Blue Turns to Grey

Last updated

"Blue Turns to Grey"
Song by The Rolling Stones
from the album December's Children (And Everybody's)
Released4 December 1965
Recorded6 September 1965
Genre Rock
Songwriter(s) Jagger–Richards
"Blue Turns to Grey"
Single by Cliff Richard and the Shadows
B-side "Somebody Loses" (Tepper/Bennett)
Released18 March 1966
Recorded17 January 1966
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s) Jagger–Richards
Producer(s) Norrie Paramor
Cliff Richard singles chronology
"Wind Me Up (Let Me Go)"
(1965)
"Blue Turns to Grey"
(1966)
"Visions"
(1966)

"Blue Turns to Grey" is a song that was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. The song first appeared in February 1965 when both Dick and Dee Dee and The Mighty Avengers released versions of it as singles. Another version was released shortly thereafter by Tracey Dey on Amy Records. On Dey's single, the label credits the song to "K. Richard-A. Oldham"—Oldham being the surname of the Rolling Stones' then-manager/producer Andrew Loog Oldham. [1] It was released by The Rolling Stones on their 1965 US-only album December's Children (And Everybody's) later that year. On this album, "Blue Turns to Grey" as well as "The Singer Not the Song" features Brian Jones on a 12-string electric guitar and Keith on a 6-string. It did not see a UK release until the 1971 compilation album Stone Age. [2]

Contents

When Cliff Richard and the Shadows released their version as a single in March 1966 it became a hit in a number of countries. In the UK it reached number 15. [3] [4]

Rolling Stones version

Personnel

Cliff Richard and the Shadows version

Chart performance

Chart (1966)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [5] 20
Israel [6] 1
Malaysia [7] 2
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [8] 18
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [9] 11
Singapore [7] 2
UK Singles (OCC) [10] 15

Other cover versions

Flamin' Groovies released a version of the song on their 1978 album, Flamin' Groovies Now [11]

Related Research Articles

<i>Between the Buttons</i> 1967 studio album by the Rolling Stones

Between the Buttons is the fifth British and seventh American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 20 January 1967 in the UK and on 11 February in the US. Reflecting the band's brief foray into psychedelia and baroque pop balladry during the era, the album is among their most eclectic works; multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones frequently abandoned his guitar during the sessions in favor of instruments such as organ, marimba, dulcimer, vibraphone, trumpet, and kazoo. Keyboard contributions came from two session players: former Rolling Stones member Ian Stewart and frequent contributor Jack Nitzsche. Between the Buttons would be the last album produced by Andrew Loog Oldham, who had to this point acted as the band's manager and produced all of their albums.

<i>The Rolling Stones, Now!</i> 1965 studio album by the Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones, Now! is the third American studio album by English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 13 February 1965 by their initial American distributor, London Records. Although it contains two previously unissued songs and an alternative version, the album mostly consists of songs released earlier in the United Kingdom, plus the group's recent single in the United States, "Heart of Stone" backed with "What a Shame". Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote four of the songs on the album, with the balance composed by American rhythm and blues and rock and roll artists.

<i>Decembers Children (And Everybodys)</i> 1965 studio album by the Rolling Stones

December's Children (And Everybody's) is the fifth American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released in December 1965. It is primarily compiled from different released tracks from across the band's recording career up to that point, including the UK version of Out of Our Heads. Bassist Bill Wyman quotes Jagger in 1968 calling the record "[not] an album, it's just a collection of songs." Accordingly, it is only briefly detailed in Wyman's otherwise exhaustive book Rolling with the Stones. It features their then-recent transatlantic hit single "Get Off of My Cloud", as well as their own remake of Marianne Faithfull's Jagger/Richards-penned hit "As Tears Go By", which was released as the album's second single in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harlem Shuffle</span> 1963 single by Bob & Earl

"Harlem Shuffle" is an R&B song written and originally recorded by the duo Bob & Earl in 1963. In 1986, it was covered by the British rock band The Rolling Stones on their album Dirty Work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruby Tuesday (song)</span> Song by the Rolling Stones

"Ruby Tuesday" is a song recorded by the Rolling Stones in 1966, released in January 1967. The song became the band's fourth number-one hit in the United States and reached number three in the United Kingdom as a double A-side with "Let's Spend the Night Together". The song was included in the American version of Between the Buttons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paint It Black</span> 1966 song by the Rolling Stones

"Paint It Black" is a song recorded in 1966 by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. A product of the songwriting partnership of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it is a raga rock song with Indian, Middle Eastern and Eastern European influences and lyrics about grief and loss. London Records released the song as a single on 7 May 1966 in the United States, and Decca Records released it on 13 May in the United Kingdom. Two months later, London Records included it as the opening track on the American version of the band's 1966 studio album Aftermath, though it is not on the original UK release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss You (Rolling Stones song)</span> 1978 single by The Rolling Stones

"Miss You" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on Rolling Stones Records in May 1978. It was released as the first single one month in advance of their album Some Girls. "Miss You" was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

<i>Flowers</i> (Rolling Stones album) 1967 compilation album by the Rolling Stones

Flowers is the second compilation album by the Rolling Stones, released in June 1967. The group recorded the songs at various studios dating back to 1965. Three of the songs had never been released: "My Girl", "Ride On, Baby" and "Sittin' on a Fence", the first of which was recorded in May 1965 during the sessions for "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," and the other two of which were recorded in December 1965 during the first lot of Aftermath sessions. The rest of the album tracks either appeared as singles or had been omitted from the American versions of Aftermath and Between the Buttons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Start Me Up</span> 1981 single by The Rolling Stones

"Start Me Up" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones from their 1981 album Tattoo You. Released as the album's lead single, it reached number one on Australian Kent Music Report, number two in Canada, number two on the Billboard Hot 100, number seven on the UK Singles Chart, and the top ten in a handful of European countries north of the Alps.

<i>Metamorphosis</i> (Rolling Stones album) 1975 compilation album by the Rolling Stones

Metamorphosis is the third compilation album of the Rolling Stones music released by former manager Allen Klein's ABKCO Records after the band's departure from Decca and Klein. Released in 1975, Metamorphosis centres on outtakes and alternate versions of well-known songs recorded from 1964 to 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Spend the Night Together</span> 1967 song by the Rolling Stones

"Let's Spend the Night Together" is a song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and originally released by the Rolling Stones as a double A-sided single together with "Ruby Tuesday" in January 1967. It also appears as the opening track on the American version of their album Between the Buttons. The song has been covered by various artists, including David Bowie in 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">As Tears Go By (song)</span> 1964 pop song

"As Tears Go By" is a song written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham. Marianne Faithfull recorded and released it as a single in the United Kingdom in 1964. Her song peaked at number nine on both the UK and Irish singles charts. Later, the Rolling Stones recorded their own version, which was included on the American album December's Children . London Records released it as a single, which reached number six in the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beast of Burden (song)</span> 1978 song by The Rolling Stones

"Beast of Burden" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, featured on the 1978 album Some Girls. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song No. 435 on their list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wild Horses (Rolling Stones song)</span> 1971 song by The Rolling Stones

"Wild Horses" is a song written by the British rock band the Rolling Stones. It was first released in 1970 by The Flying Burrito Brothers as the Stones didn't think the demo was worth recording fully. It was subsequently recorded by the Stones for their 1971 album Sticky Fingers when they felt it was worth reconsideration. It was also released on 12 June 1971 as a single, with "Sway" as its B-side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Get Off of My Cloud</span> 1965 single by The Rolling Stones

"Get Off of My Cloud" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards for a single to follow the successful "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". Recorded in Hollywood, California, in early September 1965, the song was released in September in the United States and October in the United Kingdom. It topped the charts in the US, UK, Canada, and Germany and reached number two in several other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mother's Little Helper</span> 1966 song by the Rolling Stones

"Mother's Little Helper" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. A product of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' songwriting partnership, it is a folk rock song with Eastern influences. Its lyrics deal with the popularity of prescribed tranquilisers like Valium among housewives and the potential hazards of overdose or addiction. Recorded in December 1965, it was first released in the United Kingdom as the opening track of the band's April 1966 album, Aftermath. In the United States, it was omitted from the album and instead issued as a single in July 1966 during the band's fifth American tour. The Rolling Stones' twelfth US single, "Mother's Little Helper" spent nine weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 8, and it reached No. 4 on both Record World and Cash Box's charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Last Time (Rolling Stones song)</span> 1965 single by the Rolling Stones

"The Last Time" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones featuring the Andrew Oldham Orchestra, and the band's first original song released as an A-single in the UK. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and recorded at RCA Studios in Hollywood, California in January 1965, "The Last Time" was the band's third UK single to reach number one on the UK Singles Chart, spending three weeks at the top in March and early April 1965. It reached number two in the Irish Singles Chart in March 1965, and was released on the US version of the album Out of Our Heads on 30 July 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emotional Rescue (song)</span> 1980 single by the Rolling Stones

"Emotional Rescue" is a song by the English rock and roll band, the Rolling Stones. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and is included on their 1980 album Emotional Rescue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction</span> 1965 single by the Rolling Stones

"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" is a song recorded by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. A product of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' songwriting partnership, it features a guitar riff by Richards that opens and drives the song. The riff by Richards is widely considered one of the greatest hooks of all time. The song lyrics refer to sexual frustration and commercialism.

"I'm Free" is a song by the Rolling Stones written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, first released as the final track on the UK version of their album Out of Our Heads on 24 September 1965. It was also released at the same time as a single in the US and later included on the American December's Children album.

References

  1. "Tracey Dey - Didn 'Ya / Blue Turns To Grey - Amy - USA - 917". 45cat.com. 23 January 1965. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  2. Egan, Sean (2006). The Rough Guide to The Rolling Stones. Penguin. p. 197. ISBN   978-1-84353-719-9.
  3. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 460/2. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  4. Cliff Richard and the Shadows: Blue Turns to Grey at Discogs (list of releases)
  5. Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969 (doc). Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN   0-646-44439-5.
  6. Billboard (3 September 1966). "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 38. ISSN   0006-2510.{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  7. 1 2 Billboard (9 July 1966). "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 46. ISSN   0006-2510.{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  8. "Cliff Richard – Wired for Sound" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  9. "Cliff Richard – Wired for Sound". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  10. "Cliff Richard: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  11. "Flamin Groovies - Flamin' Groovies Now CD Album". Cduniverse.com. 22 February 2005. Retrieved 8 January 2013.