Play With Fire

Jimmy C and The Chelsea Five's version of The Rolling Stones' "Play With Fire" is so restrained and hushed that, for my money, it easily eclipses the more famous group's version:

Just listen to the way the opening jangle subsides to a damped strum; so subtle.  And that vocal! It's the very epitome of moody cool.  Flipping the 7" over reveals a brighter, perkier folk-rock number which, again, is a complete winner: 

One of the strongest double-siders I've heard from a decade of great pairings.  Of course, I don't have an original copy of this majestic record but I do have the group endorsed 13 O'Clock Records - much loved round these parts for their corking The Higher State releases - reissue thanks to the MBrooks MPorium.  What a shame that "Play With Fire" was the Dallas, Texas group's sole release.