C. J. Walsh

The Rolling Stones - Some Girls 2-CD reissue

 

The Rolling Stones

Some Girls: 2 CD Deluxe Edition

Universal Republic

Assembled in Paris and New York from two marathon sessions in the fall of 1977 and early ‘78, Some Girls saw the Rolling Stones throwing down the gauntlet and their vigorous return to relevancy. This despite the fact that it was recorded while guitarist Keith Richards remained in the final throes of a decade-long heroin habit and under the cloud of a potentially lengthy jail term from a Canadian drug bust. In his book Life, Richards describes Before They Make Me Run as “a cry from the heart” - a song with just the right touch of pathos and humor. Throughout the record the band jump from musical styles with ease - the Bakersfield cornpone of Far Away Eyes gives way to Bill Wyman’s perfect bass line on Miss You. Rockers Shattered and Respectable border on the frantic, with an immediacy courtesy of their New York surroundings and Keith’s new reverb-echo effects pedal. You can imagine Lies being written in a cab careening down Lexington Avenue, seemingly about to fly apart at any moment – but not.

Every time the Stones jump ship to a new record company they reissue their post 1970 work, for the most part there is little, if any improvement in sound and no extras. This double-CD release rectifies that, with notable depth and plenty of oomph. They are the last of the major rock acts to go for reissues in a big way. Only in recent years with such expanded versions of Exile On Main St. and Get Yer Ya-Yas Out, have they put out much worthwhile from the vaults. Here, the entire second CD has unreleased songs from the sessions that have done the rounds on the bootleg circuit for decades. The best of the batch, the rockabilly Claudine has Mick Jagger’s eminently sardonic take on Claudine Longet and Spider Sabich’s star-crossed love affair.

       “She shot him once right through the head, shot him twice right through the chest, judge ruled it was an accident, Claudine”

For the manic fan there is a Super Deluxe Edition with DVD and 7-inch 45 of Beast of Burden with its banned sleeve. All this and the tale of the tape from Rolling Stone’s Anthony DeCurtis make for a long overdue addition. Also out is a live CD/DVD of a Texas show from the ’78 tour. SHADOOBIE!