The single of the day ★ Almost Hear You Sigh

'Almost Hear You Sigh' was released as a 7" single in the UK on June 18, 1990, where it peaked at #31.
Its US counterpart, released on January 23, 1990, reached #50.
Written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Steve Jordan, 'Almost Hear You Sigh' was first written and recorded for possible inclusion on Keith Richards' first solo album 'Talk is Cheap'. A year or so later Richards played the track for Chris Kimsey and Mick Jagger while recording in Montserrat from March through June for the 'Steel Wheels' sessions. Jordan's writing credit stems from his work with Richards in 1987 and 1988. Jagger changed some of the lyrics as evidenced in comparison to popular bootlegs of the Richards-Jordan collaboration, but the mood and melody of the song remain in the Rolling Stones track.

Released as the... [+]

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].