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List Price: $13.98 | | Label: Abkco
Salesrank: 26213
Released: August 27, 2002 |
| Our Price: $7.98 |
| Used Price: $7.50 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Metamorphosis Track Listing:
1. Out of Time
2. Don't Lie to Me
3. Somethings Just Stick in Your Mind
4. Each and Every Day of the Year
5. Heart of Stone
6. I'd Much Rather Be with the Boys
7. (Walkin' Thru The) Sleepy City
8. We're Wastin' Time
9. Try a Little Harder
10. I Don't Know Why
11. If You Let Me
12. Jiving Sister Fanny
13. Downtown Suzie
14. Family
15. Memo from Turner
16. I'm Going Down
Editorial Review:
Culled from the Rolling Stones' massive archive, 1975's METAMORPHOSIS is the band's sole rarities compilation featuring material from the Stones' fertile '60s and '70s era. Cherry picked by former manager Allen Klein as a result of a bitter lawsuit that found a similar anthology contrived by Bill Wyman going unreleased, this treasure trove of cuts is a boon to both die-hard and casual Stones fans. It kicks off with a lush, orchestrated version of "Out Of Time," one of a handful of outtakes (along with "Heart Of Stone") featuring a studio full of session musicians including John McLaughlin, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones.
Overseen by Mick Jagger and then manager Andrew Oldham, these tracks provide interesting insight to a time when the Stones' success allowed them to dish off songs to other UK artists, using versions like these as demos. Other highlights include a killer cover of Stevie Wonder's "I Don't Know Why" (originally recorded for LET IT BLEED) and "Memo From Turner," a Jagger/Richards number cut with Al Kooper and penned for the soundtrack to the Jagger vehicle Performance. Making its CD debut in 2002, METAMORPHOSIS remains a jewel that still glimmers almost three decades after its release.
Metamorphosis Reviews:
Has It Changed Into A Butterfly? 
2009-09-26 - I am the Stones Authority. I love reading the other reviews of this album. They are quite good and obviously written by true Stones fans. I had a great time reading them and thought that many great points were made. I won't be redundant. I will just give you my personal reflection on this Stones oddity.
Like others I remember this album always being in the cut out bin, but unlike some others here - I always did find the album cover a little bit enigmatic. Especially before I was a fan or had any knowledge of the band. One of the first albums of theirs that I bought - probably for the very reason that it was cheap and in the cut out bin!
There is some terribly cheesy stuff on here. Most of side one is tough to listen to - "I'd Much Rather Be With the Boys" - please make it stop. Really bad stuff. Embarrassing. However, the version of "Out Of Time" is good. "Don't Lie To Me", is cool. "Try A Little Harder" if fun also. And finally having "Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind" on an American release of the album makes it all worthwhile. It is a great tune. It would be worth getting the album for that song alone - if you are a fan.
It is worth getting even if you are not a dedicated fan for what was Side Two of the vinyl issue - particularly for songs such as "I Don't Know Why", "Jiving Sister Fanny", "Memo From Turner" and "I'm Going Down". These are killer tracks. They have that rough demo feel, not too polished, not probably the final production that they would have wanted - but it is precisely that "unpolished" feel that for me reveals just what a great band they are and were at this period of their careers. The raw energy of these four tracks just mentioned is fabulous. This is a great rock band. These are great rock songs. This is what they left on the cutting room floor - in their minds. The greedy Allen Klein has done us all a favor - with this wheat and chaff collection. He saved some diamonds and rubies in the rough. Polish them in your minds.
Is it really four stars? No, not really, but damn - I'll never get tired of listening to the tracks that I mentioned in this review - even if I have to sit and grimace through "Walking Through The Sleepy City". Yikes! That's bad.
CD order 
2009-07-05 - A great, almost undiscovered Stones album. Contains no "hits" but really cool for serious Stones fans. It grows on you, like most of their work. Timely delivery in fine condition.
6 stars if you are a fan.
2009-04-08 - I can't believe I never heard this album and most of the
songs on it. I bought every other Stones album made in the
60's and 70's. To me everything recorded when Brian was in
the band is better than anything recorded after he left.
I love all the early stuff, the early blues covers, the
trippy and thoughtful songs of Between the Buttons,
Flowers and Satanic Majesties.
I love this album.
Listen to this album.
2008-07-02 - This album showcases some really good R&B and Motown influence from the stones, along with folk and pure gritty Rock n Roll.
It's a great sound. The songs are catchy, driving, and they have that edge that the stones give into all of their performances that just makes the whole thing raw and gritty.
The songs on this album are from the early era of the stones history, thus the atmosphere of it is very warm and original.
Great music. These songs will stay with me for a long time.
Great for the experienced Stones listener
2008-04-22 - I was around when "Metamorphosis" came out in 1975, and I hated it then. Beginning with Goats Head Soup in 1972 RS IMO began an overall decline which has only been briefly relieved every five years or so by some good but flawed albums/cds, or some actual great singles off otherwise mediocre cds.) I think I was wrong.
Ssince that time I've come to appreciate Metamorphosis as a study in how the RS changed from their old blues covers and Brian Jones-influenced bluesy stuff into the flowering of the Glimmer Twins and their move to harder rock and roll. IMO it was in Jone's final 68-69 decline when he was less influential in the band that the famous "Rolling Stones sound" was established in the public's mind.
Metamorphosis is a quick education in early-middle period of Stones development. Tremendous changes can be heard not only in the song styles, but also the singling tone of Jagger. It's also fun listening for session sidemen like Jimmy Page and Stephen Still in their cuts.
So for the casual RS fan, this is more than likely a pass. But for the experienced and mature listener, it's great fun listening to the RS as they mature - well, as they mature musically at least.
