On This Day in 1965: The Rolling Stones’ ‘Out of Our Heads’ Became the Band’s First No. 1 Album in the U.S.

The Rolling Stones had plenty to be satisfied with in the summer of 1965. In July, the British rock legends had scored their first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with their now-classic “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” Then, on August 21, their album Out of Our Heads became their first to top the Billboard 200 chart.

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Out of Our Heads ended the six-week reign of The Beatles’ Beatles VI album at No. 1 on the Billboard albums tally. It spent three weeks atop the chart before being replaced by yet another Beatles album, the Help! soundtrack. That Fab Four record enjoyed a nine-week stay at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

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Out of Our Heads was the fourth Rolling Stones album released in the U.S., hitting stores on July 30.

Details About Out of Our Heads

The 12-track collection features six original Stones songs and six covers. The originals included the aforementioned “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “The Last Time,” and the brooding acoustic gem “Play with Fire.” The first two tunes were co-written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, while the third was credited to Nanker Phelge, signifying it was a band composition.

“The Last Time” had been released as an advance single in the U.S. in March 1965, and had reached No. 9 on the Hot 100. it also topped the U.K. singles chart for three weeks in March and April.

“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 prior to Out of Our Heads’ release. It also went on to top the U.K. chart for two weeks in September.

As with The Stones’ previous albums, Out of Our Heads included a selection of blues, soul and R&B covers. Among these were songs previously recorded by Don Covay (“Mercy, Mercy”), Marvin Gaye (“Hitch Hike”), Otis Redding (“That’s How Strong My Love Is”), Bo Diddley (“I’m All Right”), and Solomon Burke (“Cry to Me”).

Besides The Stones’ core lineup of Jagger, Richards, Brian Jones, Charlie Watts, and Bill Wyman. the album included contributions from the band’s founding keyboardist Ian Stewart and session musician Jack Nitzsche. Nitzsche played percussion and piano on “Satisfaction,” harpsichord on “Play with Fire,” and organ on “Cry to Me.”

Out of Our Heads was the last Rolling Stones studio album to feature a significant number of cover tunes. The band’s 1966 follow-up, Aftermath, was made up entirely of songs co-written by Jagger and Richards.

U.K. Version of Out of Our Heads

The U.K. version of Out of Our Heads was issued in September 1965, and was the band’s third album to be released in their home country. It featured a different album cover and a revised track list that didn’t include “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “The Last Time,” or “Play with Fire.”

The Rolling Stones’ first two U.K. albums, their self-titled debut and Rolling Stones No. 2, had both topped the British albums chart. Out of Our Heads, however, peaked at No. 2.

Out of Our Heads Track List (U.S. Version):

Side One

  1. “Mercy, Mercy”
  2. “Hitch Hike”
  3. “The Last Time”
  4. “That’s How Strong My Love Is”
  5. “Good Times”
  6. “I’m All Right”

Side Two

  1. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
  2. “Cry to Me”
  3. “The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man”
  4. “Play with Fire”
  5. “The Spider and the Fly”
  6. “One More Try”