With the release of the remastered super audio CDs (SACD) of the Stones ABCKO catalog (which includes all the early Decca/London material), there is now mass confusion about the Out Of Our Heads releases, which includes the December's Children release. Allow me to clarify for you:

There are 3 Out Of Our Heads Releases (all were released with lower case titles):

This new remastered SACD is the December 3, 1965 U.S. London Records vinyl december's children (and everybody's) release.

Note: ABCKO acquired the Stones' catalog when Allen Klein became their manager in the 70s. The resulting legal battles produced releases that the Stones opposed (they took out full page adds asking fans not to buy them), including the controversial Metamorphosis releases (which are now available on CD for the 1st time ever). But the sad fact is that the Stones lost control of their great early material. With these remastered SACD releases, we at last have some idea of what they really sounded like in the studio. I guess if we had these 40 years ago they would have ended up Greatest Rock And Roll Band in the Universe instead of just our tiny little World.

You must buy all 3 releases to get all the tracks, although if you bought the 2 U.S. releases + the earlier U.S. release The Rolling Stones, Now! you would get everything that is included on the U.K. Out Of Our Heads release.

Here is a listing of which tracks are on which release:

U.S. London Records vinyl December's Children (And Everybody's) (the hallway cover with Brain at front) was released December 3, 1965. It used the U.K. Out Of Our Heads cover. This is an odd one for the Stones, released only in the U.S. on Dec 3, 1965 (their 3rd album release that year). It was a compilation of 2 hit singles (Get Off Of My Cloud released 7-24-65 and As Tears Go By released 12-17-65) along with other tracks that had not been released in

This was the last album where the record execs had total control. After this one, the Stones got into the studio enough and produced new tracks so that they were able to exert at least some influence on their releases from here on out. Keith has been quoted in several sources as saying

The album does mark the advent of Jagger and Richards as ballad writers with I'm Free, As Tears Go By, Blue Turns To Grey, and The Singer Not The Song. They also did Gotta Get Away and Get Off Of My Cloud. The rest of the album includes the premature rocker She Said Yeah,

Now a bit about the hits: Get Off Of My Cloud was the follow up to Satisfaction and was their 2nd #1 single in the States. As Tears Go By was first done as a demo on March 11 or 12, 1964 but was finally finished on Oct 26, 1965 and was also released by Mick's girlfriend at the time,

The tracks were recorded from 1963-5 as follows:

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

This is, more or less, just a collection of Rolling Stones songs that hadn't been on an album before. As such, it doesn't have the cohesiveness of some of their other albums. But regardless of that, there is a lot of great material here. The album starts off with great cover versions of songs by Larry Williams, Chuck Berry, Arthur Alexander and Muddy Waters. The album also includes six oustanding Jagger/Richards originals, most of which had been released as singles (both a-sides and b-sides). The only thing that keeps me from giving this album 5 stars are the poorly recorded live versions of "Route 66" and "I'm Moving On". While the performances themselves are fine, it's hard to hear them about all the audience screaming, and they don't really belong here among the studio recordings. But there is still a lot of great material here, which will make the album a "must have" for Stones fans. Oh, I should also mention that, although the CD is labeled as "stereo", "Look What You've Done" is the only song here that is actually in stereo. The rest of the CD is in mono.

The fifth album by the Stones is a great follow-up to their smash hit album Out Of Our Heads. With the not so successful first three albums, their fourth, Out Of Our Heads, sent them sky rocketing because of Satisfaction. December's Children and Everybody's has some good tunes in it with a couple of their big hits such as As Tears Go By and Get Off My Cloud. This is an excellent album to keep the Stones rolling which they have proven over the decades.

The first thing that strikes me as I look at the cover is how young the Stones looked back in the mid-1960s! It's amazing how well they have maintained their level of performance even as their faces now show their age. The second thing is that the center of this work is "Get Off of My Cloud." It was playing so widely that, in the middle of my first year living in a dorm at Bradley University, all sorts of variations on the song took place. I remember one of my floor mates, for example, telling someone "Hey, hey, you, you, Get out of my room." And everyone chuckled, knowing that Jim was riffing from this song.

This CD/album has no thematic coherence. It is a set of songs, most recorded in the studio plus a bit of live music, some covers, and some original Stones' tunes. Still, it's nice to revisit the raw energy and raw playing of the young Rolling Stones.

The CD starts off with a cover of Chuck Berry's "Talkin' about You." They do a good job here, and display a strong blues flavor to their playing and to Mick Jagger's singing. A nice start to this CD.

The Stones began their career as a group focusing on the blues. One of the most important bluesmen of that (or any other) time was, of course, Muddy Waters. "Look What You're Done" shows the Stones up to playing a song by one of the masters of the genre.

And then, "Route 66," a live version. Sound quality muddies what I hear when I listen; the sometimes shouting by the audience drowns things out. But I can tell that the Stones are playing energetically and Jagger's singing is fine.

And, of course, "Get Off of My Cloud," one of their great songs. One characteristic is a whole series of interesting lines with some cool wording. One illustration: "In flies a guy all dressed up just like a Union Jack." The song begins with a great riff; the drumming chugs right along.

Another classic, "I'm Free." A pair of lines speak to me.

"I'm free to do what I want any old time. . .

I'm free to sing my song though it gets out of time."

The latter line reminds one that sometimes in their early works, the playing gets a little ragged. But that somehow worked, showing off their energy and even some spontaneity.

There are some other interesting works, too, although I have never much enjoyed "As Tears Go By."

Anyhow, not a cohesive album, but I don't really care. There are some top-notch early Rolling Stones' moments throughout this CD, with lots of raw energy.

She Said Yeah, You Better Move On,Look What You've Done, Blue Turns to Grey and I'm Free are great songs.

I couldn't write a review that would do this CD justrice..Just recommend it.