Keno's ROLLING STONES Web Site


12x5

Released - 1964, on London/Decca Records (now ABKCO Records). Produced by Andrew Loog Oldham.

Personnel:

Mick Jagger - Lead Vocals; Harmonica.
Brian Jones -  Lead, Rhythm and Slide Guitars; Harmonica; Piano; Backing Vocals.
Keith Richards - Lead and Rhythm Guitars; Backing Vocals.
Charlie Watts - Drums.
Bill Wyman - Bass; Backing Vocals.

Plus: Ian "Stu" Stewart - Keyboards

(Click on song for lyrics and song personnel)

SONG 1998 RATING 2005 RATING 2018 RATING
 
AROUND AND AROUND 8.5 8.4    9.0
CONFESSIN' THE BLUES 6.4 7.2    7.5
EMPTY HEART 6.1 6.6    6.6
TIME IS ON MY SIDE (Version 1, aka organ version) 6.2 7.0    8.5
GOOD TIMES, BAD TIMES 6.1 6.7    7.2
IT'S ALL OVER NOW 9.2 9.5 10.0
2120 SOUTH MICHIGAN AVENUE 6.2 6.4    7.0
UNDER THE BOARDWALK 6.2 6.5    6.7
CONGRATULATIONS 6.0 6.6    6.0
GROWN UP WRONG 6.0 6.3    7.0
IF YOU NEED ME 6.3 6.8    6.1
SUZIE Q 5.7 6.0    6.7
Ave. 6.58 7.0    7.4

MINI REVIEW

This is the Stones second American album. As far as their old stuff goes, I find I listen to this one the least. It's not that I don't dig it, it's still cool after all these years, but it just doesn't grab me like it did when it first came out.

"It's All Over Now", with a wonderful lead guitar lick by Brian Jones, and "Around And Around", with a fantastic lead guitar riff by Keith Richards, are two songs that still do get me going. Both songs are just full of life.

The rest of the tunes today sound average or a little above. "Time Is On My Side", found on here, is the weaker organ version of the song, which was recorded a few months before the guitar version was made. It's good, but not as good as the guitar version (and the better known version of this cover), which has Keef's guitar out front and Ian Stewart's organ more in the background. Talking about Stu, he totally shines playing his piano on "Confessin' The Blues".

- Keno, 1998

*Old Ratings vs. New Ratings

The oldest ratings that you see here were from back in 1998 when I first rated the album for this site. Since time does change one's point of view, I decided to listen to and rate the album again, doing so in late 2005. In February, 2018, 20 years after the first ratings were made, I rated all of the songs for a third time. Also note that I did not look at the old ratings from 1998 until after I placed my new ratings here in both 2005 and 2018.

To listen to some sound clips from 12x5 or to buy click here: 12 X 5

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