The opening song "Bittersweet Symphony" from the album "Urban Hymns" by The Verve was one of the most haunting sounds of 1997. It dominated the charts and airwaves that year and has continued to be used as background music in television programmes and advertisements, including those for Nike and Vauxhall. It is one of those tunes that you will surely have heard even if you cannot place its origin. The song became a bittersweet experience for its author Richard Ashcroft. The refrain he used was taken from, at that time, a little known arrangement of a Rolling Stones song (NOT the original) which had appeared on an album long since deleted from the catalogue.

When it was first released in June 1966, "The Songbook" was the fourth in a series of albums recorded by the Andrew Oldham Orchestra. It was subtitled "Instrumental versions of their greatest hits". Perhaps because of the notoriety which the affair generated, perhaps because of the persistence of this one tune, DECCA records reissued "The Rolling Stones Songbook" in CD format in 2004. It should come as no surprise why I bought this album. I already owned The Verve CD and I was intensely curious to hear the original and to see what all the fuss was about. This is your opportunity to 'sample' it too.

THE MAN

Andrew Loog Oldham was born in 1944 and raised in London. He left school at the age of 16 with every intention of going into show business. His early experience was with Brian Epstein and The Beatles. In April 1963 he was introduced to the Rolling Stones and became their manager until the end of 1967. He was flamboyant in style and was instrumental in promoting their aggressive appearance and sound.

Although he had no musical background he 'discovered' and produced the early efforts of Marianne Faithful, co-writing "As Tears Go By". He set up his own record label (Immediate) in 1967 which produced, amongst others, Rod Stewart, Fleetwood Mac and Eric Clapton. He 'retired' to Bogota in Colombia in 1983 but still has links with the music industry.

THE ORCHESTRA

Early in his career Oldham was influenced by the US producer Phil Spectre and he put together his own orchestra which bore his name. In 1964, DECCA records allowed Oldham to produce a series of singles which featured his orchestra on the 'B' side. As the Rolling Stones developed their repertoire, so Oldham used rearrangements of their songs as a different medium to help 'grow' the band. Although he could not read or write music he worked very closely with arranger David Whittaker to produce this series of albums.

As well as employing session musicians, the Andrew Oldham Orchestra also featured guest 'pop artists' of the day including John Paul Jones, Big Jim Sullivan, Jimmy Page and Nicky Hopkins. The Orchestra ceased functioning during 1966 at a time when the Rolling Stones horizons were rapidly expanding.

Oldham reports: "I loved the old orchestral style and enjoyed adding that dimension to a form of music that was regarded as new, trashy, non-lasting and disposable".

THE ALBUM

The following is the running order and track length with some thoughts about the content of each.

1. Blue Turns To Grey (02:58)

A short string cadenza leads to piano chords and then the main theme of this opening track. Horns, strings, throbbing and a cow bell gather together like a merging of Phil Spectre and James Last. There are some indistinct voices adding a chorus. The whole effect is rather muddled. This track appeared on the LP "December's Children".

2. Satisfaction (02:57)

Way down groaning and growling from the bases and then the lower register horns introduce a rather bluesy jazz rendition of "(I Can't Get No …)". The main theme starts on a trumpet which sounds as if it was at the back of the studio. 'La la' voices, clanking percussion and a tinkling piano join muted brass in the chorus.

3. You Better Move On (03:11)

Tinkling cymbals preface a Duane Eddy style guitar theme which is accompanied by Herb Alpert brass. It is taken at a fairly slow, laid back pace. This track was also featured on the Stones album "December's Children"

4. Time Is On My Side (03:18)

The Stones elements of this tune are almost entirely lost. This is a swing-style rendition that could have featured a lead from Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin or been part of a 1960s film soundtrack. The backing rhythm is jaunty. The song is not a Jagger / Richards composition and appeared on the Stones album "High Tide and Green Grass". Sorry, I've forgotten this one already!

5. Heart Of Stone (03:06)

This track is taken at a fairly slow pace with an incessant drum beat. The verses are given as a dialogue between lead and bass guitar. There are some high pitched humans lurking in the background chanting 'This heart of stone'. Again the main theme is rather muddled and at times, I was convinced I was listening to "Anyone Who Had A Heart"

6. As Tears Go By (02:34)

Woodwind take the lead into the melody which is given a pleasant lyrical rendition. This is closer to the Faithful than the Jagger version, which is perhaps not surprising as Oldham was a co-author and also produced her record. The song appeared as the 'B'-side of "19th Nervous Breakdown" in the UK.

7. Play With Fire (02:23)

Percussion, tinkling keyboards and guitars play against each other in this version which sounds as if it were recorded in a large cavern. The track fades out to the chime of bells. The tune is recognisable and is taken at about the same pace as the original. This was the 'B'-side of the Stones single "The Last Time".

8. Theme For A Rolling Stone (03:15)

This is credited as an Andfrew Loog Oldham composition. The first half is a fairly nondescript middle of the road string ballad. About half way the pace is dramatically speeded up for a moment for no apparent reason. I was reminded for a moment of The Shadows without the twang.

9. Tell Me (04:02)

Clanging bells introduce what becomes a slow raw "wall of sound" arrangement. Tinkling piano ripples feature in the middle 8. This was a track from the 1964 "The Rolling Stones" album. It was released as a single in the US reaching number 24.

10. Congratulations (03:02)

Not Cliff Richard or even The Traveling Wilburys, this appeared on the 'B' side of "Little Red Rooster" in the US and on the "12 x 5" album. This is yet another slow, nondescript amalgam of sounds and instruments which leaves no lasting memory.

11. The Last Time (03:47)

After an announcement on the side and bass drums the theme is introduced on chiming bells. Rolling string refrains pick up the verse. The chorus is a restrained series of hanging chords accompanied by an insistent tambourine. The tempo and rhythm are so different from the original.

COMMENTS

It takes some thought to come up with a simple conclusion about this offering.

Let me start with the last track first. This version of "The Last Time" is the stand-out track of the album by miles. It has a haunting quality to it that demands repeat exposure. I am not in the least surprised that it got its hooks into Richard Ashcroft. It is crying out to be completed with a vocal refrain. Listening to it now it is obvious that the two versions are different and I doubt that if you know "Bittersweet Symphony" you could avoid running its words through your head while playing this version. For this alone I consider that it was worthwhile tracking the album down.

As for the rest I have to ask whether these do constitute "The Stones Greatest Hits". I have to try to consider this question from the perspective of the mid 1960s rather than the present. Even back then, apart from "Satisfaction", I would contend that at best we are given renditions of a couple of early successes padded out with some less well known 'B' sides and album tracks.

Despite his lack of musical experience Andrew Loog Oldham was the leader of his own orchestra at the age of 19. Regardless of these limitations it would still have been possible to arrange and produce an album of attractive and innovative sounds featuring what was to become one of the world's biggest and longest lasting supergroups. The mid 1960s was a time of experimentation in popular music. The James Last Orchestra had a huge following and he arranged the hits of the day in his inimitable style. As the decade proceeded groups turned more frequently to "classical" arrangements (The Moody Blues "Days Of Future Passed" is an example)

Unfortunately for the most part, although the original Stones melodies are still discernable, the arrangements are nondescript, the

Pictures

The front cover

recording quality is poor and the overall sound tends to become a muddle. There are passing references to the style of other contemporaneous bands (as I have mentioned in passing). There are some moments which are quite pleasing but these are few and far between. Apart from "The Last Time" there is nothing memorable about the package.

Would I buy this album again? I was looking for the origin of "Bittersweet Symphony" and I found it. In that I was successful. I do play this one track from time to time but the remainder of the album is forgettable. The paradox is, I guess, that had it not been for Richard Ashcroft and his meddling, the whole album would have remained out of print and buried in the archives.

My recommendation at the end of this review merely reflects this one track and its fascinating story.

AVAILABILITY

The CD is packaged in a standard jewel case and this is over-wrapped in a cardboard sleeve. It is this cover which is the photograph above. The rear of the cardboard cover credits The Verve's involvement in creating "Bittersweet Symphony" from "The Last Time". Inside there is a fourteen page booklet which contains a historical commentary of Oldham, his orchestra and its works written by Mark Paytress in 2004. The rear cover is graced by a rather bizarre undated diatribe penned by Oldham himself which concludes: 'Have you noticed how even umbrellas in the south are black / dreaming of their day of revolt / when then they refuse to open / and their condemned white owners are reduced to non-people / in a sea of acid / that fell from the sky / and said Hi / in a silk tie / (and if I'm not careful Sonny Bono will sue me / see if I Cher) / My hair's not too long / and neither is the ellpee. /'

"The Rolling Stones Songbook" - The Andrew Oldham Orchestra. DECCA 9816711

Amazon.co.uk - £ 6.97

Samples of all eleven tracks can be found at:
http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/6745138/a/Rolling+Stones+Songbook.htm

A BITTERSWEET POSTSCRIPT

"'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life
Trying to make ends meet
You're a slave to money then you die"

There are various versions of the story of "Bittersweet Symphony" but the details given below appear to be the most generally accepted.

Ashcroft used the Andrew Loog Oldham arrangement of "The Last Time" as the basis for this track. Some accounts credit him with sampling the refrain and then overdubbing it; others that he rewrote and rearranged it himself adding further strings. Ashcroft further believed that he had a licence agreement to use the sample but after the album was released it was challenged that he had "used too much" of the music and led to a protracted legal battle. The lawsuit was initiated by Allen Klein, Chairman of ABKCO records, the company which owned the recording rights to the Rolling Stones songs. As a result, copyright for this song reverted to ABKCO causing Ashcroft and The Verve to lose control of "Bittersweet Symphony" and the rewards from it. The song was nominated for a Grammy which went to Jagger and Richards. The band split up fairly soon afterwards.

It is reported that both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were approached at the time of the record's release but declined to get involved in the argument. In retrospect, Andrew Loog Oldham appeared philosophical about the affair and is quoted as saying: "I'm more than proud to be the backing track to one of the best and most played records of the '90s."

It is because of this that the sleeve notes of that album credit "Bitter Sweet Symphony" (not "The Last Time") as written by Jagger and Richards; performed and published by the Andrew Oldham Orchestra with vocals by Richard Ashcroft. It is all the more curious that of the 21 reviews to date on CIAO of "Urban Hymns" only two mention that the tune was sampled from a Rolling Stones song; and only one other mentions the name of Andrew Loog Oldham.

[Chart information and track content has been gleaned from "The Great Rock Discography" - Sixth Edition (2002) by M.C.Strong]