The Rolling Stones

Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass) (1966)

 

  1.(I Can't Get No)Satisfaction
  2.The Last Time
  3.As Tears Go By
  4.Time is on My Side
  5.It's All Over Now
  6.Tell Me
  7.19th Nervous Breakdown
  8.Heart of Stone
  9.Get Off My Cloud
 10.Not Fade Away
 11.Good Times, Bad Times
 12.Play With Fire
  

Even before the sagging record industry began flooding the market with “best of” packages in the early 2000s, The Rolling Stones had already built a reputation for having far too many compilations in circulation. For the casual fan, it could become more than a little confusing. Which is a shame, because Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass)—while often overlooked—is one of the better examples of a compilation done right.

Yes, most of what’s found here has been repackaged elsewhere, and in some cases more extensively. But what makes this collection worthwhile is timing. The material featured pulls largely from their first five albums—those early, raw records when the band was still in the process of shaping what would become “The Rolling Stones sound.” They hadn’t yet become global icons. The polish and spectacle would come later. This is the Stones at their scrappiest, most energetic—and arguably their most exciting.

The track selection leans heavy on the essentials, and wisely so. This is where songs like Time Is On My Side, Get Off My Cloud, and As Tears Go By truly shine. These weren’t just placeholders—they were statements, showing that the band had more to offer than blues covers and bar-band attitude. They even throw in the previously unreleased 19th Nervous Breakdown, which ends up being the crown jewel of the whole affair. It’s fresh, frenetic, and somehow manages to tie everything together.

For those who don’t feel the need to dig through the entire early discography—or for those who simply want a potent sampler without all the repetition—this is an ideal collection. Not essential, perhaps, but thoroughly satisfying.

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