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Rolling Stones unreleased: Act Together
Written by: Jagger/Richard Recorded: Musicland Studios, Munich, Germany, Dec. 7-15 1974 (It’s Only Rock’N Roll sessions) Guest musicians: Nicky Hopkins (piano)
From Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012: On Ronnie Wood’s I’ve Got My Own Album To Do album there were two Jagger/Richard compositions, Act Together and Sure the One You Need. Both did not feature Mick Jagger but had Keith Richards on vocals and guitar. Act Together was recorded in Munich and Keith plays electric piano as he did on the Ron Wood album version. There are no vocals on this outtake which is played at a slower pace. All it needed was for Ronnie and Mick to walk in and play guitar and add the vocals. A great backing track was in the can.
The Rolling Stones’ Act Together: A 1974 Hidden Gem
Tucked away in the vaults from the It’s Only Rock ’N Roll sessions, Act Together stands as a cool outtake that could’ve easily made the album’s final cut. Recorded in December 1974 at Musicland Studios in Munich, the track showcases a raw, laid-back vibe that captures the Stones in mid-flow. Though it never got a proper release under the band’s name, the track was revisited on Ronnie Wood’s solo debut I’ve Got My Own Album To Do, this time with Woody on vocals.
The Stones’ own version, though missing Mick Jagger’s signature voice, is packed with potential. Keith handles electric piano duties here, slowing the tempo and letting the music breathe. Nicky Hopkins adds that classic Stones soul on piano, and the whole thing feels like it’s waiting for one final spark—maybe Jagger’s vocal or Ronnie’s guitar—to push it over the edge into greatness.
A Track Left Behind (But Not Forgotten)
According to The Rolling Stones Complete Recording Sessions 1962–2012 nook by Martin Elliott, Act Together was one of two Jagger/Richards tracks recorded by Ronnie Wood during his solo sessions—the other being Sure the One You Need (also on the I’ve Got My Own Album To Do album sung by Keith) Unlike those versions, the Stones’ outtake is instrumental, but you can almost hear where vocals and extra guitars would’ve fit in perfectly. It’s a solid groove, built for jamming, and had the bones of a classic.
Why it never got finished is anybody’s guess—but it remains a fascinating snapshot of a moment when the Stones, Ronnie Wood, and Keith Richards were all firing creatively, just before Wood officially joined the band. For fans of deep cuts and unreleased sessions, Act Together is a buried treasure worth digging into.
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