Flowers

I’m not one of those indecisive fellows who is constantly and flippantly flicking and forwarding through an album to find what he likes best at that very moment. However, this album is a compilation of tracks and it draws heavily on material that I’ve already given much time and consideration to in the past few weeks. In short, I’ve been rather guiltly of grazing through this album in search green pastures of unheard music. And through the use of these cow-like listening techniques I’m not surprised to find that I’ve found little enjoyment here. In all fairness I think in the future I might look back on this album and think it deserves higher esteem.

The music on this compilation comes from an array of different places. It contains music from U.K. albums never before released in the U.S. like “Mother’s Little Helper”, previously US releases: ‘Aftermath’ and ‘Between the Buttons’ and newly recorded covers like “My Girl”; a tune popularized by The Temptations.

“Mother’s Little Helper” was included in the UK’s release of 'Aftermath' and when it came to the US it secured 8^th position on the Billboard charts. The lyrics pertain to house-wife mothers consumed by prescription drug abuse and while Jagger’s sings them, there is this wavering and creepy riff from a twelve-string guitar that gives the tune a cold and unusual vibe.

“Ride On, Baby” opens with a spiraling zing from the harpsichord and reveals lyrics that I’d recommend to anyone fascinated with troublesome women. If there was another song that deserved honourable mention it would be “Sittin’ on a Fence”.

Otherwise, if one has time to kill there was plenty of other more ear-worthy music that was poplar at this time. The Beatles’ “All you need is Love” and The Velvet Underground’s “I’m waiting for the Man” are two fine examples.