USA US 7" discography / The CBS years [1986-1992]

The Rolling Stones - detail from the Harlem Shuffle artwork - © Bakshi - all rights reserved • USA discography: The CBS years [1986-1992]Rolling Stones


The Rolling Stones left EMI for Columbia [CBS] in 1986.
From 'Harlem Shuffle' to 'Sex Drive' in 1991, 7 singles were pressed in the US on Columbia, among which two only - in 1986 - were distributed into picture sleeves.

In 1989, US pressings for 'Mixed Emotions' and 'Rock And A Hard Place' were imported by Canada who had stopped its vinyl production.
From 1989 to 1991 also, noticeable was the texture of the vinyl, singles looking slightly translucid and coloured under the light [either red or green reflects].

ColumbiaThe first 5" CDSingle pressed was 'Mixed Emotions' in 1989 [also released on 12" PS], for promotional purposes only. In the future, a few exclusive artworks would only be available on this format. Parallely, 12" in PS were issued for most singles.

The Bob & Earl's cover 'Harlem Shuffle' [38.05802] was the first single from the album 'Dirty Work' and came out into the usual Ralph Bakshi artwork PS, both on 7" and 12". The track ranked #5 in the US charts. A promo issue was released with the same track on both sides, distributed into the same PS but with different information on back.

Its follower 'One Hit (To The Body)' [38.05906], issued in May 1986, was promoted the same way but only reached #28 in the US.
Its picture sleeve exists on both glossy or soft paper; an extended 12" version [CAS 2340] remixed by Steve Lillywhite was also released [including nice acoustic guitars & a huge sound] in a black & white version of the artwork.

Columbia titles sleeve/labels
# view cat.# rel. date a-side / b-side information
120-a 38.05802 26/02/86 Harlem Shuffle / Harlem Shuffle promo copy in promo PS
120-b 38.05802 26/02/86 Harlem Shuffle / Had It With You PS
121-a 38.05906 20/05/86 One Hit (To The Body) / same promo copy in promo PS
121-b 38.05906 20/05/86 One Hit (To The Body) / Fight PS - mislabeled : B/A-side*
121-c 38.05906 20/05/86 One Hit (To The Body) / Fight PS - misl.: unlabeled A-side
121-d 38.05906 20/05/86 One Hit (To The Body) / Fight PS
122 38.69008 21/08/89 Mixed Emotions / Mixed Emotions CS - promo copy
123 38.69008 21/08/89 Mixed Emotions / Fancy Man Blues CS
124 38.73057 13/11/89 Rock & A Hard Place / Cook Cook Blues CS
125 38.73093 23/01/90 Almost Hear You Sigh / Break The Spell CS
126 38.73742 04/03/91 Highwire / 2,000 Light Years... (live) CS
127-a 38.73789 05/91 Sex Drive / Undercover Of The Night (live) CS - '33 1/3 rpm' labels
127-b 38.73789 05/91 Sex Drive / Undercover Of The Night (live) CS - '45 rpm' labels

* A-side plays B-side and vice versa


The Rolling Stones - Mixed Emotions - CBS 38.69008 - promo • USA discography: The CBS years [1986-1992]



'Mixed Emotions' [38.69008] was lauched as the band was starting its 'Steel Wheels / Urban Jungle' Tour in August 1989 and topped at #5 in the US [#36 in England].
Its promo version - the last US promo single on vinyl but also the band's last US Top 10 single - featured the same song on both sides, while the stock copy bore the non-album track 'Fancyman Blues' on B-side.
The Rolling Stones - Sex Drive - CBS 38.73789 • USA discography: The CBS years [1986-1992]
The second single from 'Steel Wheels', 'Rock & A Hard Place' [38.73057] offered another non-album blues on its flip side with 'Cook Cook Blues'. It reached #23 in the US.
If CBS made efforts to change the labels design for every single, this 7" labels were blue with a silver text print which was hardly readable.
The track was released on 12" & CDS in the same artwork than Europe.

'Terrifying' was not released as a single in the US - although a very scarce 5" promo-only CDS issue was pressed, and the next and last single from 'Steel Wheels' was 'Almost Hear You Sigh' [38.73093] in early 1990 [#50].

'Highwire' [38.73742] was released in March 1991 as a brand new studio track supporting the 'Flashpoint' live album. Inspired by the fall-out from the then Persian Gulf war, the song only reached #57 on the US charts, promoted by a video directed by Julien Temple.

The only 7" vinyl single which would be extracted from 'Flashpoint' in the US was 'Sex Drive' [38.73789], uniquely coupled with 'Undercover Of The Night (live)'. It peaked at #40.
First copies labels are mistakenly state a rotating speed of 33 1/3 rpm.