Saturday, December 4, 2010

The Rolling Stones: Time Is On My Side (1964)


"Time Is on My Side" is a song written by Jerry Ragovoy (under the pseudonym of Norman Meade). First recorded by jazz trombonist Kai Winding and his Orchestra in 1963, it was covered with additional lyrics by Jimmy Norman by both soul singer Irma Thomas and The Rolling Stones in 1964. The Rolling Stones recorded two versions of "Time Is on My Side" in 1964. The first with the organ intro was released in the U.S. in 1964 on single and on the "12 X 5" album. The re-recording (November 8, 1964) with the guitar intro released in the UK on January 15, 1965 on the "The Rolling Stones No. 2" album. This is the version that appears on most "best of" compilations. Both Rolling Stones' versions copy several distinctive elements of the Irma Thomas version, including the vocal interjections between the chorus lyrics, the monologue in the middle of the song, and the guitar solo which intertwines with this monologue. The U.S. version was released on September 26, 1964 as a single (a month after Thomas' cover) and peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard Pop Singles Chart to become The Rolling Stones' first top ten hit in the U.S. (their previous single, "It's All Over Now", had only peaked at number 26). When they performed "Time Is on My Side" during their first guest spot on The Ed Sullivan Show, Sullivan was shocked by their appearance and declared that they would never be invited onto the show again, but he subsequently invited them back several times. A live version of the song from the band's 1982 live album, "Still Life", reached number sixty-two on the UK singles chart.

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