The version of Time Is On My Side that appears on here is the extended guitar intro one as opposed to the organ-driven one that was included on 12 x 5 and it is probably the superior one and has Jagger giving an impressive vocal as he draws out "ti-i-i-ime" enthusiastically. It is one of The Stones' first notable musical achievements - the song is full of bluesy passion married to considerable musical proficiency for ones so young. Of course, individual non-album singles were also being released at the same time. It also has to be noted that, despite the presence of several covers, Jagger-Richards compositions were now also beginning to make themselves known and they do here on the bassy What A Shame.
Grown Up Wrong is a Mick and Keith lively blues that carries within it a muscular bluesy, slurry glory. It is another really impressive early songwriting effort from the pair. They weren't half bad, were they? So many people presume (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction to be their first composition, so the "locked in a room by Andrew Oldham until they write me a hit song" myth goes. Not so.
The group's cover of a 1941 Roy McKinley hit, Down The Road Apiece was a wonderful, vibrant number that I have always loved. It sounds bloody great in stereo too. The line "you remember that rubber-legged boy?" suits Jagger's newly-acquired drawl perfectly. The song is full of bluesy atmosphere, all about mama frying chicken in bacon grease and so on. I love the energetic and enthusiastic way The Stones attacked these blues numbers, for many, including myself, this was the first blues /r'n'b they heard.
The cover of The Drifters' Under The Boardwalk sort of suits Jagger, but again, it sort of doesn't, and much of the innate summery, yearning soul of the wonderful original is completely lost. It is, for me, one of those songs whose original is just so damn good that there's no improving upon it. Unfortunately, therefore, it became one of The Stones' least convincing covers. Brian Jones delivered a superb slide guitar solo on a stonking cover of Muddy Waters' classic blues, I Can't Be Satisfied. It was an early sign that these lads could play, especially Jones. A more successful cover than Under The Boardwalk had been was the group's take on this Otis Redding slow soul ballad, Pain In My Heart. It cooks slowly and surely with a soulful bluesiness. Jagger's vocal is impressive too.
The enthusiastic, upbeat bluesy Jagger/Richards rock-pop of Off The Hook is the next step in the group's development. Granted, they were, to a great extent, imitating the music that inspired them, but they were doing it well, and learning how to craft a song. Their development as songwriters was remarkably rapid, if you think about how much progress was made in how short a time.
Dale Hawkins' 1957 rocker Suzie Q, later covered impressively by Creedence Clearwater Revival, was also given a fine Stones makeover. It is another lively one, full of earthy atmosphere, despite its apparently short, throwaway feel. It's another that I can't help liking.
When the early albums were remastered in 2002 by ABKCO, they overlooked this one (as they did the UK version of The Rolling Stones, the group's first album), so it is pretty difficult to get hold of individually. It is available in its original form as part of the afore-mentioned and truly excellent Rolling Stones In Mono box set. I know I'm repeating myself here but the sound on all these early albums in mono is mind-blowingly good - full, powerful, bassy and crystal clear. Perfect mono. Stereo versions of What A Shame and the infectious Down The Road Apiece appear on the ABKCO version of The Rolling Stones, Now!. These are really impressive but listening to the album in booming, bassy mono is a highly recommended experience.
