British (Reissue) Invasion ’09/’10
With the reissue of Exile On Main Street, it looks like the Stones’ classic album is set to enter the Billboard Top 200 at #2 this week (behind Glee: The Music Vol. 3). Exile had a huge marketing push, and Keith and Mick—especially Mick—were everywhere in the past few weeks promoting it. That other big British band had their own enormous reissue campaign last Fall, so I took a look at SoundScan to see how some of the first week sales numbers compared. (I rounded all of the numbers.)
The Rolling Stones — First Week Sales (2010 reissue)
- Exile On Main Street 75,000 units
The Beatles — First Week Sales (2009 Reissues)
- Revolver 46,000 units
- Rubber Soul 57,000 units
- Abbey Road 88,000 units
- Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band 73,000 units
The rest of the Stones catalog is a bit harder to compare as it’s been reissued piecemeal by different labels. As a point of reference, the May 2009 reissue of Sticky Fingers sold about 1,400 units in its first week.
With a gun to my head I’d say Beatles, but every time I hear that opening “Rocks Off” riff, I reserve the right to change my mind.
And Your Bird Can Sing
Thanks for posting this. I absolutely love this song. It played a role at our wedding. I never got John’s “throwaway” comment.
“And Your Bird Can Sing” (Take 2 w/Overdubs)
What I love:
- Without the (albeit insanely amazing) leads from Paul1 and George playing from the top, you get to hear George’s (unused) gorgeous 12-string Rick arpeggios. Jesus, what a boner that gives me. Big Rick boner. LOVE that sound.
- The chatter and clowning.
I’m not a deep Beatles scholar, but I think this (Apr 1966) wasn’t too long before things started to well and truly unravel internally.
I wonder how many times after this John and Paul would have this much fun in the same room at the same time. Makes me kinda weepy actually. Sucks that the two guys responsible for giving the world so much joy ended up enjoying so little of it for themselves.
John calls this one “a throwaway,” but it’s categorically one of my favorite Beatles songs and has to be regarded as one of the quintessential inspirations for every power pop song since.
Final version (stereo):
Fact: Paul was arguably the best guitar player in the band. “The End?” Bunch of that is Paul. Yep. ↩
