England's Newest Hitmakers Roundup

England's Newest Hitmakers Roundup

Side 1
1. "Not Fade Away" (Norman Petty/Charles Hardin) – 1:48
2. "Route 66" (Bobby Troup) – 2:20
3. "I Just Want to Make Love to You" (Willie Dixon) – 2:17
4. "Honest I Do" (Jimmy Reed) – 2:09
5. "Now I've Got a Witness (Like Uncle Phil and Uncle Gene)" (Nanker Phelge) – 2:29
6. "Little by Little" (Nanker Phelge, Phil Spector) – 2:39

Side 2
1. "I'm a King Bee" (James Moore) – 2:35
2. "Carol" (Chuck Berry) – 2:33
3. "Tell Me (You're Coming Back)" (Mick Jagger/Keith Richards) – 4:05
4. "Can I Get a Witness" (Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/Eddie Holland) – 2:55
5. "You Can Make It if You Try" (Ted Jarrett) – 2:01
6. "Walking the Dog" (Rufus Thomas) – 3:10

Walking the Dog

England’s Newest Hitmakers

Side 2, Track 6

"Walking the Dog" (Rufus Thomas) – 3:10



Keith steals the show on this cover of an R&B standard, both with his guitar and his hilariously nasal harmony vocal part. In the spoken middle section, Mick shows the beginnings of the vocal style that would end with the glorious self-parodying in "Miss You", with those "Puerto Rican girls just DAAAAAHHHHHNNN to meeechoo!"

UPDATE: I've since learned that those nasal background vocals come from Brian Jones, not Keith, who didn't sing on this album.

You Can Make It if You Try

England’s Newest Hitmakers

Side 2, Track 5

"You Can Make It If You Try" (Ted Jarrett) – 2:01



A much more convincing display of the Stones early R&B abilities, taking on this obscure (to me, anyway) 8-bar blues. Mick sounds more at home here than he did on "Honest I Do", and although the out-of-time percussion distracted me, the absence of the annoying harp solos which marred many of the other blues numbers on this album make up for that.

Can I Get a Witness

England’s Newest Hitmakers

Side 2, Track 4

"Can I Get a Witness" (Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/Eddie Holland) – 2:55





This was the first song from this album I really loved, and I'm still not exactly sure why. The original version was a generic Marvin Gaye semi-hit, the kind he was chugging out at a regular clip in those days. The Stones didn't really do anything to it to change it up, but where Gaye and his Motown confederates' professionalism make their "Witness" a fairly routine R&B exercise, Mick's earnestness generates a much more exciting rhythm number – it is, I believe, Jagger's first distinctive vocal, particularly the "up early in the morning!" line.

So far, the only song on the album without a solo, although I think the next track is missing one as well.

For your amusement, here is Dusty Springfield's hilariously over the top treatment of the song:

Tell Me

England’s Newest Hitmakers

Side 2, Track 3

"Tell Me (You're Coming Back)" (Mick Jagger/Keith Richards) – 4:05



There's a great story told in the Beatle's Anthology – it seems that after the band had hit with "Love Me Do" but before they'd proven themselves to be consistent songwriters, producer George Martin had gone looking for a song for the band to cover, a song that would be a likely hit. He found such a song, and gave it to the band. They said, we can't do this song, it's terrible. Martin replied, but it is a surefire hit for someone. The band said, maybe so, but we can't be seen in public doing this song. Martin said, okay, what can you give me instead?

The song the Beatles came up with was "Please Please Me", their first great composition. The song Martin wanted them to do? "How Do You Do It", a bubble gum confection that Gerry and the Pacemakers later turned into an annoying hit, using the Beatles arrangement.

I was always reminded of that anecdote whenever I listened to "Tell Me". "That poor band," I would think to myself. "Forced to perform a pop song clearly unsuited to their style. This has all the hallmarks of studio executive meddling."

Imagine my surprise just now when I saw the Jagger/Richards songwriting credit. I don't know what to think now, or who to blame. Who is responsible for this? The sloppy overdubs, the embarrassing attempts at soul testifying, the incoherent structure – who approved of this mess? I see now that it was released as a single, and actually got to #24 on the Billboard Hot 100, presumably riding the wave of Anglophilia following the Beatles success. I can only hope that the single version recieved some judicious editing – the ablum track is more than 4 minutes long.

Carol

England’s Newest Hitmakers

Side 2, Track 2

"Carol" (Chuck Berry) – 2:33



Okay, now we're talking. No more of this blues crap, let's get to the rock and roll, amirite? No, but seriously, this track has some nice touches – the rhythm section drives hard, Mick's vocal doesn't have any of the tentativeness shown on the blues numbers, and Keith could really do a great Chuck Berry solo. But what's up with those handclaps? The Beatles had them too, on their cover of "Roll Over Beethoven". Was that a sixties thing? I don't really remember any other uptempo English tracks of the era having them. Hmm....

And did the Stones not have some kind of road manager in those days, someone who would remember to bring their guitar straps when they had a TV appearance? Was that a joke by the band?

I'm a King Bee

England’s Newest Hitmakers

Side 2, Track 1

"I'm a King Bee" (James Moore) – 2:35

You know, I totally forgot about the near endless parade of mundane blues shuffles that typified the Stones early career. MAKE IT STOP! At least these recordings have the virtue of being short, unlike the Jimmy Page marathons that we'd all have to put up with later in the decade – by which time, the Stones had moved on to more productive applications of their talent.

(Or had they? I don't remember much straight blues on the Let It Bleed/Exile heyday – but then again, I didn't remember this much blues on the debut album, which was once a favourite of mine.)

The most important part about this track is the ludicrous slidey bass part, which at least adds a comedy element.

Little by Little

England’s Newest Hitmakers

Side 1, Track 6

"Little by Little" (Nanker Phelge, Phil Spector) – 2:39

Another generic blues workout. Maybe I'm jaded now, but I can't hear this song as anything but filler – the Nanker Phelge/Phil Spector co-writing credit gives a little support to the idea that nobody is taking this too seriously. Keith throws in a respectable solo (his guitar sounds great here) and Brian Jones throws in another dull harp break. I can't believe I used to love this album – how did I forget about the near-endless boring blues/rock tunes?

I know it's unfair to compare anyone to the Beatles, but at this stage in their devlopement, they had filler a million times more interesting than stuff like "Little by Little" – their first album had great covers of "Anna", "Boys", and "A Taste of Honey". I'm only at the end of side 1, but I sure hope this album gets a lot more attenion-grabbing than "Little by Little".

A thought struck me: Keith takes his solo after the first chorus – is there any good song that has done that, ever? The only one I can think of now is The Sonics' "Have Love Will Travel".

Now I've Got a Witness (Like Uncle Phil and Uncle Gene)

England’s Newest Hitmakers

Side 1, Track 5

"Now I've Got a Witness (Like Uncle Phil and Uncle Gene)" (Nanker Phelge) – 2:29

Kids, let me tell you a story about the old days. See, back then, bands would create albums by padding their singles releases with filler. Thank god we don't have to deal with that anymore. This filler often took the form of hastily written instrumentals that, unlike the singles which were usually written by professional songwriters, the band could get a writing credit for – or, in this case, an instrumental of an existing Marvin Gaye song, with the melody removed. Nanker Phelge is a pseudonym used by the band for writing credits of these filler songs.

Aren't you glad I told you all that? Aren't you glad you spent two minutes of your life reading that information rather than wasting your time listening to the track, like I did? I'm already dreading the next track on this album, which also has a Nanker Phelge writing credit.

(BTW, and I’m not sure why anyone would care, but the "Uncle Phil" and "Uncle Gene" of the title are Phil Spector and Gene Pitney, who both got credit for playing something or other on this track. I’d try to find out more about why these two respectable recording artists were in the studio with a bunch of English long-haired louts, but the result just isn’t interesting enough for me to do the legwork.)

Honest I Do

England’s Newest Hitmakers

Side 1, Track 4

“Honest I Do” (Jimmy Reed) – 2:09

The old Jimmy Reed pop/blues number. I guess it wasn't old when the Stones recorded it – Reed released his version in 1957. The song has a great melody, but Mick doesn't have the chops yet to do anything interesting with it. I wonder who did the song selections in those days – I'm willing to bet the harmonica player (Brian?) picked this one: he gets two solos, both forgettable. Keith's part is way too busy and loud in the mix. The drums sound great, though.

Note: This site says that Mick was the probable harp player on this track -- but it sure sounds to my ears like the other solos played by Brian.

I Just Want to Make Love to You

England’s Newest Hitmakers

Side 1, Track 3

"I Just Want to Make Love to You" (Willie Dixon) – 2:17

Another blues classic – I think this one was already a standard by the time the Stones got to it. The original Muddy Waters version was slow and insistent with an air of menace running through it. At this point in his career, Mick can't really do menace – so the band double-times the tempo and turns the song into a Bo Diddley-style sexual come-on, complete with maracas. More excellent rhythm/lead guitar work from Keith.

Yet another lame harmonica part – I get the feeling that's not the last time I'll have to say those words. This one suffers further in comparison to Little Walter's sublime performance on the original. Man, that guy could really play.

Route 66

England’s Newest Hitmakers

Side 1, Track 2

“Route 66” (Bobby Troup) – 2:20

Everybody knows this song, but I'm not sure why. It's a pretty pedestrian blues workout, the kind of thing Chuck Berry could crank out without trying hard. Speaking of which – Keith tosses out a great Chuck Berry solo in this one. There's a whole lot of nothing going on here – Mick can't seem to get any excitement going, and when the band screws up the ending they don't even care enough to do another take. If it wasn't for the solo, this track would be utterly forgettable.

I've forgotten it already!

Not Fade Away

England’s Newest Hitmakers

Side 1, Track 1

"Not Fade Away" (Norman Petty/Charles Hardin) – 1:48

The Stones take on Buddy Holly's great Bo Diddley ripoff, bringing forward the Bo-like elements that Holly downplayed – the shaker is practically the lead instrument on this track. Like the pre-Pete Best Beatles, the rhythm's in the guitars here, I can't even make out any drums at all on my muddy MP3 rip. Keith's acoustic really drives the track along. A nice little electric guitar/harmonica break in the middle.

God, Mick sounds so young here. There is no art in his performance, apart from the desire to do the blues right, without trying to sound black.

I always wonder what would have happened if that attitude took root among white musicians – what would have happened if the Stones and Them and very few others succeeded in convincing musicians that you could make a whole new kind of blues, that "authenticity" was a blind alley, a dead end? Would we have been spared the endless blues guitar wankathons of Clapton, Page, and the rest? God only knows.