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Rolling Stones songs: Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind

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Why does the rain fall down on the earth/ Why do the clouds keep cryin’…

Written by: Jagger/Richard
Recorded: Regent Sounds Studios and Decca Studios, London, England, July 1-10 1964
Guest musicians: Jim Sullivan (guitar) plus unconfirmed overdubs by Jon Tiven (guitar), Doug Schlink (guitar), Paul Ossola (bass), Vic Steffens (drums) and Christine Ohlman (backing vocals)
*Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012

From the The Rolling Stones – All the Songs, The Story Behind Every Track book:
Why does the sky turn gray each evening? What is it that is so entrancing about going on one’s first date with a girl? The eternal teenagers Mick Jagger and Keith Richards speculate about these things and others over a pop melody with a somewhat middle-of-the-road arrangement. “Some Things Just Stick in My Mind” was initially recorded at the beginning of 1965 by the American duo Dick and Dee Dee, who had opened for the Rolling Stones on their 1964 tour, and subsequently by Vashti Bunyan, with the help of Nicky Hopkins on piano. In fact, it was the debut single of the folksinger from Newcastle. It is interesting to note that on the Metamorphosis cover, both the vinyl and the CD versions, no one seems to have noticed the spelling mistakes in the titles: Somethings instead of Some Things and Everyday instead of Every Day.

According to various sources, the Rolling Stones recorded the song either on February 13, 1964, or else during the sessions that extended from June 29 to July 7, 1964. In all probability, the playback was cut during this second phase, because it seems unlikely that any of the Stones other than Mick Jagger actually took part in the recording. Instead, it was probably made by studio musicians recruited by Oldham, because the instrumentation bears no resemblance to that of the London quintet. This is also the backing track Dick and Dee Dee would use for their cover of the song.

The only real musical interest lies in the identity of the instrumentalists, such as (very probably) Jimmy Page (but possibly John McLaughlin), who plays the only acoustic guitar part (12-string) with brio, and Big Jim Sullivan on pedal steel guitar, which lends the track a country feel. In addition to these two instruments, Mike Leander’s arrangement includes percussion, triangle, bongos, and güiro, a rhythm section consisting of bass and drums, a piano with heavy reverb that calls to mind the sound Jack Nitzsche would achieve with the Stones by the end of that same year, and some slightly uncomfortable backing solos. The results are somewhat reminiscent of Phil Spector, which is not surprising given the admiration the Stones producer had for him

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