The Rolling Stones In Mono (BF 2019 Upgrade)

About a year ago, I got FLACs of some mono Exile On Main Street singles and then I know that at some point my original post (from Oct 2015) would have to be revised. I always wondered if this collection inspired ABKCO to finally get off their duffs and finally issue the 'official' version. It's possible. Willard told me it had had 30,000 + DLs. There are also some hints that it might have been the case. I added some songs overlooked by ABKCO in past releases and they were added to their set. Too bad they chose to use their same old UK/US version strategy (Out Of Our Heads, Aftermath, etc). ABKCO's needless duplication meant that about 40 duplicate ABKCO tracks were left over when I was compiling this set. As with my original post, there is no song duplication.

This time I rebuilt it from the ground up and I can confidently say that this is the most complete collection of The Stones' work in mono, packaged nicely and coherently. I took 24/192 FLACS of the ABKCO release and did a fresh conversion to 320. and then I completed the set with the missing tracks (marked ** below). After that, I decided to add the Got Live If You Want It, both EP and LP combined to form a new "LP", volume 8 which turned out pretty well. Now, along with the Exile mono single mixes, it's really complete.

Here are my original notes from 2015:

This has been something that I've wanted to see for a long time! I finally got tired of waiting and made it myself! The complete London/Decca studio recordings presented the way they were meant to be heard! I was one of the many searching for any stereo version of an RS song - I think in part because they were so hard to find and also we all spent many years listening to the earlier records in re-channeled stereo. The truth is that I believe these were made to be played in mono. Do you remember how great it sounded on the radio or in a club?

So here are some notes on why it's compiled the way it is - we all know that London/Decca had little rhyme or reason for why they selected tracks and sequenced the RS early LPs. It does seem that looking back on the 2 greatest hits collections, High Tide and Through The Past Darkly, they are great albums. The obvious thing to do would be to put together a "Past Masters" type collection (which ABKCO did and called it "Stray Cats") or add bonus tracks to each album, but that's not very Rolling Stones-ish to me. I like the idea of having every mono RS LP. In my opinion, these all stand alone as fine LPs, even the collections (like "Around and Around", "Flowers" and here, "Stone Age") are not just simply a collection of songs. I hope you agree. So this is a collection of stand-alone albums, each designed to be enjoyed separately, without song duplication.

Hence, this set has had a few extra albums created. The second LP is a recreation of "Around And Around", that great German collection. My version completes all of their 1963-64 tracks that weren't on albums or greatest hits collections. This sews up those years perfectly. "High Tide and Green Grass" pretty closely follows the UK version, with a few changes.

Maybe the strangest one here is "Stone Age". This collects all of the B-sides, USA and other leftover tracks from 1965-66. I know "Sittin' On A Fence" and the other USA Flowers tracks came out in 1967, but I'm pretty sure they pre-date Aftermath. Anyhow, they fit just fine here! For this compilation, I stayed pretty close to chronological sequence.

"Through The Past, Darkly" uses only the mono single mixes and follows closely to the UK version, only removing duplicates and adding in more 67-70 unique single mixes/edits. "CS Blues" is added to the end of this only because it really didn't fit anywhere else.

Because you can sure that ABKCO would be charging a pretty penny for this set, it's only right that they throw in some bonus 45s, right? The first is their never-released 2nd single finally seeing an official release! Also, that Bill Wyman/Stones single (which is barely different from the mono TSMR version) sits here best, and not on TtP,D. Trust me, I tried it! Finally, the really hard to find (for me, anyway) Original mono mix of the "Brown Sugar" single.

01 - The Rolling Stones (UK) (The Rolling Stones In Mono) [BF 2019 Update]
1 Route 66 (Mono) 2:22
2 I Just Want To Make Love To You (Mono) 2:19
3 Honest I Do (Mono) 2:11
4 Mona (I Need You Baby) (Mono) 3:37
5 Now I've Got A Witness (Mono) 2:32
6 Little By Little (Mono) 2:40
7 I'm A King Bee (Mono) 2:37
8 Carol (Mono) 2:35
9 Tell Me (Mono) 3:50
10 Can I Get A Witness (Mono) 2:57
11 You Can Make It If You Try (Mono) 2:02
12 Walking The Dog (Mono) 3:09

02 - Around And Around (The Rolling Stones In Mono) [2019 Deluxe Edition]
1 Around And Around (Mono) 3:04
2 Good Times, Bad Times (Mono) 2:32
3 Empty Heart (Mono) 2:39
4 Confessin' The Blues (Mono) 2:50
5 Not Fade Away (Mono) 1:50
6 Bye Bye Johnny (Mono) 2:12
7 You Better Move On (Mono) 2:41
8 I Wanna Be Your Man (Mono) 1:46
9 2120 South Michigan Avenue (12x5 Long Version) (Mono) 3:40
10 If You Need Me (Mono) 2:05
11 Poison Ivy (Version 2) (Mono) 2:08
12 I Want To Be Loved (Mono) 1:55
13 Stoned (Mono) 2:12
14 Money (Mono) 2:33
15 Surprise, Surprise (Mono) 2:30
16 How Many Times [Mono]** 1:55

03 - No. 2 (UK) (The Rolling Stones In Mono) [BF 2019 Update]
1 Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (Mono) 5:04
2 Down Home Girl (Mono) 4:13
3 You Can't Catch Me (Mono) 3:40
4 Time Is On My Side (Mono) 3:00
5 What A Shame (Mono) 3:04
6 Grown Up Wrong (Mono) 2:06
7 Down The Road Apiece (Mono) 2:58
8 Under The Boardwalk (Mono) 2:47
9 I Can't Be Satisfied (Mono) 3:29
10 Pain In My Heart (Mono) 2:13
11 Off The Hook (Mono) 2:36
12 Susie Q (Mono) 1:57

04 - Out Of Our Heads (UK) (The Rolling Stones In Mono) [BF 2019 Update]
1 She Said Yeah (Mono) 1:36
2 Mercy Mercy (Mono) 2:47
3 Hitch Hike (Mono) 2:26
4 That's How Strong My Love Is (Mono) 2:26
5 Good Times (Mono) 2:00
6 Gotta Get Away (Mono) 2:08
7 Talkin' 'Bout You (Mono) 2:32
8 Cry To Me (Mono) 3:10
9 Oh, Baby (We Got A Good Thing Goin') (Mono) 2:09
10 Heart Of Stone (Mono) 2:51
11 The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man (Mono) 3:08
12 I'm Free (Mono) 2:26

05 - Aftermath (UK) (The Rolling Stones In Mono) [BF 2019 Update]
1 Mother's Little Helper (Mono) 2:46
2 Stupid Girl (Mono) 2:57
3 Lady Jane (Mono) 3:10
4 Under My Thumb (Mono) 3:25
5 Doncha Bother Me (Mono) 2:42
6 Going Home (Mono) 11:18
7 Flight 505 (Mono) 3:28
8 High And Dry (Mono) 3:08
9 Out Of Time (Mono) 5:19
10 It's Not Easy (Mono) 2:56
11 I Am Waiting (Mono) 3:12
12 Take It Or Leave It (Mono) 2:47
13 Think (Mono) 3:10
14 What To Do (Mono) 2:29

01-05 HERE

06 - Big Hits [High Tide And Green Grass](The Rolling Stones In Mono)(2019 Deluxe Edition]
  1 Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow? (Mono) 2:35
2 Paint It, Black (Mono) 3:24
3 It's All Over Now (Mono) 3:28
4 The Last Time (Mono) 3:42
5 Play With Fire (Mono) 2:15
6 Tell Me [Single Version] [Mono]** 2:37
7 Come On (Mono) 1:51
8 (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (Mono) 3:43
9 Get Off Of My Cloud (Mono) 2:56
10 As Tears Go By (Mono) 2:46
11 19th Nervous Breakdown (Mono) 3:59
12 Out Of Time (US. Version) [Mono] 3:41
13 Time Is On My Side (Organ Version) (Mono) 2:54
14 Little Red Rooster (Mono) 3:06

07 - Stone Age (The Rolling Stones In Mono) [2019 Deluxe Edition]
1 Congratulations (Mono) 2:30
2 I've Been Loving You Too Long (Mono) 2:58
3 2120 South Michigan Avenue (5x5 EP Short Version [Mono]** 2:07
4 Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (Mono) 3:00
5 One More Try (Mono) 2:00
6 Gotta Get Away (Mono) 2:07
7 The Spider And The Fly (Mono) 3:40
8 The Under Assistant West Coast Promo Man (Uncensored Single Version) [Mono] 3:17
9 The Singer Not The Song (Mono) 2:24
10 Look What You've Done (Mono) 2:17
11 Sad Day (Mono) 3:03
12 Blue Turns To Grey (Mono) 2:29
13 Con Le Mie Lacrime (As Tears Go By) (Mono) 2:50
14 Long, Long While (Mono) 3:04
15 Who's Driving Your Plane? (Mono) 3:17
16 Sittin' On A Fence (Mono) 3:00
17 My Girl (Mono) 2:38
18 Ride On, Baby (Mono) 3:00

08 - Got Live If You Want It! (The Rolling Stones In Mono) [2019 Deluxe Edition]
1 Under My Thumb [Mono LP]** 2:54
2 Get off of My Cloud [Mono LP]** 2:54
3 Lady Jane [Mono LP]** 3:08
4 Not Fade Away [Mono LP]** 2:04
5 I've Been Loving You Too Long [Mono LP]** 2:55
6 Fortune Teller [Mono LP]** 1:57
7 The Last Time [Mono LP]** 3:08
8 19th Nervous Breakdown [Mono LP]** 3:31
9 We Want The Stones [Mono EP]** 0:13
10 Everybody Needs Somebody To Love [Mono EP]** 0:36
11 Pain In My Heart [Mono EP]** 2:03
12 Route 66 [Mono EP]** 2:36
13 I'm Moving On [Mono EP]** 2:12
14 Time Is on My Side [Mono LP]** 2:49
15 I'm Alright [Mono EP]** 2:22
16 Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadows? [Mono LP]** 2:19
17 (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction [Mono LP]** 3:05

09 - Between the Buttons (The Rolling Stones In Mono) [BF 2019 Update]
1 Yesterday's Papers (Mono) 2:18
2 My Obsession (Mono) 3:20
3 Back Street Girl (Mono) 3:27
4 Connection (Mono) 2:13
5 She Smiled Sweetly (Mono) 2:45
6 Cool, Calm & Collected (Mono) 4:16
7 All Sold Out (Mono) 2:17
8 Please Go Home (Mono) 3:17
9 Who's Been Sleeping Here? (Mono) 3:53
10 Complicated (Mono) 3:17
11 Miss Amanda Jones (Mono) 2:49
12 Something Happened To Me Yesterday (Mono) 4:54

10 - Their Satanic Majesties Request (The Rolling Stones In Mono) [BF 2019 Update]
1 Sing This All Together (Mono) 3:46
2 Citadel (Mono) 2:51
3 In Another Land (Mono) 3:14
4 2000 Man (Mono) 3:08
5 Sing This All Together (See What Happens) (Mono) 8:39
6 She's A Rainbow (Mono) 4:36
7 The Lantern (Mono) 4:26
8 Gomper (Mono) 5:10
9 2000 Light Years From Home (Mono) 4:45
10 On With The Show (Mono) 3:41

06-10 HERE

11 - Beggars Banquet (The Rolling Stones In Mono) [BF 2019 Update]
1 Sympathy For The Devil (Mono) 6:29
2 No Expectations (Mono) 3:57
3 Dear Doctor (Mono) 3:22
4 Parachute Woman (Mono) 2:21
5 Jigsaw Puzzle (Mono) 6:06
6 Street Fighting Man (Mono) 3:16
7 Prodigal Son (Mono) 2:52
8 Stray Cat Blues (Mono) 4:38
9 Factory Girl (Mono) 2:10
10 Salt Of The Earth (Mono) 4:47

12 - Through The Past, Darkly (The Rolling Stones In Mono) [2019 Deluxe Edition]
1 Jumpin' Jack Flash (Mono) 3:40
2 2000 Light Years From Home [Single Version] [Mono]** 4:45
3 Let's Spend The Night Together [Mono] 3:27
4 You Can't Always Get What You Want (Single Version) [Mono] 4:49
5 We Love You (Single Version) [Mono] 4:37
6 Street Fighting Man (Single Version) [Mono] 3:09
7 She's A Rainbow [Single Version] [Mono]** 4:12
8 Ruby Tuesday (Mono) 3:13
9 Dandelion (Single Version) [Mono] 3:52
10 Child Of The Moon (Rmk) [Mono] 3:15
11 Honky Tonk Women [Mono] 3:03
12 Cocksucker Blues [Mono]** 3:28

13 - Let It Bleed (The Rolling Stones In Mono) [BF 2019 Update]
1 Gimme Shelter (Mono) 4:31
2 Love In Vain (Mono) 4:19
3 Country Honk (Mono) 3:08
4 Live With Me (Mono) 3:33
5 Let It Bleed (Mono) 5:28
6 Midnight Rambler (Mono) 6:53
7 You Got The Silver (Mono) 2:51
8 Monkey Man (Mono) 4:12
9 You Can't Always Get What You Want (Mono) 7:28

14 - Sticky Fingers (The Rolling Stones In Mono) [BF 2019 Update]
1 Brown Sugar [Mono]** 3:47
2 Sway [Mono]** 3:51
3 Wild Horses [Mono]** 5:41
4 Can't You Hear Me Knocking? [Mono]** 7:10
5 You Gotta Move [Mono]** 2:33
6 Bitch [Mono]** 3:35
7 I Got The Blues [Mono]** 3:53
8 Sister Morphine [Mono]** 5:30
9 Dead Flowers [Mono]** 4:03
10 Moonlight Mile [Mono]** 5:52

15 - Bonus Singles (The Rolling Stones In Mono) [BF 2019 Update] 
1 Fortune Teller (Mono) 2:20
2 Poison Ivy (Version 1) (Mono) 2:37
3 In Another Land [Single Version] [Mono]** 2:53
4 The Lantern [Single Version] [Mono]** 4:26
5 Brown Sugar [Single Version] (Mono)** 3:52
6 Bitch [Single Version] (Mono)** 3:38
7 Let It Rock [Single Version] (Mono)** 2:36
8 Tumbling Dice (US A-Side) [Mono]** 3:45
9 All Down The Line (Single Version) [Mono]** 3:54
10 Exile On Main St. Blues (Flexi Disc) [Mono]** 1:26

11-15 HERE