Heart of Stone (song)
Encyclopedia
"Heart of Stone" is a song by the English rock 'n roll band The Rolling Stones
, released as a single
in the United States
, and on an extended-play single
in Europe
, as pictured to the right. It was not released in the United Kingdom until featuring on the Out of Our Heads
UK album released September 1965.
and Keith Richards
, "Heart of Stone" was scheduled as a single release in the United States. In the United Kingdom it appeared as a track on the UK album Out of Our Heads
and on an EP with a subsequent single.
Richie Unterberger
says, "'Heart of Stone' [is] a slow and soulful, dramatic ballad
with the kind of vaguely discordant, droning guitars heard on many an early Rolling Stones slow number. What was impressive was how the Jagger/Richards song, though similar in some respect to American soul
ballads of the period...was not explicitly derivative of any one blues or soul song that they were covering on their mid-60s records. The lilt of the verses owed something to country music
and the mournful harmonies heard on the latter part of the verses added to the overall feeling of melancholy moodiness."
The song sees the singer discuss his life as a womanizer, and how one girl in particular won't break his heart;
on guitars, Bill Wyman
on bass, and Charlie Watts
on drums. Jack Nitzsche
performs tambourine and piano.
"Heart of Stone" was initially released in December 1964
as a single in the US where it became their second Top 20 US hit, reaching #19. The song was included on the US album The Rolling Stones, Now!
the following February. It was later included on the compilation discs Hot Rocks and Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass)
.
A longer version appeared in 1975 on the album Metamorphosis
. This had been recorded on 21–23 July 1964 with Jimmy Page
on guitar and Clem Cattini
on drums, probably as a demo
.
. The Allman Brothers Band
covered the song on their 2003 album Hittin' the Note
, their first release with slide guitar player Derek Trucks. The US band The Outcasts
covered the song in 1965. Sonic's Rendezvous Band
has also played the song.
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and on an extended-play single
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, as pictured to the right. It was not released in the United Kingdom until featuring on the Out of Our Heads
Out of Our Heads
- American release:Initially issued in July 1965 in America - American release:Initially issued in July 1965 in America - American release:Initially issued in July 1965 in America (featuring a shot from the same photo session that graced the cover of 12 X 5 and The Rolling Stones No...
UK album released September 1965.
Composition
Written by Mick JaggerMick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
and Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
, "Heart of Stone" was scheduled as a single release in the United States. In the United Kingdom it appeared as a track on the UK album Out of Our Heads
Out of Our Heads
- American release:Initially issued in July 1965 in America - American release:Initially issued in July 1965 in America - American release:Initially issued in July 1965 in America (featuring a shot from the same photo session that graced the cover of 12 X 5 and The Rolling Stones No...
and on an EP with a subsequent single.
Richie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger is a US author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing.-Life and writing:Having worked as a DJ at WXPN in Philadelphia, he started reviewing records for Op magazine in 1983...
says, "'Heart of Stone' [is] a slow and soulful, dramatic ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
with the kind of vaguely discordant, droning guitars heard on many an early Rolling Stones slow number. What was impressive was how the Jagger/Richards song, though similar in some respect to American soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
ballads of the period...was not explicitly derivative of any one blues or soul song that they were covering on their mid-60s records. The lilt of the verses owed something to country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and the mournful harmonies heard on the latter part of the verses added to the overall feeling of melancholy moodiness."
The song sees the singer discuss his life as a womanizer, and how one girl in particular won't break his heart;
Recording and release
Recording began on 2 November 1964 at Los Angeles' RCA Studios with Jagger singing, Richards and Brian JonesBrian Jones
Lewis Brian Hopkins Jones , known as Brian Jones, was an English musician and a founding member of the Rolling Stones....
on guitars, Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1992. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings...
on bass, and Charlie Watts
Charlie Watts
Charles Robert "Charlie" Watts is an English drummer, best known as a member of The Rolling Stones. He is also the leader of a jazz band, a record producer, commercial artist, and horse breeder.-Early life:...
on drums. Jack Nitzsche
Jack Nitzsche
Bernard Alfred "Jack" Nitzsche was an arranger, producer, songwriter, and film score composer. He first came to prominence in the late 1950s as the right-hand-man of producer Phil Spector, and went on to work with the Rolling Stones, Neil Young and others...
performs tambourine and piano.
"Heart of Stone" was initially released in December 1964
1964 in music
-Events:*January 1 – Top of the Pops is broadcast for the first time, on BBC television.*January 3 – Footage of the Beatles performing a concert in Bournemouth, England is shown on The Jack Paar Show....
as a single in the US where it became their second Top 20 US hit, reaching #19. The song was included on the US album The Rolling Stones, Now!
The Rolling Stones, Now!
-Personnel:The Rolling Stones*Mick Jagger – lead vocals, harmonica, tambourine, and percussion*Keith Richards – guitar and backing vocals*Brian Jones – guitar and slide guitar, harmonica and backing vocals...
the following February. It was later included on the compilation discs Hot Rocks and Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass)
Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass)
Big Hits is the first official compilation album by The Rolling Stones, released on 28 March 1966, on London Records in the US and on 4 November 1966, by Decca Records in the UK. The two releases featured different cover art and track listing...
.
A longer version appeared in 1975 on the album Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis (Rolling Stones album)
Metamorphosis is the third compilation album of The Rolling Stones music released by former manager Allen Klein's ABKCO Records after the band's departure from Decca and Klein...
. This had been recorded on 21–23 July 1964 with Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
on guitar and Clem Cattini
Clem Cattini
Clem Cattini , is an English rock and roll drummer who was a member of The Tornados before becoming well known for his work as a session musician...
on drums, probably as a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
.
Cover versions
The British post-punk group The Mekons covered the song on their 1988 album So Good It Hurts, twisting the song's impact with female vocals provided by Sally TimmsSally Timms
Sally Timms is an English singer and songwriter. Timms is best known for her long involvement with the Mekons whom she joined in 1985....
. The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band once based in Macon, Georgia. The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman , who were supported by Dickey Betts , Berry Oakley , Butch Trucks , and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe"...
covered the song on their 2003 album Hittin' the Note
Hittin' the Note
Hittin' the Note is a 2003 studio album by the American Southern rock group The Allman Brothers Band. Released through Sanctuary Records, it was their first studio album to include lead slide guitar player Derek Trucks and bass player Oteil Burbridge and marked the full-time return of guitar player...
, their first release with slide guitar player Derek Trucks. The US band The Outcasts
The Outcasts (garage rock band)
The Outcasts are a garage rock and psychedelic rock band from San Antonio, Texas that released a total of five singles between 1965 and 1967. They are justly famous for two classic songs, "I'm in Pittsburgh " and "1523 Blair", although their recordings have been reissued on literally dozens of...
covered the song in 1965. Sonic's Rendezvous Band
Sonic's Rendezvous Band
Sonic's Rendezvous Band was a rock and roll band from Ann Arbor, Michigan in the 1970s, featuring veterans of the 1960s Detroit rock scene.- Background :Sonic's Rendezvous Band came from the ashes of four Michigan rock bands:...
has also played the song.