Rolling Stones - Heart Of Stone & What A Shame

"Heart of Stone" written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, was scheduled as a single release in the United States. In the United Kingdom it appeared as a track on the UK album Out of Our Heads and on an EP with a subsequent single.

'Heart of Stone' is a slow and soulful, dramatic ballad with the kind of vaguely discordant, droning guitars heard on many an early Rolling Stones slow number. What was impressive was how the Jagger/Richards song, though similar in some respect to American soul ballads of the period...was not explicitly derivative of any one blues or soul song that they were covering on their mid-60s records. The lilt of the verses owed something to country music and the mournful harmonies heard on the latter part of the verses added to the overall feeling of melancholy moodiness."

The song sees the singer discuss his life as a womanizer, and how one girl in particular won't break his heart.

Recording began on 2 November 1964 at Los Angeles' RCA Studios with Jagger singing, Richards and Brian Jones on guitars, Bill Wyman on bass, and Charlie Watts on drums. Jack Nitzsche performs tambourine and piano.

"Heart of Stone" was initially released in December 1964 as a single in the US where it became their second Top 20 US hit, reaching #19. The song was included on the US album The Rolling Stones, Now! the following February. It was later included on the compilation discs Hot Rocks and Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass).

"What A Shame" is the B-side of the single and was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, has a Muddy Waters meets Jimmy Reed feel about and features some fine slide work by Brian.