----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Career Records" <eldeluxe@mcn.net>
>> **(The US edition of BETWEEN THE BUTTONS adds both sides of the 
>> "Let's
>> Spend the Night Together"/"Ruby Tuesday" single in place of a 
>> couple
>> of minor songs, which will greatly increase the chances of your 
>> having
>> heard any of these songs before. Both the US and UK editions of 
>> their
>> albums are available on CD now.)
>
> Whoa: Please Go Home a "minor song". It's one of the most ripping 
> guitar
> tracks from the original era. That and Amanda Jones on Buttons are 
> just
> two of the greatest Stones songs ever. The other one dropped from
> Buttons, Back Street Girl is another good one, thought a ballad sort 
> of
> thing. They really messed up Buttons and Aftermath in the US. Sure 
> you
> get the missing songs on Flowers, but why screw around with such 
> perfect
> albums.

Actually, for my money, FLOWERS is a fantastic album, as good as any 
Stones record around, even though it's a hodgepodge of leftovers and 
previously released tracks.  Combined with the fact that TATTOO YOU 
consists almost entirely of leftovers and outtakes -- the basic track 
of "Waiting On A Friend" was recorded during the sessions for GOATS 
HEAD SOUP! -- I think the strength of FLOWERS strongly supports my 
contention that the Stones were a singles band for whom albums were 
largely an afterthought.  However, I do not go quite as far as some of 
my brethren: there's someone amongst us who has stated that EXILE 
should have been an EP, whereas I think you could probably carve a 
pretty good single album out of it.

> So my question is: Are you going back and drawing these conclusions 
> or
> did you live it? I know Bobby S has strong opinions there, but he 
> was
> around for it.

Oy.  This again.  I wasn't "around for it" when Charlie Parker was 
working either (or Bach, for that matter).  Does that mean I'm not 
allowed to have preferences concerning his music?

S