; 1973.
A bumper batch on today's post - first up this 1973 offering from T.Rex. The A Side is the rather good "20th Century Boy" - and possibly his best known song at the present (revived to a great extent after being featured in a Levi's ad a few years back) - and posted as a thanks to the Playhawk boys who did a cracking version in their live set on Saturday night. The B Side gives you "Free Angel", which a okayish bit Glam Rock.
Artist: The Rolling Stones. Title: Satisfaction. Label: Decca. Format; 7". Country of Issue: Germany. Cat. No.: DL 25 000. Year: 1965.
Next up is this German pressing of the Stones classic - which I think I picked up in Brum about 5 years ago - only think to really add is that the title's shortened to just "Satisfaction" - rather the the longer 'I Can't Get No...'
The B Side is "The Under-Assistant West Coast Promotion Man" is pretty much filler material - first surfacing on their 3rd LP 'Out Of Our Heads'. With Mick & Keith using their Nanker and Phelge psuedonyms for the writing credits.
Artist: The Rolling Stones. Title: Mother's Little Helper. Label: London. Format: 7". Country of Issue: Canada. Cat. No.: L.902. Year;1966.
Third up is this rather good Canadain double-header from the Stones - feat. 2 tracks from the 1966 'Aftermath' set. The A Side side serves up the album's opener the excellent "Mother's Little Helper" - just check out Brian Jones on what sounds like an electric sitatr, and the whole thing in general really!
The flip side is another piece of greatness in the form of "Lady Jane" - and don't for one moment let the tune lull you into a false sense of security, as one listen to the lyrics will leave in no uncertain terms as to the subject matter - class distinctions (which where still there to a level in the mid 60's - though rapidly crumbling fast, although it didn't stop the powers that be from trying to make an example of Mick & Keith).
