The crisp feel in the air had me out all week driving around with the windows down and it seems something weird happened once my DeLorean reached 88 miles per hour. It feels that I have landed in 1981 where the musical landscape was turned upside down by two extraordinary albums. The U.S. radio airwaves were ‘waiting on a friend’ to get ‘physical’ with and 40 years later the two albums that have sold over 15 million combined are getting the remastered, super deluxe edition treatment.
Rolling Stones Tattoo You (Super Deluxe)
Legendary British rock band the Rolling Stones were preparing for their 1981-1982 world tour when in late 1980 their record label demanded a record to correspond with the tour. With their backs up to the wall, the lads partnered with producer Chris Kimsey to scour through hours and hours of outtakes collected over the last 7 years hoping there was enough for a record. There were demos, unfinished tracks, and even some completed ones and amongst them all were 11 gems that make up Tattoo You.
The 4x platinum album has been reissued in Super Deluxe edition that features the remastered version of the record as well as nine previously unreleased tracks dubbed Lost & Found-Rarities. The new release also includes Still Life- Wembley Stadium 1982, a full concert recording from their June dates of the tour in London. The live album consists of 25 of the band’s biggest hits at the time including five from Tattoo You.
Die-hard Stones fans will be most intrigued by the songs included on the unreleased disc. An early reggae version of their massive hit ”Start Me Up” finishes the album that includes covers of the Chi-Lites, Jimmy Reed and Dobie Gray. The cover of “Drift Away” is the highlight of the record while “It’s A Lie” sounds like it would have been a great choice if there were to have been 12 songs on Tattoo You.
The Stones are currently on a world tour that just recently stopped in Nashville and for those that have not had the opportunity to see the band live over the past nearly 60 years the live recording from Wembley Stadium sounds as if you are right there front and center.
Lifelong fans of the band will definitely want to add the Super Deluxe edition to their collection. The physical vinyl edition of the set includes 5 lps, a 124-page book featuring rare photos from recording sessions and world tour plus interviews with Chris Kimsey and photographer Hubert Kretzcmer. @RollingStones
Olivia Newton-John Physical 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
In 1981, the world’s girl-next-door turned it upside down with one of the most sexually themed pop songs of all time. Olivia Newton-John sought to break away from the sweet innocent ingénue Sandy she played for most of the blockbuster Grease and into the skintight leather pant version seen at the climax of the film. “Physical” did just that thanks to a video played on a loop on the just birthed music video channel MTV. The song sat at the number one spot on the Billboard charts for 10 weeks and even finished as the number one song of the 1980s according to Billboard magazine.
The success of the title song from the album helped reach double-platinum status and is now getting a special deluxe release in connection with its 40th anniversary. The special release of Physical includes the 2021 remastered version of the album, edited and extended versions or “Physical” and other singles from the album. The collection also includes live versions of the title song and Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” as well as songs from the soundtrack to the film Two of a Kind. The romantic comedy starring the two Johns(Olivia Newton and Travolta) was a box office failure but spawned the hit “Twist of Fate” and “Take a Chance” a duet that finds the stars singing together for the first time since Grease.
The highlight for die-hard fans of the Australian singer will be the included DVD. The Physical Video Album which has only been available on VHS is getting the DVD treatment for the first time as well as the live concert video Olivia in Concert. The video album includes videos for every song on the album plus the hits “Magic,” “A Little More Love,” and “Hopefully Devoted to You.” The live concert, which I had on VHS a kid and absolutely played over and over and over, is an exciting edition to the anniversary version. Olivia in Concert includes four songs from Physical and other OJN hits including “Please Mr. Please,” “A Little More Love,” and “Suddenly.” The 2CD/DVD edition is available now with a vinyl version coming out in May 2022. @olivianj
Please check out some of the new releases from some of the other time travelers out with new music this week…
- Elton John The Lockdown Sessions
- John Coltrane A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle
- Duran Duran FUTURE PAST
- Fatboy Slim Everybody Loves a Mixtape, Vol. 11: Fat Boy & Beyond( DJ Mix)
Steven McCash is the Lead Music Writer and Utility Man for SoBros Network. Steven is the host of the ‘Drinking With…’ podcast, and the pioneer of New Music Friday, highlighting each week’s new releases in the world of music in addition to the occasional live show review. He also pitches in as a Nashville lifestyle writer and football analyst (hence the ‘Utility Man’ title). Follow on Twitter: @MC_Cash75
Check out the SoBros Shop. Become a Patron. Give us money for no reason. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @SoBrosNetwork. Watch on YouTube.
