News

The old saying goes that necessity is the mother of invention.  And when The Rolling Stones needed a new LP to tour behind but didn’t have time to write and record, they invented Tattoo You.  The 1981 album was primarily assembled from a decade’s worth of outtakes, some essentially finished and some nowhere near so; band members eventually made their way into the studio to complete the latter tracks.  The gamble paid off and Tattoo You topped the U.S. Billboard 200 and went to No. 2 on the U.K. Albums Chart.  The lead single “Start Me Up” became a Stones staple, reaching No. 2 in the U.S. and No. 7 on the U.K. Singles Chart.  Second single “Waiting on a Friend” (featuring Mick Taylor on guitar and Sonny Rollins on saxophone) became another U.S. top twenty hit.  All told, the album featured Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Ronnie Wood, Charlie Watts, Taylor, and keyboardists Ian Stewart, Nicky Hopkins, and Billy Preston.

Now, Tattoo You is returning for its 40th anniversary and coming full circle with a whole new disc of recently-complete outtakes plus a previously unreleased concert.  The 40th anniversary presentation of Tattoo You, due on October 22, will be available on four CDs or five 180-gram LPs featuring:

• A new 2021 Remaster of Tattoo You;
• Lost and Found: Rarities (nine previously unreleased tracks); and
• Still Life: Wembley Stadium 1982 (previously unreleased 26-song show).

Highlights editions will be released with just the 2021 remaster of the original album on 1 CD or 1 LP; and with the remaster and the Lost and Found disc on 2 CDs or 2 LPs.  A clear vinyl variant of the 2LP edition with alternate cover art is available exclusively from the Rolling Stones store, as is an exclusive red cassette of the original album.

The box set, adorned with lenticular artwork, will also include a whopping 124-page book featuring more than 200 rare photos from the Stones’ recording sessions and world tour, plus interviews with original producer Chris Kimsey and photographer Hubert Kretzscmar.  The 4CD version adds a bonus picture disc LP of Tattoo You.

The new Lost & Found collection boasts nine never-before-released tracks from the era, “newly completed and enhanced with additional vocals and guitar by the band.”  These titles include a early reggae-style version of “Start Me Up,” covers of Jimmy Reed (“Shame, Shame, Shame”) and Dobie Gray (“Drift Away”), and originals such as “Living in the Heart of Love” which is now streaming on YouTube and elsewhere.

Still Life: Wembley Stadium 1982 partially bears the same title as the Stones’ 1982 live album Still Life: American Concert 1981, but this release presents one entire concert from the United Kingdom rather than highlights from various stops in the United States.  The 26-song Wembley show from June 1982 featured numerous Tattoo You cuts (“Start Me Up,” “Little T&A,” “Hang Fire,” and “Neighbours”) plus Stones classics (“Let’s Spend the Night Together,” “Under My Thumb,” “Brown Sugar,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”) and souled- ‘n sleazed-up covers (The Temptations’ “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me),” The Miracles’ “Going to a Go-Go,” Eddie Cochran’s “Twenty Flight Rock,” The Big Bopper’s “Chantilly Lace”).

All formats are due from Polydor/Interscope/UMe on October 22.  You’ll find the track listings with pre-order links below; U.S. links are active as of this writing and U.K. and Canada links should be active soon.

The Rolling Stones, Tattoo You: 40th Anniversary Edition (Rolling Stones Records CUNS 39114 (U.K.)/COC 16052 (U.S.), 1981 – reissued Polydor/Interscope/UMe, 2021)

4CD + Tattoo You Picture Disc Vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
1CD (Disc One only): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2CD (Discs 1 & 2 only): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

CD 1: Original Album (Remastered)

1. Start Me Up – Remastered 2021
2. Hang Fire – Remastered 2021
3. Slave – Remastered 2021
4. Little T&A – Remastered 2021
5. Black Limousine – Remastered 2021
6. Neighbours – Remastered 2021
7. Worried About You – Remastered 2021
8. Tops – Remastered 2021
9. Heaven – Remastered 2021
10. No Use In Crying – Remastered 2021
11. Waiting On A Friend – Remastered 2021

CD 2: Lost & Found: Rarities

1. Living In The Heart Of Love
2. Fiji Jim
3. Troubles A’ Comin
4. Shame Shame Shame
5. Drift Away
6. It’s A Lie
7. Come To The Ball
8. Fast Talking Slow Walking
9. Start Me Up (Early Version)

CDs 3-4: Still Life: Wembley Stadium 1982

1. Under My Thumb
2. When The Whip Comes Down
3. Let’s Spend The Night Together
4. Shattered
5. Neighbours
6. Black Limousine
7. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
8. Twenty Flight Rock
9. Going To A Go Go
10. Chantilly Lace
11. Let Me Go
12. Time Is On My Side
13. Beast Of Burden
14. Let It Bleed
15. You Can’t Always Get What You Want
16. Band Introductions
17. Little T&A
18. Tumbling Dice
19. She’s So Cold
20. Hang Fire
21. Miss You
22. Honky Tonk Women
23. Brown Sugar
24. Start Me Up
25. Jumpin’ Jack Flash
26. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction

5LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
1LP (Album Remaster Only): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP (Album Remaster and Lost & Found – Black Vinyl): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP (Album Remaster and Lost & Found – Clear Vinyl): Rolling Stones Store

Original Album (Remastered)

Side A

12. Start Me Up – Remastered 2021
13. Hang Fire – Remastered 2021
14. Slave – Remastered 2021
15. Little T&A – Remastered 2021
16. Black Limousine – Remastered 2021
17. Neighbours – Remastered 2021

Side B

18. Worried About You – Remastered 2021
19. Tops – Remastered 2021
20. Heaven – Remastered 2021
21. No Use In Crying – Remastered 2021
22. Waiting On A Friend – Remastered 2021

Lost & Found: Rarities

Side C

10. Living In The Heart Of Love
11. Fiji Jim
12. Troubles A’ Comin
13. Shame Shame Shame
14. Drift Away

Side D

15. It’s A Lie
16. Come To The Ball
17. Fast Talking Slow Walking
18. Start Me Up (Early Version)

Still Life: Wembley Stadium 1982

Side E

1. Under My Thumb
2. When The Whip Comes Down
3. Let’s Spend The Night Together
4. Shattered
5. Neighbours

Side F

1. Black Limousine
2. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
3. Twenty Flight Rock
4. Going To A Go Go

Side G

1. Chantilly Lace
2. Let Me Go
3. Time Is On My Side
4. Beast Of Burden

Side H

1. Let It Bleed
2. You Can’t Always Get What You Want
3. Band Introductions
4. Little T&A

Side J

1. Tumbling Dice
2. She’s So Cold
3. Hang Fire
4. Miss You
5. Honky Tonk Women

Side K

1. Brown Sugar
2. Start Me Up
3. Jumpin’ Jack Flash
4. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction