The Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band in the World
Encyclopedia
"The Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band in the World" a.k.a. "Stars Medley" a.k.a. "Stars on 45 III: Rollin' Stars" was a song issued in 1982 by the Dutch studio group Stars on 45
, in the UK credited to 'Starsound', in the US 'Stars On'. It was the second single from the band's third full-length release The Superstars
(UK title: Stars Medley, US title: Stars on Long Play III).
The "Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band in the World" medley featured hits by the Rolling Stones, covering the mainpart of the band's career from their 1965 breakthrough with "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" via classics like "Under My Thumb", "Miss You", "Sympathy For The Devil" and "Honky Tonk Women" to their then most recent hit "Start Me Up" in the Autumn of 1981. The medley had first been released on the Superstars album in its full side-long, twenty-seven titles and sixteen-minute format. The heavily edited five minute seven-inch version only featured ten of the Stones titles while the near ten-minute twelve-inch single included seventeen; the only mix of "The Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band in the World" medley to have been re-issued on CD to date is however the 5:03 7" single edit.
By the release of the Stones medley in June 1982 there were already signs of a backlash against 'copycat medleys' by anonymous studio groups - even with a large number of parodies of the format being released (see Stars on 45 main bio, Other similar acts). The previous single "Stars on Stevie" had indeed become another hit on both sides of the Atlantic but the following album had failed to make much of an impact on either the British or the American charts; in the UK it peaked at #94 and dropped out of the listing after just one week, in the US the album didn't even register on Billboard's Top 200, and when the Stones medley single was released it met with the same indifference. While the "The Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band..." did reach the Top 20 in the Netherlands, peaking at #15, it was the first Stars on 45 single to peak outside the Dutch Top 10 chart. It also failed to chart in both the US and the UK - where it somewhat confusingly was released by CBS under exactly the same title as both the preceding single and the third album; "Stars Medley".
This resulted in producer Jaap Eggermont deciding to change the formula by launching the spin-off group The Star Sisters
, fronted by Patricia Paay, Yvonne Keeley and Sylvana van Veen, whose first single was released under the moniker Stars on 45 Proudly Presents The Star Sisters and topped the Dutch charts. The Sisters went on to release three albums and some ten singles in Continental Europe between the years 1983 and 1987 to moderate international success.
All tracks written by Mick Jagger
and Keith Richards
unless otherwise noted
All tracks written by Mick Jagger
and Keith Richards
unless otherwise noted
Stars on 45
Stars on 45 was a Dutch novelty pop act that was briefly very popular in the United Kingdom, throughout Europe, the United States and Australia in the early 1980s. The group later shortened its name to Stars On in the U.S., while in the U.K. and Ireland it was known as Starsound...
, in the UK credited to 'Starsound', in the US 'Stars On'. It was the second single from the band's third full-length release The Superstars
The Superstars
The Superstars was the third album by Dutch soundalike studio group Stars on 45, released on the CNR Records label in The Netherlands in March 1982. In the US the album was retitled Stars On Long Play III, released on Radio Records and credited to 'Stars On'...
(UK title: Stars Medley, US title: Stars on Long Play III).
The "Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band in the World" medley featured hits by the Rolling Stones, covering the mainpart of the band's career from their 1965 breakthrough with "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" via classics like "Under My Thumb", "Miss You", "Sympathy For The Devil" and "Honky Tonk Women" to their then most recent hit "Start Me Up" in the Autumn of 1981. The medley had first been released on the Superstars album in its full side-long, twenty-seven titles and sixteen-minute format. The heavily edited five minute seven-inch version only featured ten of the Stones titles while the near ten-minute twelve-inch single included seventeen; the only mix of "The Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band in the World" medley to have been re-issued on CD to date is however the 5:03 7" single edit.
By the release of the Stones medley in June 1982 there were already signs of a backlash against 'copycat medleys' by anonymous studio groups - even with a large number of parodies of the format being released (see Stars on 45 main bio, Other similar acts). The previous single "Stars on Stevie" had indeed become another hit on both sides of the Atlantic but the following album had failed to make much of an impact on either the British or the American charts; in the UK it peaked at #94 and dropped out of the listing after just one week, in the US the album didn't even register on Billboard's Top 200, and when the Stones medley single was released it met with the same indifference. While the "The Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band..." did reach the Top 20 in the Netherlands, peaking at #15, it was the first Stars on 45 single to peak outside the Dutch Top 10 chart. It also failed to chart in both the US and the UK - where it somewhat confusingly was released by CBS under exactly the same title as both the preceding single and the third album; "Stars Medley".
This resulted in producer Jaap Eggermont deciding to change the formula by launching the spin-off group The Star Sisters
Star Sisters
The Star Sisters were a female Dance/Pop trio from The Netherlands that were very popular during the 1980s, most notably as the ladies who performed the chorus as members of Jaap Eggermont's studio act Stars on 45 and in a spinoff in which they performed as The Andrews Sisters in a medley that...
, fronted by Patricia Paay, Yvonne Keeley and Sylvana van Veen, whose first single was released under the moniker Stars on 45 Proudly Presents The Star Sisters and topped the Dutch charts. The Sisters went on to release three albums and some ten singles in Continental Europe between the years 1983 and 1987 to moderate international success.
Side A
"The Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band In The World" (7" Mix) - 5:03All tracks written by Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
and Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
unless otherwise noted
- "The Stars Will Never Stop" (Eggermont, Duiser)
- "Sympathy for the DevilSympathy for the Devil"Sympathy for the Devil" is a song by The Rolling Stones which first appeared as the opening track on the band's 1968 album Beggars Banquet. It was written by Mick Jagger credited to Jagger/Richards...
" - "Brown SugarBrown Sugar (song)"Brown Sugar" is a song by The Rolling Stones. It is the opening track and lead single from the English rock band's 1971 album Sticky Fingers...
" - "Jumpin' Jack FlashJumpin' Jack Flash"Jumpin' Jack Flash" is a song by English rock band The Rolling Stones, released as a single in 1968. Called "supernatural Delta blues by way of Swinging London" by Rolling Stone, the song was perceived by some as the band's return to their blues roots after the psychedelia of their preceding...
" - "Under My ThumbUnder My Thumb"Under My Thumb" is a song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards for The Rolling Stones. Its first appearance was as an album track on 1966's Aftermath...
" - "Honky Tonk WomenHonky Tonk Women"Honky Tonk Women" is a 1969 hit song by The Rolling Stones. Released as a single on 4 July 1969 in the UK and a week later in the US, it topped the charts in both nations.-Inspiration and Recording:...
" - "Out of TimeOut of Time- Film :* Out of Time , a science fiction film starring Bill Maher* Out of Time , a television film directed by Ernest Thompson* Out of Time , a thriller starring Denzel Washington...
" - "Emotional RescueEmotional Rescue (song)"Emotional Rescue" is a song by the English rock 'n roll band, The Rolling Stones. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and is featured on their 1980 album Emotional Rescue....
" - "She's a RainbowShe's A Rainbow"She's a Rainbow" is a song by the English rock 'n roll band The Rolling Stones and was featured on their 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request.Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, "She's a Rainbow" was recorded on 18 May 1967...
" - "Start Me UpStart Me Up"Start Me Up" is a song by The Rolling Stones featured on the 1981 album Tattoo You. Released as the album's lead single, it reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 on the UK Singles Chart.-Writing and recording:...
" - "Angie"
Side A
"The Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band In The World" (12" Mix) - 9:40All tracks written by Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
and Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
unless otherwise noted
- "The Stars Will Never Stop" (Eggermont, Duiser)
- "Introduction" (Eggermont, Duiser)
- "Stars On" Jingle (Eggermont, Duiser)
- "Brown SugarBrown Sugar (song)"Brown Sugar" is a song by The Rolling Stones. It is the opening track and lead single from the English rock band's 1971 album Sticky Fingers...
" - "Jumpin' Jack FlashJumpin' Jack Flash"Jumpin' Jack Flash" is a song by English rock band The Rolling Stones, released as a single in 1968. Called "supernatural Delta blues by way of Swinging London" by Rolling Stone, the song was perceived by some as the band's return to their blues roots after the psychedelia of their preceding...
" - "Take It or Leave ItTake It or Leave It (The Rolling Stones song)Take It or Leave It is a song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards recorded from December 3–6, 1965 at RCA Studios in Los Angeles, California and first released on their album Aftermath...
" - "Under My ThumbUnder My Thumb"Under My Thumb" is a song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards for The Rolling Stones. Its first appearance was as an album track on 1966's Aftermath...
" - "Honky Tonk WomenHonky Tonk Women"Honky Tonk Women" is a 1969 hit song by The Rolling Stones. Released as a single on 4 July 1969 in the UK and a week later in the US, it topped the charts in both nations.-Inspiration and Recording:...
" - "Lady JaneLady Jane"Lady Jane" is a Rolling Stones' song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards featured on their 1966 album Aftermath.In America Lady Jane was the B-side to "Mother's Little Helper", but "Lady Jane" reached #24 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart...
" - "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" Satisfaction" is a song by the English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in 1965. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and produced by Andrew Loog Oldham. Richards's throwaway three-note guitar riff — intended to be replaced by horns — opens and drives the song...
" - "Get off of My CloudGet off of My Cloud"Get Off of My Cloud" is a song by the English rock band The Rolling Stones. It was written as a follow-up single to the successful " Satisfaction"...
" - "Stars On" Jingle (Eggermont, Duiser)
- "Out of TimeOut of Time- Film :* Out of Time , a science fiction film starring Bill Maher* Out of Time , a television film directed by Ernest Thompson* Out of Time , a thriller starring Denzel Washington...
" - "Tell Me (You're Coming Back)Tell Me (You're Coming Back)"Tell Me" is a song by English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones, featured on their 1964 self-titled album . It was later released as single A-side in the USA only, becoming the first Jagger/Richards song that the band released as a single A-side, and their first record to enter the US Top 40...
" - "We Love You"
- "Play with FirePlay with Fire (The Rolling Stones song)"Play with Fire" is a song by English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones, originally released as B-side to the song "The Last Time". It was later included on the American release of their 1965 album Out of Our Heads....
" (Nanker Phelge) - "It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)"
- "Emotional RescueEmotional Rescue (song)"Emotional Rescue" is a song by the English rock 'n roll band, The Rolling Stones. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and is featured on their 1980 album Emotional Rescue....
" - "She's a RainbowShe's A Rainbow"She's a Rainbow" is a song by the English rock 'n roll band The Rolling Stones and was featured on their 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request.Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, "She's a Rainbow" was recorded on 18 May 1967...
" - "Start Me UpStart Me Up"Start Me Up" is a song by The Rolling Stones featured on the 1981 album Tattoo You. Released as the album's lead single, it reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 on the UK Singles Chart.-Writing and recording:...
" - "Angie"
Chart peaks
| Chart (1982) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| The Netherlands | 15 |