Rolling Stones: Some Girls Deluxe

Well it has been quite a couple of weeks for reissues of my all time favorites – one week The Who’s Quadrophenia and this next week the Stones’ Some Girls.  Like last year’s Exile reissue, this like getting a new Stones album.  In addition to remastered version of the original album there is a second CD of Some Girls era scraps.  Some of these were incomplete tracks that the boys finished recently – a similar approach to the Exile reissue.

When this album was released in 1978 the Stones were considered has-beens.  Punk was thumbing it nose at successful bands like the Stones. But the Stones were always punks themselves and they took the sniveling punks threat as a reason to pick up their game.  They took a deep breath and cut their most successful album.

The Some Girls sessions were legendary for a treasure trove of creativity – seeding content for Stones albums for the next ten years.  I assumed the well was dry, but for this edition they pulled out another 12 tracks – virtually an additional album.

The original album is an absolute masterpiece and does not need a review, beyond that the remaster sounds great.  Instead I will focus on the bonus CD.

1. Claudine – This is  semi famous track that was allegedly stuffed due to a potential law suit.  The Stones mocking tell the tale of a Claudine Longet a singer/socialite who “accidentally” killed her Olympic skier boyfriend Spider Sabich.  This is a rollicking track.
2. So Young – A bluesy number in praise of jail-bait.  This could have easily been on the original album.
3. Do You Think I Really Care – This is probably my favorite track.  Classic Stones mock country.
4. When You’re Gone – A classic Stone blues. Raw and dirty.
5. No Spare Parts  – Another Stones mock country.  That wonderfully sloppy, but tight Exile sound.
6. Don’t Be A Stranger – This sounds like an update.  A little too obviously a new track (although I assume based on a Some Girls fragment).  Very upbeat poppy modern Stones  sound. A bit out-of-place for the rest of the period pieces.
7. We Had It All – A Keith Richard tender vocal.  s a song written by Troy Seals and Donnie Fritts and originally recorded by Waylon Jennings on his 1973 album, Honky Tonk Heros.
8. Tallahassee Lassie – this is a cover of an old-time rock and roll standard.  The boys play it in a nice and 50s rock and roll style.
9. I Love You Too Much – a very classic Stone sounding throw away that could be on almost any album.  But a Stones throw away is better than most artist best work.
10. Keep Up Blues – That classic Stones take on the blues.  All dirty and with Euro trash lyrics.
11. You Win Again –  A Hank Williams cover with the boys doing their best take on straight county – which sounds exactly what you would expect from rich English drug addicts – wonderfully perverse.  Ronnie Wood tears it up on the pedal steel.
12. Petrol Blues – The most primitive track on the CD.  A total Jagger solo vocal and piano .  A fragment.  Ranting on oil.  Sadly this could be written today vs. 1978.

So over all a real hoot for a Stones fan.   A bit much for the casual fan.