The single of the day ★ Angie

'Angie' was released as a 7" single in the US on August 28, 1973, where it peaked at #1.
Its UK counterpart, released on August 17, 1973, reached #5.
Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and recorded in November and December 1972, 'Angie' is an acoustic guitar driven ballad and the first single from 1973 album 'Goats Head Soup'. Rolling Stones-recording regular Nicky Hopkins plays the song's distinctive piano accompaniment. The strings were arranged by Nicky Harrison. One unusual feature of the original recording is that singer Mick Jagger's vocal guide track [made before the final vocals were performed] is faintly audible throughout the song - an effect sometimes called a "ghost vocal". Released as a single in August 1973, 'Angie' went stra... [+]

Vintage distributors' jukebox strips are popular among collectors.

About the songs
Nearly 80 songs recorded by the Rolling Stones entered either the UK or US charts since 1963, twelve of them peaking at #1 ['Satisfaction', 'Get Off Of My Cloud', 'Paint It, Black' and 'Honky Tonk Women' were #1 in both countries].

The early years also were the most prolific and, whereas most titles were not yet penned by the Jagger-Richards tandem, record labels Decca [in the UK] and London [in the US] would issue singles at a frantic pace, building the band's reputation as the Beatles' most serious threat.

However, no global marketing strategy would emerge before the 70's, and both countries cultivated their differences in their respective discographies, as would their affiliates in other parts of the world.

The richness and diversity of the Rolling Stones singles discography is mainly due to the fact that, during the 60's, Decca would consider singles an independent market from the LPs' one, whereas London would use this format as a 'lift' for album sales. Therefore, British singles would offer non-album tracks [except for compilations], and Decca England would pass on a few US releases, while the US would opt for different B-sides and be a little more productive.

US exclusive couplings and singles would however often be released on Decca in Europe, notably in Scandinavia for which UK would exclusively press 'export' singles [Denmark, Sweden and Norway also pressed their own records and imported regular UK releases].