The Rolling Stones first #1 album in the US, probably because of the inclusion of '(I Can't get No) Satisfaction', their most recent #1 hit single. Along with 'Satisfaction', there is 'The Last Time' and 'Play With Fire', which are all included on Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass). This album also includes the UK and US b-sides to 'Satisfaction'. In the UK, its b-side was 'The Spider and the fly' while in the US had 'The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man' as the b-side of 'Satisfaction'. Also on this album, there's a live song, 'I'm All Right' which hit the UK the same year on the "Got LIVE" EP. A different live version is found on the US "Got LIVE" LP. The covers included on this album are 'Mercy, Mercy', followed by 'Hitch-Hike'. Then comes 'That's How Strong My Love Is' with Sam Cooke's 'Good Times' after (coincidently, Sam Cooke and the Rolling Stones appear on ABKCO records). The last cover here is 'Cry To Me'. The closing song of the album is 'One More Try', a Mick Jagger/Keith Richards composition.

The original album was released in 1965 by London Records. The first CD release was released in 1986. The SACD was released in 2002. Presented here is the 1986 version with the release number 74292 (CD 429).

Out of Our Heads to this day remains to be one of my own personal favorite Stones albums. From the very first song, a cover version of Don Covay's "Mercy Mercy" to the last song "One More Try", Out Of Our Heads is truly one of the original Rolling Stones great albums. The album also contains some true classic Jagger/Richard compositions such as "The Last Time" and their bona fide masterpiece "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". From beginning till end Out Of Our Heads contains great cover versions as well as original compositions. One of the strongest albums the Rolling Stones have ever made.

Out Of Our Heads was released in the U.S. on July 30, 1965. It includes the most famous of all rock and Stones tracks (Satisfaction) as well as The Last Time (one of their most enduring compositions). But this album has what I call the best of the great Stones 2nds....those tracks that formed the basis of the original band.....not the AM hits.....but the developing expertise and taste that eventually gave us the great songwriting and sense of outrage that became the greatest band the planet has ever known. This includes Mercy Mercy, Hitch Hike, That's How Strong My Love Is, Play With Fire, and The Spider And The Fly. This album is also memorable for the 7 titles penned by Jagger and Richards (the first time their own compositions dominated an album).

Personally, this one is my favorite of all their early albums and I have always ranked it as 2nd only to Beggars Banquet. But I loved the early Stones first and best and have felt that way for almost 40 years now. My kids respect them, my grandchildren are just now hearing them for the first time, but I still love the old band as they play on this album.

The Out Of Our Heads tracks were recorded during 1964-5 as follows:
1964: Oct 27 - Nov 2 at RCA Studios in Hollywood
Hitch Hike
1965: Jan 17-18 & Feb 17 at RCA Studios in Hollywood
The Last Time
Play With Fire
Live in the UK on March 6 (Empire in Liverpool), 7 (Palace in Manchester), or 16 (Granada in Greenford)
I'm All Right
May 10, 1965 at Chess Studios in Chicago
That's How Strong My Love Is
Mercy, Mercy
Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man
May 11-12, 1965 at RCA Studios in Hollywood
Satisfaction
Good Times
Cry To Me
The Spider And The Fly
One More Try

The UK version was released Sep 24, 1965 but with the addition of She Said Yeah, Talkin' Bout You, Oh Baby, Heart Of Stone, and I'm Free. The UK release did not include The Last Time, I'm All Right, Satisfaction, Play With Fire, Spider And The Fly, or One More Try. Also of interest, the UK Out Of Our Heads used the same artwork as the US release of December's Children.

This information comes from "It's Only Rock And Roll: The Ultimate Guide To The Rolling Stones" by Karnbach and Bernson and from my own collection.

"Out Of Our Heads" displays classic early Rolling Stones the best. If you own one album of the pre "Aftermath" albums, I'd say get this one. It has their three classic singles "The Last Time", "Satisfaction", and "Play With Fire." The album is worth buying just for those three singles. While The Beatles were singing about finding love on every corner, "Satisfaction" told the world how love really works. The highlights of "Out Of Our Heads" however are all the R&B covers...Marvin Gaye's "Hitch Hike", Ottis Redding's "That's How Strong My Love Is" and "Mercy Mercy"...my personal favorite of the covers is of Same Cooke's "Good Times". It re-creates the greatness of the original best out of all the covers. "The Spider And The Fly" and "One More Try" show Jagger and Richard's songwritting progressing while not fully matured. This album is essential for any Rock 'N' Roll fan. No other band will do what The Rolling Stone did again.

On their earlier records Mick and Keith issued the songs they'd written under the name Nanker Phelge, that stopped with this record, four songs: "Satisfaction," "The Last Time, "The Spider and the Fly" and "One More Try" were issued under Mick and Keith's real names, but for some reason they issued two of the songs under their pseudonym, "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man," three minutes and seven seconds of a song I just absolutely love and "Play with Fire." Also this record marks a turn from singing mostly cover songs to songs written by Mick and Keith. I love these early records, but I love the later stuff too. It's hard to decide with this group because when I'm listening to a song like "Good Times" I think music can't get any better than this, then I listen to "Sticky Fingers" and I know it can. What a great band the Rolling Stones are.