The single of the day ★ One Hit (To The Body)

'One Hit (To The Body)' was released as a 7" single in the UK exactly 40 years ago on May 16, 1986.
Its US counterpart, released simultaneously, reached #28.

Credited to Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ron Wood, 'One Hit (To The Body)' was largely the work of Richards and Wood. A sign of Wood's heavy contribution is the song's distinctive opening of an acoustic piece. The band is known for their use of acoustic guitars to "shadow" their electric guitars ['Brown Sugar' being a prime example]. Both Richards and Wood played electric, but lead riffs and solos were provided by ex-Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. Recording and re-recording lasted through out much of 1985 in Paris and New York. 'One Hit (To The Body)' was release... [+]

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].