Title: Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits, Vol. 2) Artist: The Rolling Stones Release Date: 9/1969 Label: ABKCO, Decca, IMS, London, Polygram, Universal/Polygram Duration: 38:23 Album Type(s): Greatest Hits UPCs: 018771800323, 018771900320, 4988005317537, 042284447225, 042288230229, 042288233121, 4988005472298, 018771800347 Genre: Rock Styles: Rock & Roll, Blues-Rock, Hard Rock, British Invasion, Psychedelic, Pop/Rock, British Blues, Album Rock, British Psychedelia Moods: Bravado, Confident, Energetic, Rebellious, Rowdy, Swaggering, Brash, Exciting, Fiery, Freewheeling, Greasy, Intense, Menacing, Raucous, Reckless, Rollicking, Rousing, Sexy, Street-Smart, Trashy, Urgent, Visceral, Acerbic, Amiable/Good-Natured, Angry, Cynical/Sarcastic, Earthy, Fun, Hedonistic, Malevolent, Messy, Sexual, Sleazy, Stylish, Nocturnal, Ominous, Playful, Trippy, Whimsical, Aggressive, Bitter, Bittersweet, Boisterous, Eerie, Exuberant, Harsh, Sardonic, Thuggish, Druggy, Humorous, Irreverent, Lively, Melancholy, Organic, Poignant, Reflective Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 3 Number of Discs/SwapaCD Credits: 1

1. Paint It Black
2. Ruby Tuesday
3. She's a Rainbow
4. Jumpin' Jack Flash
5. Mother's Little Helper
6. Let's Spend the Night Together
7. Honky Tonk Women
8. Dandelion
9. 2000 Light Years from Home
10. Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?
11. Street Fighting Man

Year Type Label Catalog # 2002 CD ABKCO 8823022 2002 CD ABKCO 719003 2002 CD IMS 8823312 2002 CD Universal/Polygram 7016 1995 CD Decca 8444722 1995 CD London 844 472-2 1990 CD ABKCO 8003-2 ------ CD Polygram 8001

Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits, Vol. 2) [Japan]

This album was spawned by three coinciding events -- the need to acknowledge the death of band co-founder Brian Jones (whose epitaph graces the inside cover) in July of 1969; the need to get "Honky Tonk Women," then a huge hit single, onto an LP; and to fill the ten-month gap since the release of Beggars Banquet and get an album with built-in appeal into stores ahead of the Stones' first American tour in three years. The fact that the Stones had amassed a sufficient number of hits since their last greatest-hits compilation in early 1966 (Big Hits: High Tide and Green Grass) made this a no-brainer, and its song lineup was as potent at the time as any compilation of hit singles by any artist. From the group's excursions into fey psychedelia ("Paint It, Black," "Ruby Tuesday," "She's a Rainbow," "Dandelion"), space rock ("2000 Light Years From Home"), punk decadence ("Mother's Little Helper"), and back to straight-ahead rock & roll ("Jumpin' Jack Flash"), some of it with a topical edge ("Street Fighting Man"), it's all incredibly potent, though also redundant to the extent that "Ruby Tuesday" and "Let's Spend the Night Together" had previously appeared on two U.S. albums. The presence of "Honky Tonk Women" propelled it to gold record status upon release on both sides of the Atlantic, although the simultaneously released British version (long out of print, except as a bootleg CD) is different and more confusing, but also more diverse and rewarding musically than the American version. Both this album and Big Hits: High Tide and Green Grass have been supplanted by Hot Rocks and More Hot Rocks, but are still handy in their tight respective focuses. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alisa Ritz Repackaging Art Direction Andrew Loog Oldham Producer Bill Wyman Bass, Vocals, Synthesizer, Keyboards Bob Ludwig Mastering Brian Jones Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals Charlie Watts Drums Ethan Russell Photography, Cover Photo Gus Skinas Engineer Iris Keitel Repackaging, Art Direction, Repackaging Art Direction Jack Byrne Archive Research Jimmy Miller Producer Jody Klein Restoration Supervision Jon Astley Digital Transfers Keith Richards Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals Laura Walton Production Assistant Lenne Allik Concept Maria Papazahariou Production Assistant Mick Jagger Guitar, Keyboards, Harmonica, Vocals Mick McKenna Archivist, Tape Research, Archive Research Nicole Monea Design Production Assistant Paschal Byrne Digital Transfers Steve Rosenthal Restoration, Archives Coordinator Teri Landi Archive Research, Digital Transfers The Rolling Stones Producer, Arranger, Main Performer