I'm going to dispense with the brief weekly band history--there are many writers much more talented than I who have chronicled the Stones in books and articles numerous times over. Suffice it to say they have been around longer than the majority of the people in the world have been alive (1962) and have won pretty much every accolade and honor that a band can win. For me, they are in the triumvirate of greatest rock bands of all-time, which would be The Who, The Beatles, and The Stones in that order (and, oddly enough, considering that we Americans invented rock and roll, they're all English bands). Three of the original band members--Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Charlie Watts--are still performing, and a fourth, Bill Wyman, is still with us but just got tired of the rock and roll grind after a mere thirty years.
Written by The Glimmer Twins (Jagger/Richard--and what a great epithet that is) as the lead track for their 1969 Let It Bleed LP, "Gimme Shelter" was never released as a single surprisingly enough. Considered by some (myself included) to be their greatest song, "Gimme Shelter" also may be the song most emblematic of the 60's--it's hard to think of another song that better encapsulates the assassinations, the Vietnam War, the race riots, the chaos and tumult, and eventually the hope that came out of that era.
"Gimme Shelter" opens with a guitar solo from Keith Richards that could best be described as sounding like what your reflections looks like in a House of Mirrors (wouldn't surprise me at all if the Breeders got their inspiration for the guitar work in "Cannonball" from Richards' stunning guitar work on this song)--it is otherworldly. Jagger throws in a quick harmonica bit before opening with his ominous vocals: "Ooh a storm is threat'nin'/My very life today...." Nine words in and it already has greatness written all over it. The song continues with more dire imagery as the guitar grows bolder and bolder and is joined by Charlie Watts' background gunfire drumming before the creme de la creme of the song--career background singer Merry Clayton joins in for easily the greatest backing vocals in the history of rock and roll (think Aretha Franklin on steroids). And as the two wail, "War, children, is just a shot away" again and again and you begin to think it's all doomed, it's all said and done, Jagger cuts in with this "Love, sister, is just a kiss away...." How fucking fantastic is that? No matter how bad it gets, love is always right in front of you.
It's a once in a lifetime song from a once in a lifetime band.
Lyric sheet: "Gimme, gimme shelter/Or I'm gonna fade away...."
Enjoy:
Peace,
emaycee
Indeed, their greatest song. In fact, we played it this weekend and were commenting on how much we love it. Wish you were there. I just learned about your blog, but I'm enjoying the shit out of it already.
ReplyDeleteMuch love,
Stephanie