.jpg "The Rolling Stones - The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (Live) (1996) album front cover")
580502.jpg "The Rolling Stones - The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (Live) (1996) album back cover")
The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (Live) (1996)
Artist: The Rolling Stones
Type: Live / Concert film soundtrack
Released: 11 November 1996
Label: ABKCO Records
Genre: Rock • Blues rock
Length: 76:15
Producers: Jimmy Miller, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus is a live album and concert film originally recorded in 1968, but shelved for decades and officially released in 1996. The project was a one-off rock and circus-themed performance featuring The Rolling Stones alongside guest acts such as The Who, Tina Turner, Jethro Tull, and Marsha Hunt.
The album captures a unique historical moment, showcasing the Stones and their contemporaries at the height of the late-1960s rock scene.
📦 Cover Art & Design
🎨 Vintage Circus Theme
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🖌️ Designed to evoke the original 1968 aesthetic, with photography by Michael Joseph.
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🎪 The cover features stylized circus imagery, highlighting performers in flamboyant costumes, alongside a photograph of The Rolling Stones.
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🌈 Bright, colorful design evokes the playful and experimental vibe of the original concert film.
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🖼️ Inner sleeve includes archival photos from the 1968 recording session and sketches of the stage setup.
The art conveys the whimsical, theatrical concept of the event, emphasizing its unique historical context.
🎵 Tracklist
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Jumpin’ Jack Flash
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Parachute Woman
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Confessin’ the Blues
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Sympathy for the Devil
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Salt of the Earth
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(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
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Song for Jeffrey – Jethro Tull
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A Quick One, While He’s Away – The Who
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See See Rider – Taj Mahal
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Ooh Poo Pah Doo – Taj Mahal
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Baby Don’t You Do It – Marianne Faithfull & The Rolling Stones
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I’m Yours and I’m Hers – Tina Turner
👥 Band Lineup (1968 Recording)
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Mick Jagger – Lead vocals, harmonica
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Keith Richards – Guitar, backing vocals
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Brian Jones – Guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
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Charlie Watts – Drums
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Bill Wyman – Bass
Guest Musicians / Acts:
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Tina Turner – Lead vocals on select tracks
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Jethro Tull – “Song for Jeffrey” performance
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The Who – “A Quick One, While He’s Away”
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Marianne Faithfull – Vocals on “Baby Don’t You Do It”
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Taj Mahal – “See See Rider” and “Ooh Poo Pah Doo”
🎶 Top Tracks
⭐ Jumpin’ Jack Flash
Classic Stones performance that opens the circus set with energy.
⭐ Sympathy for the Devil
Historic live version featuring the original 1968 lineup, including Brian Jones.
⭐ A Quick One, While He’s Away – The Who
Showcases The Who’s early explosive live energy.
⭐ Song for Jeffrey – Jethro Tull
Early Jethro Tull live performance with Ian Anderson’s signature flute.
📈 Commercial Performance & Sales
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🥈 US Billboard 200: #32
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🥈 UK Albums Chart: #20
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💿 Gold certification (US)
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🌍 Worldwide sales: ~1–2 million copies
While not a blockbuster release, the album is historically significant for Stones fans and rock historians.
🏆 Recognition
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Highly praised for archival value and documenting an unusual rock ‘n’ roll event.
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Captures the synergy of late-1960s rock stars in a theatrical, experimental context.
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The film release accompanying the album helped cement its legendary status.
🎤 Fun Facts & Trivia
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🎪 The performance was recorded in December 1968, but the film was shelved due to the band’s dissatisfaction with their performance.
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🎸 Features the only surviving professionally filmed footage of Brian Jones performing with the Stones on a live stage.
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🎶 Mick Jagger and Keith Richards appear alongside contemporaries in unique collaborations never performed again live.
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📼 The release includes both audio CD and DVD versions for fans to experience the concert visually.
🤯 Did You Know?
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The event combined circus acts with rock performances, including trapeze artists, contortionists, and clowns.
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The album’s release almost 30 years after the recording allowed a new generation of fans to experience this rare Stones event.
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Brian Jones’ multi-instrumental performance is considered one of his last iconic live recordings before his passing in 1969.
