Flowers

Released on June 26, 1967, Flowers stands as the second US compilation album by The Rolling Stones. London Records assembled this collection specifically for the American market without input from the band members. Producer Andrew Loog Oldham curated a tracklist that bridged their R&B roots with the baroque pop and psychedelic sounds emerging during the Summer of Love.

The album features twelve tracks spanning two years of output, including three songs that had never appeared on any UK or US studio release before. These rare inclusions are 'Ride On, Baby,' 'Sittin' on a Fence,' and a cover of the Temptations' 'My Girl.' Listeners also find hits like 'Ruby Tuesday' and 'Let's Spend the Night Together' alongside B-sides and deep cuts left off previous American albums.

Commercially, the record moved quickly. It peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and earned a Gold certification from the RIAA just two months after its launch. While the Stones lacked creative control over the sequencing, the project remains a vital document of their mid-60s evolution. Brian Jones adds distinctive textures here, playing sitar, dulcimer, and harpsichord on tracks like 'Lady Jane' and 'Ruby Tuesday.' [bearbeiten]