Saturday 4 May 2013

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.

1 comment:

  1. I'm rather fond of this even more downbeat version...
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu9zJOmWkdk

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