Between the Buttons (1967, UK)
Artist: The Rolling Stones
Type: Studio album (6th UK release)
Released: January 20, 1967 (UK)
Label: Decca Records (UK) / London Records (US)
Genre: Rock • Pop Rock • Baroque Pop
Length: 34:50
Producer: Andrew Loog Oldham
Between the Buttons marks a significant departure from the Stones’ blues roots, embracing baroque pop, psychedelic influences, and intricate arrangements. The album demonstrates the band’s growing experimentation with orchestration, studio effects, and layered instrumentation, while maintaining their rock sensibility.
📦 Cover Art & Design
🎨 Design Highlights
-
🖤 Stylized Group Photo: The UK cover features a colorized, almost psychedelic portrait of the band dressed in vintage-style suits, walking along a street.
-
🎭 The typography is elegant and understated, letting the artwork’s visual style dominate.
-
🖌️ Soft pastel colors and slightly blurred effects give the cover a surreal, artistic aesthetic.
-
🌌 The design reflects the experimental and whimsical tone of the album, emphasizing sophistication and visual creativity.
The artwork complements the eclectic, experimental music on the album and the band’s emerging mid-1960s image as trendsetters in both music and fashion.
🎵 Tracklist (UK Version)
-
All Sold Out
-
My Obsession
-
Who’s Been Sleeping Here?
-
Connection
-
Something Happened to Me Yesterday
-
She’s a Rainbow
-
The Singer Not the Song
-
Cool, Calm & Collected
-
Yesterday’s Papers
-
Miss Amanda Jones
-
Complicated
-
Peacock’s Tale
👥 Band Lineup (Between the Buttons Era)
-
Mick Jagger – Lead vocals, harmonica
-
Keith Richards – Guitar, backing vocals
-
Brian Jones – Guitar, sitar, dulcimer, keyboards, backing vocals
-
Bill Wyman – Bass guitar
-
Charlie Watts – Drums
🎶 Top Tracks
⭐ Let’s Spend the Night Together
Energetic single with bold lyrics; became a controversial yet iconic track.
⭐ Ruby Tuesday
Melodic ballad with baroque instrumentation; US #1 hit.
⭐ She’s a Rainbow
Colorful, whimsical arrangement with string orchestration; became a fan favorite.
⭐ Connection
Upbeat, guitar-driven song reflecting Jagger/Richards’ lyrical wit.
📈 Commercial Performance & Grossing
-
🥇 Peaked at #3 on the UK Albums Chart
-
💿 Certified Gold (U.S.)
-
🌍 Worldwide sales: ~2 million copies
-
⚡ Marked the Stones’ transition to more experimental studio work and broader pop appeal
🏆 Recognition
-
Praised for innovative use of orchestration and studio techniques
-
Recognized as an important stepping stone toward psychedelic rock and baroque pop
-
Includes several singles that remain staples in Rolling Stones’ catalog
🎤 Fun Facts & Trivia
-
🎸 Brian Jones’ multi-instrumental talents expanded, adding sitar, dulcimer, and keyboards to the album’s texture.
-
🥁 Charlie Watts’ jazz-influenced drumming anchors the elaborate arrangements.
-
🎭 The album reflects the band’s fascination with fashion, art, and London’s swinging culture in 1967.
-
🎵 Several songs, including “Ruby Tuesday” and “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” became international hits and helped cement the Stones’ global reputation.
🤯 Did You Know?
-
The US version of the album had a slightly different tracklist, replacing some songs with the singles “Let’s Spend the Night Together” and “Ruby Tuesday.”
-
The album features more sophisticated orchestration, arranged by producer Andrew Loog Oldham and session musicians.
-
Between the Buttons is considered a bridge between the Stones’ early blues-rock era and their later psychedelic period.
