Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones

[DailyTunes]

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Genre: Rock
Song Link: Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones (http://www.dailytunes.com/songs/20091007000143.html)
Comment: Just a great song. I am continually amazed by the power in Merry Clayton's voice.
Posted on DailyTunes.com (http://www.dailytunes.com)

[zephead]

This is an all-time great song. My take on it is that it's a song to remind us about how fragile everything is: war is just a shot away from breaking the peace; love is just a kiss away from mending a relationship.

[iSaint]

There was a great short article in the August issue of The Oxford American (http://www.oxfordamerican.org/) entitled "Ode to Merry Clayton's Solo in Gimme Shelter." Can't find it online, though.

[gregorsamsa]

Don't mind admitting I'm a massive Stones fan. Though most of their best stuff was before my time, I've got everything on CD, DSD & SACD, from their 1964 debut to 1978's Some Girls, plus most of their CDs since & Jagger's solo stuff.

This song came in 69 when the band was at a creative peak that was to last for years, with probably their best line-up (Mick Taylor had recently replaced the no less talented, but tragic, Brian Jones). In fact, 1968 to 1972 was a remarkable period that saw the band write some of the best music I've ever heard.

Enjoy: Gimme Shelter 1969 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozgd-DPeY7o)

[jbembe]

Absolutely brilliant.

[JackSYi]

This song as well as Blind Willie McTell by Bob Dylan are my favorite songs of all-time.

[CIrawI3riCIge]

The guitar intro by Keith Richards is absolutely otherworldly. The timing, tone, and phrasing are just brilliant throughout the entire track.

I've read that Merry Clayton was called in the middle of the night while the Stones were tracking after midnight (usual for this period). I believe she actually got out of bed to sing on this one.

[rhett7660]

One of my favorite RS songs. Love this song.

[ucfgrad93]

One of my favorite songs of all times.

[flakes8]

I loved how they used it for an American Red Cross Commercial, it really complimented the images while getting their message across !!!

[Freis968]

Great tune.

[rikoshay]

Legend goes that while Mary Clayton sang her part, Mick was standing in front of her gesticulating frantically, getting the last ounce of energy out of her vocal. Migawd, I'd loved to have seen that.

[thesmall]

an amazing song.. rolling stone is one of the very best in music industry... :)

[thesmall]

yikes.. i missed the new seasons 1st episode of american idol... i cant miss the next one..

[glowfly]

an absolute classic ! an all time ever living song (same as the band)

[gregorsamsa]

Previous linked video since removed. Reposting for those unfamiliar with Stones music:

Gimme Shelter 1969 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltN7eWYh4rk)

[BigRedOne]

I attended Altamont, they were and still are a very get into band. Not only Gimme Shelter but many other of their songs rock on.

[123walter]

I use the opening of GimmeShelter for an answertone. If you call me..thats what ya hear. I also make ringtones. I use Satisfaction....Midnight Rambler. Rolling Stones songs are famous for their opening riffs, make great ringtones. Used Garageband to edit them into a repeating type thing. Some of the others I use are these
Waiting for a Star to Fall(my wife)
Cant you hear me KNOCKING (my son)
Werewolfs of London
Keep on Believing(Journey..right up until the singing starts..just the piano)I got the idea when The Sopranos used this song on their last episode. I knew the tune but had never really been a big Journey fan.

[gollum]

I have my all-time Top 40 playlist in iTunes and "Gimme Shelter" is #2.
(The rule being no more than 1 song per band)

P.S. Comfortably Numb is #1

[Scepticalscribe]

In general, I'm not a huge fan of the Stones, but this is a brilliant song, a genuine all-time great.

Cheers

[Ambrose Chapel]

I attended Altamont, they were and still are a very get into band. Not only Gimme Shelter but many other of their songs rock on.

really?? wow. good thing you made it out in one piece :)

[gregorsamsa]

really?? wow. good thing you made it out in one piece :)

Probably went okay for most attendees, as long as you weren't too near the stage. That's were it all kicked off. Some Hell's Angels lost it big-time that day, so more fans could easily have died.

Anyone not familiar with Altamont, watch the documentary or just Google for it. Lots of footage on YouTube.

[123walter]

[QUOTE=gregorsamsa;8609260]Don't mind admitting I'm a massive Stones fan. Though most of their best stuff was before my time, I've got everything on CD, DSD & SACD, from their 1964 debut to 1978's Some Girls, plus most of their CDs since & Jagger's solo stuff.

You are so correct. I was 14 when they first came to US. They werent really that well liked. At first. I had a band and we decided to not be another beatles cover band. "time is On My side" was on the radio. We learned all the early stuff and there was this record store in Columbus Ga that sold old Jukebox 45s. We learned from the originals..Jimm Reed....Howlin Wolf...Chess/Checker stuff. Also early Animals..Yardbirds etc. the Stones started out as a Blues band. Satisfaction really launched them into the mainstream. Its funny..Lennon and MacCartney wrote their first hit..also Jagger and Richards wrtoe a song for Gene Pitney (they were touring with him) Odd combo. But Im straying. My favorite tho.....Let it Bleed. They matured and became songwriters. Their style really jelled. They were no longer searching for a niche.

[iBlue]

I love this song and not long ago I had part of the lyrics from it in my signature.

War, children, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away.
I tell you love, sister, it's just a kiss away.

[palmtrees228]

I saw them in San Diego at the Stadium and they were incredible...even for old guys

[scuderia997]

Nothing beats blasting gimme shelter in your car with the windows down on a nice hot summers eve! Always puts a smile on my face.

[gødspeed]

Nothing beats blasting gimme shelter in your car with the windows down on a nice hot summers eve! Always puts a smile on my face.

So true. I love that song, especially on a humid hazy summer afternoon.

[Mr Bow]

It's a great song. And thanks for all the links - some nice live performances linked to those.

[lordonuthin]

Definitely one of my all time favorites. Saw them in Darmstadt circa '81.

[lordonuthin]

I saw them in San Diego at the Stadium and they were incredible...even for old guys

They are like the energizer bunny - they just keep going and going and going ...

[robfromabove]

Previous linked video since removed. Reposting for those unfamiliar with Stones music:

Gimme Shelter 1969 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltN7eWYh4rk)

Good find - I'm amazed by how Mick Jagger's stage voice is just as good as when it's recorded in the studio (shows true talent, at least to me).

[gregorsamsa]

Good find - I'm amazed by how Mick Jagger's stage voice is just as good as when it's recorded in the studio (shows true talent, at least to me).
Quite agree about his voice. Then again, for those bands starting out back in the early 60s, you couldn't get away with masking any shortcomings via studio trickery, as you can now. You really needed a lot of real talent to go the distance.

Most of those guys could either sing or play well, or both. I'm talking about Stones, Beatles, Animals, Doors, Dylan, The Who, Hendrix, Velvet Underground, etc. Despite indulging in all the peripheral craziness & high jinks, these guys were also genuinely talented, really loved making music & seemingly went into the scene for the right reasons.

[kernkraft]

...these guys... seemingly went into the scene for the right reasons.

That comment almost destroyed their cool in my eyes. I hoped that they went into music to get the women, the Rock 'n' Roll lifestyle, the money and because they were just bored and were not good in anything else.

They are like the energizer bunny - they just keep going and going and going ... I think they ARE running on Duracell. They are robots. Look at their tour dates, no human being in their prime could do that!

[Mr. McMac]

Mick is live, but the band is prerecorded. Still a great video! I grew up listening to the Beatles and the Stones, and lots more The best period in music as far as I'm concerned

[gregorsamsa]

That comment almost destroyed their cool in my eyes. I hoped that they went into music to get the women, the Rock 'n' Roll lifestyle, the money and because they were just bored and were not good in anything else.
That's the stereotype & probably just one reason why these guys are so much better than most of the stereotype bands going & gone.

Try catch the Ruby Wax interview with Marianne Faithful & Anita Pallenberg of a few years ago. I'm paraphrasing, but the gist of what they said to Ruby was "first came the music, then the drugs & sex was a distant 3rd, mostly it seems when they got bored of the other two". :D

As for not being much good at anything else, I don't know about that but Jagger studied economics at Uni, so presumably had a plan B in case the music side wasn't a success.

[smadoc]

still one of the all time great songs

[3GEE]

The entire Let it Bleed album is a masterpiece, this is the period when the Stones were at their zenith. One of the best ever albums to listen to with earphones, magnificent; from Mick's voice to Keith's riffs to Charlie's beats, wow. I've recently got a new set of earphones and I'm damaging my hearing all over again.

Nothing comes close in the current era. The Black Eyed Peas have two of the three most downloaded songs ever on iTunes. Kids today....pffffft.

[jbembe]

Mick is live, but the band is prerecorded. Still a great video! I grew up listening to the Beatles and the Stones, and lots more The best period in music as far as I'm concerned

no doubt. and it is so bewildering why the music industry is in such decline now. you can't force feed people commercial crap eternally and expect them to love music and support artists- because "artists" is loosely applied to some of the most popular crap out there. i wish music had the same vibe it had back then, we'd all benefit.