In my opinion, this album was the pinnacle of the Rolling Stones. Loved it when it was brand new, and still rank it as one of the best albums I have ever heard.
So cool when Clayton's voice cracks during her solo and you can hear Mick and Keith with a big "whoooo!!" in the background. Normally, that would mean another take but it's so emotionally raw so they kept it in 🙂
She has a solo version of this, well worth checking out. I believe she's toured with them ever since this as the band say no-one else can sing it like her
I read somewhere that Merry Clayton, the background singer, was pulled to the studio in the middle of the night, very pregnant to record her vocals for this track. She was shocked to see the lyrics they wanted her to sing but the session became memorable for everyone there. On the original backing track you can hear Mick hooting and hollering in response to how well she sang.
I heard that her hair was in curlers or something. And that when her voice cracked on the first take she offered to do it again and they said no were going with that
@@scottarnest8980 The loss of her baby during pregnancy gets talked about, but it cannot be attributed to her session with the Stones. It's something merely to add to the lore of making Gimme Shelter.
Music was the language of our generation, Way more revered than today Everybody knew every word to almost every rock song of the 60's and 70's. You have computers today, we had music 🎶😎
In the same way as The Battle of Evermore is famous for being the only Zeppelin track with a female vocalist ( Sandy Denny), Gimme Shelter is famous for the addition of the studio singer Merry Clayton, who’s powerhouse voice elevated that song to iconic status
1969. 16 years old. The Let It Bleed tour. My first rock concert. I was absolutely blown away and totally hooked for life. This is definitely one of my desert island albums.
Can’t You Hear Me Knocking is a favorite of mine. It has the classic Stones hook and pop in the front, but turns into an extended improvisational jam at the end. Frankly it is a must listen.
Such a great rock and roll song, like cannabis friendly.. the guitar at the beginning is as good as anything.. and what can can you day about: "Ya all got cocaine eyes"
I grew up with my mom listening to their albums all the time. I remember as a little kid, sitting on the floor while the music was playing and checking out all of their cool album art. I remember this album cover tripping me out and trying to figure out why there was a tire as part of a birthday cake. 😆 My mom told me that her older brother bought her the Get Yer Ya-Yas out as her first album, and she was totally hooked. I also remember the zipper on the cover for Sticky Fingers - that one had an actual zipper on the outer cover. The Some Girls album had this cool inner album sleeve where the faces were imprinted and the outer cover had cutouts where the faces went. So if you wanted to change the faces with the hairdos, you simply slid the inner album cover over one way or another to see someone else rocking the same 'do. I know some of y'all remember these! Thanks for covering this band, can't wait to see what else you react to of theirs. There's sooooo many to choose from. My favorite is Paint It Black. Have a great day!
My all time favorite Rock group, no one is even close. Zeppelin my next favorite. So many great songs, just a few Wild Horses, Sway, Bitch, Brown Sugar, Midnight Rambler, Tumbling Dice, Jumping Jack Flash, Sympathy for the Devil, I , Moonlight Mile
🙌💯 Yes, yes, and more yes! “Wild Horses” is at the top of my list; Sticky Fingers is my favorite Stones album. Beggars Banquet is a close second; I love “Jigsaw Puzzle” and so many others on that album. All that said, @SalvoG simply *must* react to “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”! 💐
I cannot imagine this song without Charlie or Jimmy Miller. Those thudding drum fills capture the dark underlays of the song. And Miller’s addition of the güiro and maracas was genius. It all drives the song.
The Jimmy Miller period was absolutely the Stones best work by far. The five albums he produced are an unmatched run of amazing music no band since has replicated.
I’ve been listening to rock music for over 60 years and I’ve never found another song that more completely manifests an overpowering reality of dread. I grew up hearing casualty counts and seeing body bags on the news every night. This song leads me right into impending doom.
Sal, here’s the deal about the Stones. They were contemporaries of The Beatles. They were, together, the two most wildly successful of the first wave of the British Invasion. They were quickly cast in American culture as the opposite of The Beatles: The Beatles were clean-cut, Affable, “good” kids…”safe” The Stones were the “bad boys”, Ill-kempt , dark, “dangerous”. People would ask you “Beatles or Stones”? They figured they could tell allot about you by how you answered. Mick Jagger, by the way he moved onstage, the way he looked with those large, sensual lips, was a great frontman. The Beatles had no frontman… and there was no “sex” object there. Adoration, excitement, “puppy love” maybe. But the public image at first was one of innocence. With The Stones, it was immediately seductive and dark. The Beatles were strictly pop, until they morphed into the experimental musical force they are famous for in 1966. The Stones have stayed pretty much solidly on the blues and blues rock genres their entire career. A solid, bluesy rock and toll band. Their apex was reached from 1968-1972 with the release of four albums; Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, and Last Exit on Main Street. They are no doubt the longest/lived performing rock band in the world…more than 60 years at this point. It’s open to debate whether that’s too long… but Mick Jagger seems like he’ll never stop. The Stones are solid blues rock and roll. They were a top band in popular music for almost a decade, from their arrival in America circa 1964 to the early 70’s. Although they became less Main stream as musical tastes changed , they never stopped being a top touring band and their place in rock history as one of the greatest bands is secure.
It is hard to believe any human being 20 or older has not heard at least a snippet of this song, they and this song have been absorbed into Pop Culture over the last 60 years or so, one of the best songs in all of rock. Also do their unreal jam from the legendary Sticky Fingers album, Can't You Hear Me Knocking. It is just as good in a different way but Wow, anyone who hears it is in nirvana. Enjoy! 🎵🎸🎤🎹🎶
Merry Clayton's vocals made this song what it is... One of Ray Charles backing singers "The Raelettes" also sang backing vocals on so many legendary bands throughout history! 🎶
And also made a couple of good albums of her own around the time of this album, probably off the back of the impact she made on this track. That's certainly what made me look into them. Her 1980 album, Emotion, is well worth a listen if you haven't already.
Haha. Clayton’s vocals didn't “make this song what it is.” It's a crucial component, but Clayton’s voice means nothing without Charlie’s thudding drum fills or Keef's haunting tremolo pedal setting in the intro. Clayton’s more like the cherry on top.
Start with some early Stones, these should move give you a good feel for the '65-'66 time. Satisfaction, Under My Thumb and Paint It Black are all great. I definitely enjoy your doing background info with your reactions.
This song was recorded during the Viet Nam War. During the draft. High School ended and people were taken to the jungle like it or not. It's totally unrelatable today. Also, Rock was still new. Everything had not yet been done.
I've been listening to this song since it was released and it's one of those that gets an immediate FULL VOLUME CRANK as soon as I hear those opening notes. Every time!
Back in the day if you bought the album it didn't always have the lyrics in it , cassettes usually did ..anyways .. I have been hearing this song for decades and never knew the lyrics until now ! thank you :)
Artists in general were very courageous and controversial back in these days. They were true rebels. They didn't care if the media didn't approve. They knew the record companies were making millions of their music, and that was the bottom line. They wanted to shock the sensibilities of the ruling class. I don't think musicians today have that same courage.
This is one of my favorite Rolling Stones songs. Having been born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland in the late sixties and early seventies during the "Troubles". Watching the Vietnam War unfold in all it's brutality before my eyes on T.V. .; this song always resonated with me.
"Start Me Up", "Angie", "Brown Sugar", "Get Off of My Cloud", "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "You Can't Always Get What You Want", "Sympathy for the Devil". The Stones made it a habit to push the boundaries with their music and lyrics. Just add some imagination and viola!
You've only have just scratched the surface of the Stone's discography. This was a good choice for first listen. There a literally so many great songs in their 6 decades long career. A few that I like are "Wild Horse", Moonlight Mile", "You Can't Always Get What You Want", "No Expectations" and their first big hit "Satisfaction" just name a few.
I enjoyed this one. The Stones have done so many genres over the decades. Their ballad Angie has Mick's best vocals. Fool to Cry live is enjoyable as well.
Its a shame that so many people have not experienced the pinnacle of rock and roll. Not to say The Rolling Stones are that. But they certainly embody that era in music. This song was released at the height of the Vietnam war. They were bringing attention to the feelings of the era. Honestly, I think its amazing that a British band was so in-sync with the feelings of the American experience at that time.
This was definitely a good one to start with. I also love Street Fighting Man, 19th Nervous Breakdown, Sympathy for the Devil, and Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreakers). Many more besides that, but those are definitely in my top 10.
Dude, I'm still rather new to your channel and I very much appreciate your selection of music genres. While scrolling through my channel, I stopped on this Stones classic, and listened. Afterwards, checked to see if there was any reactions to this, and bam, there you were. This came out while I was still in middle school, and even back then, it was my favorite tune of all times. Thank you for your reaction, very much appreciated your insight.
The Rolling Stones put out the best 4 album run in the history of rock: Beggar's Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street. They are all stunning. This song was a great place to start, it makes you want to hear more. Up next, I'd love to have you check out Sympathy For the Devil and Street Fighting Man. Although the song Let it Bleed and You Can't Always Get What You Want are must hears too. As far as downright dirty, no song beats Stray Cat Blues, it's filthy good. Jigsaw Puzzle is another favorite of mine as well as Tumbling Dice and Rocks Off. Just to start with... Great reaction!
O.k., here's my list for your consideration- Tumbling Dice, Paint it Black, Ruby Tuesday, Honky Tonk Woman, Start Me Up, You Can't Always Get Want You Want, Brown Sugar, She's a Rainbow, Blinded by Rainbows, and Mother's Little Helper. I've been a fan since I first saw them on the Ed Sullivan show in 1967 (I was 14).
As tight as they were - ARE- it always sounds like they are about to go off the rails. Which is part of the excitement, the rawness that makes the Stones what they are: magnificent. Immortal.
Ist time hearing the Stones??? Wow! Hard to imagine. I myself, like the Stones, emerged into this World in the summer of 1962. Thus, I have NEVER KNOWN a WORLD without The ROLLING STONES! And I thank God for that. What an era in which to have lived! 🎶 ❤️ 🎵 🎸 👅 🇨🇦 🍁
YAAAAAS!! MY FAV STONES SONG!! 🔥🔥🔥 And he leads off with it!! ❤🎉😂🥳 Richards has perfected THE guitar riff. Please find Merry Clayton's naked vocal on YT to see her contribution to this song. Damn 69...AMAZING!! ❤😅
LOOL The Greatest Rock N Roll band of all. Hands down. NO band has the variety as this band. No band can come close to covering so many genres with authenticity of this band. None really even close.
The whole point of the artist is to sometimes express things that are uncomfortable. Obvious anti war song, where the decision to go to war rests on a knife edge. It's either war which is a shot away, or love which is a kiss away.
I read just a couple of weeks ago that this song was listed by some article as one of the top 10 rock songs of all time. I remember a friend of mine playing it for me for the first time in 1969. I remember he really liked “Midnight Rambler” from that album.
This is one of my favourite ever songs, definitely in the Top 10. You were talking the other day about live vs studio versions - well, now that you've heard this one, I'd say check out a live version, maybe a fairly recent one . . . This official promo is a good place to start: ua-cam.com/video/8kl6q_9qZOs/v-deo.html Mick in all his glory, fantastic guitar from Keith and Ronnie, superb drums from the late Charlie Watts, great female vocals from Lisa Fisher - and an extended outro. I was about ten in 1969, and the talk of the playground was who did we like best, the Beatles or the Stones. For me it was always the Stones and I didn't really know why until much later - I'm really a blues baby.
Oh and one more thing about Merry Clayton's incredible performance, Bonnie Bramlett was supposed to handle the female vocal, and the style on the song is pure Bramlett. She was the other half of Delaney and Bonnie, an underrated and extremely influential group at the time. Officially they went by Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, and their band consisted of an incredible array of studio musicians including Leon Russell, Rita Coolidge, Bobby Keys, and other friends like Eric Clapton, George Harrison, and Duane Allman. Bonnie spent the day rehearsing the vocal with Jagger. That crack in Clayton's voice is Bonnie's signature. She was known to be able to scream in key. Unfortunately, she blew her voice out rehearsing and Merry Clayton agreed to fill in. And did an incredible job. Everyone assumed it was Bonnie singing when the song was released but she went out of her way to let everyone know it was Merry Clayton, she said it would be a big boost to Clayton's career. If you'd like to hear some Bonnie Bramlett, check out the song Dirty Old Man from the Accept No Substitute album or Lay Down My Burden from the To Bonnie From Delaney album. She's absolutely amazing!
@@jeffharness4392 Bonnie and Leon Russell wrote Superstar and her version is great. Rita Coolidge did a version that I saw on the Mad Dogs and Englishman tour; it was great too. Never did care for Karen Carpenter's version, very antiseptic. I wish Delaney and Bonnie would get more attention from the reactors, such a great band!
I was in high school in the 60’s, and we were surrounded by all aspects of the Vietnam war, and protests; everyone talked about revolution, rebellion, social change, freedoms, justice, political activism. Most songs that were made by and for young people were about politics, rights of all kinds, and the peace/war conflict, or about “expanding your mind” (which included specific types of drugs, as well as a lot of different spiritual/religious influences including meditation, yoga, Asian philosophies, etc) and songs often included themes about the environment and the impact of society on the planet (just beginning as a concern, the first Earth Day was in 1970.) A lot of experimentation was being done mixing together musical instruments from all over the world, and incorporating sound effects into the music tracks, and trying out techniques like running tracks backward. It was a time of innovation and people did get in trouble for lyrics that were controversial but nothing could prevent major changes in the music industry. Hugely powerful moneymakers including the Stones, Beatles, Dylan, etc were involved in pushing boundaries, and of course, companies bow to those who have such a strong global influence which often began with music but moved on to fashion, literature, dance, art, cuisine, and cultural thoughts in general. Other types of music, like jazz, folk, blues, r&b, were likewise going through big changes and the atmosphere of change was everywhere. The woman on this song is Merrie Clayton who was pregnant at the time and was called in at the very last minute of recording to add vocals, but is not only perfect in sync but for many people is the most memorable part of the recording.
Monkey Man by the Rolling Stones is a banger. Also this song was written during the Vietnam War, which was unpopular with many people so it's their anti-war song.
@@helenespaulding7562 I'm a very truthful liberal who generally has no ability to self censor, so I tend to say nothing or try to write everything ultra-censored. If I blurt shit out that floats around in my brain, it usually pisses off other people so I stopped.
This song is the Vietnam War to me. It takes me back to where guys just out of High School were petrified the day/night before they had to report. Then, they would come home and be so different, mentally and emotionally. The scars they carried were deep and ragged. They were in a state of confusion. They had spent time in a place from hell. I remember feeling useless because I had no idea how to respond. At night when it was quiet and dark, they would talk about an experience or two. I think that helped a little bit.
Welcome to the music from my high school days. BTW the scratchy percussion instrument Guiro, is pronounced ‘Wee-row’. It is common in Afro-Cuban rhythm.
There are so many Rolling Stones songs that you'd recognize from Movies or advertising. This might be the best one that hasn't been over-used that way.
SalvoG, you back story...so... At 7:25 of YOUR video, Merry Clayton, the supporting singer, sings so hard that her voice cracks (when she says "murder") and you can then hear Mick say "whoo". They called her to the studio at 4am. When she got there, they couldn't hear her at the front door of the studio. She had to open the huge door herself. She sang her guts out. She doesn't know if it was the heavy door or how hard she sang, but 2 days later, she had a miscarriage. She never felt any ill-will towards the band. She actually recorded the song herself on one of her albums.
Rolling Stones are a deep rabbit hole. I love them dearly and I hope you checkout lots more, SalvoG. My choices are as follows: Street Fighting Man Satisfaction 19th Nervous Breakdown Paint It Black Ruby Tuesday Sympathy For The Devil Brown Sugar Let’s Spend The Night Together Under My Thumb It’s Only Rock N’ Roll Tumbling Dice Shattered Start Me Up Angie Wild Horses Emotional Rescue Just to name a few. 😉
I rarely comment to reaction videos. SalvoG, you are becoming my favorite reactor because you are humble, knowledgeable and learning. You have great presence. I love the choice of your songs. Keep at it and I am sure you will reach 1M subscribers once others find you. Keep it up. The Rolling Stones were the second most influential band coming out of the '60, after the Beatles. Best of luck and don't give up.
I knew you'd like this... I got to see the Stones in '75. Wow. SOOO much energy. If I may be so bold, 'It's Only Rock & Roll', or 'Miss You' as your next ones. OR, for some early Stones, 'Satisfaction' or '2000 Light Years From Home'. A new voyage begins...
Important to remember what was going on at the time of this record - Vietnam, violence in American cities, student riots in France - assassination of Bobby JlKennedy and Martin Luther King - the Stones perfectly capture the chaos, anger and sense of danger in this song. This album remains for me, one of the greatest rock albums ever. Powerful words and music, the gritty nature of this track in particular- an astonishing song that has stood the test of time and still resonates today.
This was released during the Vietnam war, and for those of us who saw our soldiers’ bodies in bags every night on the TV news, there was no escaping it. This song is the essence of DREAD.
My favorite Stones song WILL always be Sympathy for the Devil although I also enjoy Paint It Black, Beast of Burden, Jumping Jack Flash, Time Is On My Side, Satisfaction, Mother's Little Helper, Ruby Tuesday, Brown Sugar, Wild Horses and You Can't Always Get Want You Want.
GREAT SONG to start reacting to the Rolling Stones. I think I brought up Gimmie Shelter last Saturday's live. That was the period of Vietnam. And yes, this was a trip.
Probably my favorite Stones’ song. It gets your blood flowing, OMG. For me, it’s about the fall of Saigon in South Vietnam. What a devastating event. You should check out the history there. All I know is we the USA had no business engaging in that “conflict”. That’s what they called it. What it was was a war. The Vietnam War. I was very young when this took place. The video presentation is brilliant and powerful. Thank you for posting! 👏🏼
This has always been one of my favorite tracks from the Stones. Love Merry Clayton's addition to the music. FYI back in the 70s there was a version of the Who's 'Tommy' that featured the London Symphony Orchestra and a variety of guest artists singing the various roles. Two amazingly talented women sang on the record - Maggie Bell as the Mother and Merry Clayton performing an amazing version of Acid Queen - hard to find but well worth checking out!
Gimme Shelter is also the name of a documentary about the Rolling Stone concert at Altamont. A lot of tension and bad vibes - a man was murdered in front of the stage while Mick sang Sympathy For The Devil and he vowed to never sing it live again. Both songs are among their best!
![Gimme Shelter (Live & Studio) [Rolling Stones Reaction] Love in Vain-First time hearing Let It Bleed](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/eEDixQS5F4A/mqdefault.jpg)
In my opinion, this album was the pinnacle of the Rolling Stones. Loved it when it was brand new, and still rank it as one of the best albums I have ever heard.
i agree
@@jeanpierrebutel6794 Me too!
Yep👍
Agree.."EXILE ON MAIN STREET" another favorite of mine...
So cool when Clayton's voice cracks during her solo and you can hear Mick and Keith with a big "whoooo!!" in the background. Normally, that would mean another take but it's so emotionally raw so they kept it in 🙂
I've always found that cracking very sexy (which is weird given the subject matter of the song).
My favorite Stones song. Merry Clayton’s voice cracking is just iconic.
It makes the song.
She has a solo version of this, well worth checking out. I believe she's toured with them ever since this as the band say no-one else can sing it like her
Mariann Faithful sp?
If you’re into mashups, look up the one with this vocal overlaid with Machine Gun by The Commodores. It’s absolutely genius.
ua-cam.com/video/2Iry-GVZUrw/v-deo.html
You've got to recognize what Merry Clayton's vocals do for this song. Her unhinged power on her solo section is just perfect.
I gave her props in my description, she deserves it
That song wouldn't be what it is without her
@@SalvoG You've got to watch the couple of videos where Merry Clayton explains how she came to sing back-up on this song!! It's pretty amazing!!
I read somewhere that Merry Clayton, the background singer, was pulled to the studio in the middle of the night, very pregnant to record her vocals for this track. She was shocked to see the lyrics they wanted her to sing but the session became memorable for everyone there. On the original backing track you can hear Mick hooting and hollering in response to how well she sang.
Yep the way it happened.
Yes, she also ended up losing that baby sadly. Her voice caught me at a young age, especially when it breaks and you hear Mick go whooo.
I heard that story too and yes, Mick was definitely cheering her on. :)
I heard that her hair was in curlers or something. And that when her voice cracked on the first take she offered to do it again and they said no were going with that
@@scottarnest8980 The loss of her baby during pregnancy gets talked about, but it cannot be attributed to her session with the Stones. It's something merely to add to the lore of making Gimme Shelter.
Music was the language of our generation,
Way more revered than today
Everybody knew every word to almost every rock song of the 60's and 70's. You have computers today, we had music 🎶😎
In the same way as The Battle of Evermore is famous for being the only Zeppelin track with a female vocalist ( Sandy Denny), Gimme Shelter is famous for the addition of the studio singer Merry Clayton, who’s powerhouse voice elevated that song to iconic status
Fun fact - Merry Clayton's brother, Sam Clayton, is the long time percussionist for Little Feat. He's been with them since 1973.
@@neonpark1874 cool to know!
1969. 16 years old. The Let It Bleed tour. My first rock concert. I was absolutely blown away and totally hooked for life. This is definitely one of my desert island albums.
Can’t You Hear Me Knocking is a favorite of mine. It has the classic Stones hook and pop in the front, but turns into an extended improvisational jam at the end. Frankly it is a must listen.
Such a great rock and roll song, like cannabis friendly.. the guitar at the beginning is as good as anything.. and what can can you day about: "Ya all got cocaine eyes"
The GREAT Mick Taylor
Yes, their era with him is beyond compare.
The jam at the end really is great. So glad they let the tape run. The way Mick Taylor and Bobby Keys play off each other is so good.
I grew up with my mom listening to their albums all the time. I remember as a little kid, sitting on the floor while the music was playing and checking out all of their cool album art. I remember this album cover tripping me out and trying to figure out why there was a tire as part of a birthday cake. 😆 My mom told me that her older brother bought her the Get Yer Ya-Yas out as her first album, and she was totally hooked. I also remember the zipper on the cover for Sticky Fingers - that one had an actual zipper on the outer cover. The Some Girls album had this cool inner album sleeve where the faces were imprinted and the outer cover had cutouts where the faces went. So if you wanted to change the faces with the hairdos, you simply slid the inner album cover over one way or another to see someone else rocking the same 'do. I know some of y'all remember these! Thanks for covering this band, can't wait to see what else you react to of theirs. There's sooooo many to choose from. My favorite is Paint It Black. Have a great day!
The albums with their art and pictures were sometimes as much fun as the album itself.
You definitely need to listen to "Sympathy for the Devil" for the connections to history that they put into the song.
My all time favorite Rock group, no one is even close. Zeppelin my next favorite. So many great songs, just a few Wild Horses, Sway, Bitch, Brown Sugar, Midnight Rambler, Tumbling
Dice, Jumping Jack Flash, Sympathy for the Devil, I , Moonlight Mile
I hope one day to see reactors take up Moonlight Mile. Astonishingly beautiful song, and sadly neglected today
🙌💯 Yes, yes, and more yes! “Wild Horses” is at the top of my list; Sticky Fingers is my favorite Stones album. Beggars Banquet is a close second; I love “Jigsaw Puzzle” and so many others on that album.
All that said, @SalvoG simply *must* react to “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”! 💐
I cannot imagine this song without Charlie or Jimmy Miller. Those thudding drum fills capture the dark underlays of the song. And Miller’s addition of the güiro and maracas was genius. It all drives the song.
I just read an article speculating that Ringo and Paul are gonna sit in with them. Wouldn't that be a hoot? Beatles and Stones merge?
The Jimmy Miller period was absolutely the Stones best work by far. The five albums he produced are an unmatched run of amazing music no band since has replicated.
Yes! Keith’s guitar shines in this classic antiwar song. And Merry Clayton’s guest vocals ❤
I’ve been listening to rock music for over 60 years and I’ve never found another song that more completely manifests an overpowering reality of dread. I grew up hearing casualty counts and seeing body bags on the news every night. This song leads me right into impending doom.
Sal, here’s the deal about the Stones. They were contemporaries of The Beatles. They were, together, the two most wildly successful of the first wave of the British Invasion. They were quickly cast in American culture as the opposite of The Beatles: The Beatles were clean-cut, Affable, “good” kids…”safe” The Stones were the “bad boys”, Ill-kempt , dark, “dangerous”. People would ask you “Beatles or Stones”? They figured they could tell allot about you by how you answered. Mick Jagger, by the way he moved onstage, the way he looked with those large, sensual lips, was a great frontman. The Beatles had no frontman… and there was no “sex” object there. Adoration, excitement, “puppy love” maybe. But the public image at first was one of innocence. With The Stones, it was immediately seductive and dark.
The Beatles were strictly pop, until they morphed into the experimental musical force they are famous for in 1966. The Stones have stayed pretty much solidly on the blues and blues rock genres their entire career. A solid, bluesy rock and toll band.
Their apex was reached from 1968-1972 with the release of four albums; Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, and Last Exit on Main Street.
They are no doubt the longest/lived performing rock band in the world…more than 60 years at this point. It’s open to debate whether that’s too long… but Mick Jagger seems like he’ll never stop.
The Stones are solid blues rock and roll. They were a top band in popular music for almost a decade, from their arrival in America circa 1964 to the early 70’s. Although they became less Main stream as musical tastes changed , they never stopped being a top touring band and their place in rock history as one of the greatest bands is secure.
@DevilDog53 thank you! (It’s Helene, not W Geoffrey 😏)
It is hard to believe any human being 20 or older has not heard at least a snippet of this song, they and this song have been absorbed into Pop Culture over the last 60 years or so, one of the best songs in all of rock. Also do their unreal jam from the legendary Sticky Fingers album, Can't You Hear Me Knocking. It is just as good in a different way but Wow, anyone who hears it is in nirvana. Enjoy! 🎵🎸🎤🎹🎶
Merry Clayton's vocals made this song what it is... One of Ray Charles backing singers "The Raelettes" also sang backing vocals on so many legendary bands throughout history! 🎶
And also made a couple of good albums of her own around the time of this album, probably off the back of the impact she made on this track. That's certainly what made me look into them. Her 1980 album, Emotion, is well worth a listen if you haven't already.
Haha. Clayton’s vocals didn't “make this song what it is.” It's a crucial component, but Clayton’s voice means nothing without Charlie’s thudding drum fills or Keef's haunting tremolo pedal setting in the intro. Clayton’s more like the cherry on top.
@@Russ_Keith Thank you for having me discover Emotion. What a track!
@@conrad4667 You're welcome. The whole album is great.
Start with some early Stones, these should move give you a good feel for the '65-'66 time. Satisfaction, Under My Thumb and Paint It Black are all great. I definitely enjoy your doing background info with your reactions.
It didn't chart because it wasn't released as a single. It's the opening track from their 1969 masterpiece, LET IT BLEED.
All the guitar work on this album is very unique sounding.
The Stones music from this era is the main reason many consider them to be among, if not the greatest ever. More so than their longevity.
all time classic! ♥
This song was recorded during the Viet Nam War. During the draft. High School ended and people were taken to the jungle like it or not. It's totally unrelatable today.
Also, Rock was still new. Everything had not yet been done.
I've been listening to this song since it was released and it's one of those that gets an immediate FULL VOLUME CRANK as soon as I hear those opening notes. Every time!
One of those rare cases where the guest backing vocalist completely outshines the band. Legendary.
It's funny with you youngsters (67 here) reacting to my youth. So much music. No auto tune. No lip synch. Just raw power & talent.
Too many great Stones tunes! Best to take an album at a time, IMO. The intro here is haunting and beautiful.. Always gives me goose bumps!
Best Stone’s song ever.
Back in the day if you bought the album it didn't always have the lyrics in it , cassettes usually did ..anyways .. I have been hearing this song for decades and never knew the lyrics until now ! thank you :)
Artists in general were very courageous and controversial back in these days. They were true rebels. They didn't care if the media didn't approve. They knew the record companies were making millions of their music, and that was the bottom line. They wanted to shock the sensibilities of the ruling class. I don't think musicians today have that same courage.
This is one of my favorite Rolling Stones songs. Having been born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland in the late sixties and early seventies during the "Troubles". Watching the Vietnam War unfold in all it's brutality before my eyes on T.V. .; this song always resonated with me.
"Start Me Up", "Angie", "Brown Sugar", "Get Off of My Cloud", "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "You Can't Always Get What You Want", "Sympathy for the Devil". The Stones made it a habit to push the boundaries with their music and lyrics. Just add some imagination and viola!
I would add "Shattered" to that list. Unique song.
One of the best Rock songs ever and the Stones at their peak
You've only have just scratched the surface of the Stone's discography. This was a good choice for first listen. There a literally so many great songs in their 6 decades long career. A few that I like are "Wild Horse", Moonlight Mile", "You Can't Always Get What You Want", "No Expectations" and their first big hit "Satisfaction" just name a few.
Like Keith said, there's the Sun, there's the Moon, and there's the Rolling Stones.
I enjoyed this one. The Stones have done so many genres over the decades. Their ballad Angie has Mick's best vocals. Fool to Cry live is enjoyable as well.
Saw Stones live in early 2000's and they still ROCKED FOR HOURS!!!!!!😍😍😍😍😍😍
Its a shame that so many people have not experienced the pinnacle of rock and roll. Not to say The Rolling Stones are that. But they certainly embody that era in music. This song was released at the height of the Vietnam war. They were bringing attention to the feelings of the era. Honestly, I think its amazing that a British band was so in-sync with the feelings of the American experience at that time.
Merry Clayton! She makes the song! ❤❤❤❤❤
Top #10 best songs ever for me...epic backing vocal
Can't count how many times I have heard this over the decades both in movies and radio. Iconic Viet Nam era rock.
I got to see the Stones twice, 1981 and in 2015 I took my daughter who was a huge fan for her 12th birthday. What a great memory. RIP Eliza Jane ❤
This is my favorite Stones tune. And that says a lot,,,,they're VERY GOOD. 💥💥💥👍😎
This stands up as one of the great rock songs / albums of all time, but it wasn't ahead of its time, it was very much of its time.
First time they had female lead vocals. Merry beautiful
A revolutionary track. Maybe try Paint it Black.
SATISFACTION WAS #1THE ENTIRE SUMMER OF '65! 🤣
I just love the drums in this one.
This was definitely a good one to start with. I also love Street Fighting Man, 19th Nervous Breakdown, Sympathy for the Devil, and Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreakers). Many more besides that, but those are definitely in my top 10.
Love Doo Doo Doo!!
Every Rolling Stone song I hear is always my favourite.
gimme shelter and mix emotion are 2 great songs . living legends, the stones,👍👍👍
Merry's wail/scream MURDER! Iconic and makes me weep
This was a great song... I love many of their songs! 💋💖💋💖😎💋💖😎
Dude, I'm still rather new to your channel and I very much appreciate your selection of music genres. While scrolling through my channel, I stopped on this Stones classic, and listened. Afterwards, checked to see if there was any reactions to this, and bam, there you were.
This came out while I was still in middle school, and even back then, it was my favorite tune of all times. Thank you for your reaction, very much appreciated your insight.
The Rolling Stones put out the best 4 album run in the history of rock: Beggar's Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street. They are all stunning. This song was a great place to start, it makes you want to hear more. Up next, I'd love to have you check out Sympathy For the Devil and Street Fighting Man. Although the song Let it Bleed and You Can't Always Get What You Want are must hears too. As far as downright dirty, no song beats Stray Cat Blues, it's filthy good. Jigsaw Puzzle is another favorite of mine as well as Tumbling Dice and Rocks Off. Just to start with... Great reaction!
I think it depends on your parents, mine were musicians and they listened to all genres. Like my kids did😊
O.k., here's my list for your consideration- Tumbling Dice, Paint it Black, Ruby Tuesday, Honky Tonk Woman, Start Me Up, You Can't Always Get Want You Want, Brown Sugar, She's a Rainbow, Blinded by Rainbows, and Mother's Little Helper. I've been a fan since I first saw them on the Ed Sullivan show in 1967 (I was 14).
As tight as they were - ARE- it always sounds like they are about to go off the rails. Which is part of the excitement, the rawness that makes the Stones what they are: magnificent. Immortal.
One of my favourite Stones songs is "She's a Rainbow"🌈. Bonus points because the strings section is arranged by Zeppelin's John Paul Jones.
Ist time hearing the Stones???
Wow! Hard to imagine.
I myself, like the Stones, emerged into this World in the summer of 1962.
Thus, I have NEVER KNOWN a WORLD without The ROLLING STONES!
And I thank God for that. What an era in which to have lived!
🎶 ❤️ 🎵 🎸 👅 🇨🇦 🍁
"I was looking at their discography - it is in-sane" Frank Zappa, "Hold my titties and beer."
Keef at his finest! THE greatest riff-master to ever walk the planet.
YAAAAAS!! MY FAV STONES SONG!! 🔥🔥🔥
And he leads off with it!! ❤🎉😂🥳
Richards has perfected THE guitar riff.
Please find Merry Clayton's naked vocal on YT to see her contribution to this song.
Damn 69...AMAZING!! ❤😅
LOOL The Greatest Rock N Roll band of all. Hands down. NO band has the variety as this band. No band can come close to covering so many genres with authenticity of this band. None really even close.
The whole point of the artist is to sometimes express things that are uncomfortable. Obvious anti war song, where the decision to go to war rests on a knife edge. It's either war which is a shot away, or love which is a kiss away.
I read just a couple of weeks ago that this song was listed by some article as one of the top 10 rock songs of all time. I remember a friend of mine playing it for me for the first time in 1969. I remember he really liked “Midnight Rambler” from that album.
This is one of my favourite ever songs, definitely in the Top 10. You were talking the other day about live vs studio versions - well, now that you've heard this one, I'd say check out a live version, maybe a fairly recent one . . .
This official promo is a good place to start:
ua-cam.com/video/8kl6q_9qZOs/v-deo.html
Mick in all his glory, fantastic guitar from Keith and Ronnie, superb drums from the late Charlie Watts, great female vocals from Lisa Fisher - and an extended outro.
I was about ten in 1969, and the talk of the playground was who did we like best, the Beatles or the Stones. For me it was always the Stones and I didn't really know why until much later - I'm really a blues baby.
An amazing timeless masterpiece
This was one of our go to party albums back in the days when I could stay up past 10:30pm.
Oh and one more thing about Merry Clayton's incredible performance, Bonnie Bramlett was supposed to handle the female vocal, and the style on the song is pure Bramlett. She was the other half of Delaney and Bonnie, an underrated and extremely influential group at the time. Officially they went by Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, and their band consisted of an incredible array of studio musicians including Leon Russell, Rita Coolidge, Bobby Keys, and other friends like Eric Clapton, George Harrison, and Duane Allman. Bonnie spent the day rehearsing the vocal with Jagger. That crack in Clayton's voice is Bonnie's signature. She was known to be able to scream in key. Unfortunately, she blew her voice out rehearsing and Merry Clayton agreed to fill in. And did an incredible job. Everyone assumed it was Bonnie singing when the song was released but she went out of her way to let everyone know it was Merry Clayton, she said it would be a big boost to Clayton's career. If you'd like to hear some Bonnie Bramlett, check out the song Dirty Old Man from the Accept No Substitute album or Lay Down My Burden from the To Bonnie From Delaney album. She's absolutely amazing!
Really interesting. I never heard that story. I love Bonnie's version of Superstar.
@@jeffharness4392 Bonnie and Leon Russell wrote Superstar and her version is great. Rita Coolidge did a version that I saw on the Mad Dogs and Englishman tour; it was great too. Never did care for Karen Carpenter's version, very antiseptic. I wish Delaney and Bonnie would get more attention from the reactors, such a great band!
I was in high school in the 60’s, and we were surrounded by all aspects of the Vietnam war, and protests; everyone talked about revolution, rebellion, social change, freedoms, justice, political activism. Most songs that were made by and for young people were about politics, rights of all kinds, and the peace/war conflict, or about “expanding your mind” (which included specific types of drugs, as well as a lot of different spiritual/religious influences including meditation, yoga, Asian philosophies, etc) and songs often included themes about the environment and the impact of society on the planet (just beginning as a concern, the first Earth Day was in 1970.) A lot of experimentation was being done mixing together musical instruments from all over the world, and incorporating sound effects into the music tracks, and trying out techniques like running tracks backward.
It was a time of innovation and people did get in trouble for lyrics that were controversial but nothing could prevent major changes in the music industry. Hugely powerful moneymakers including the Stones, Beatles, Dylan, etc were involved in pushing boundaries, and of course, companies bow to those who have such a strong global influence which often began with music but moved on to fashion, literature, dance, art, cuisine, and cultural thoughts in general. Other types of music, like jazz, folk, blues, r&b, were likewise going through big changes and the atmosphere of change was everywhere.
The woman on this song is Merrie Clayton who was pregnant at the time and was called in at the very last minute of recording to add vocals, but is not only perfect in sync but for many people is the most memorable part of the recording.
Monkey Man by the Rolling Stones is a banger. Also this song was written during the Vietnam War, which was unpopular with many people so it's their anti-war song.
“Unpopular with many people” has got to be one of the biggest understatements I’ve ever heard
@@helenespaulding7562 Just trying to be "politically correct" and diplomatic.
@@terriertz5134 I know. Better to speak the truth …..just my opinion of course. I’m a self-diagnosed liberal but despise PC. 😁✌️
@@helenespaulding7562 I'm a very truthful liberal who generally has no ability to self censor, so I tend to say nothing or try to write everything ultra-censored. If I blurt shit out that floats around in my brain, it usually pisses off other people so I stopped.
@@terriertz5134 I understand. 😁✌️✌️
This song is the Vietnam War to me. It takes me back to where guys just out of High School were petrified the day/night before they had to report. Then, they would come home and be so different, mentally and emotionally. The scars they carried were deep and ragged. They were in a state of confusion. They had spent time in a place from hell. I remember feeling useless because I had no idea how to respond. At night when it was quiet and dark, they would talk about an experience or two. I think that helped a little bit.
What a popular music revolution the Beatles and the Stones forged between them !
Paint it black!! Awesome song!!
Welcome to the music from my high school days. BTW the scratchy percussion instrument Guiro, is pronounced ‘Wee-row’. It is common in Afro-Cuban rhythm.
Miss Merry kills it!
Man I listened to the Rolling Stones for the first time, 60 years ago!
You chose my favorite Stones song as your first Stones reaction.
There are so many Rolling Stones songs that you'd recognize from Movies or advertising. This might be the best one that hasn't been over-used that way.
SalvoG, you back story...so...
At 7:25 of YOUR video, Merry Clayton, the supporting singer, sings so hard that her voice cracks (when she says "murder") and you can then hear Mick say "whoo".
They called her to the studio at 4am. When she got there, they couldn't hear her at the front door of the studio. She had to open the huge door herself. She sang her guts out. She doesn't know if it was the heavy door or how hard she sang, but 2 days later, she had a miscarriage. She never felt any ill-will towards the band. She actually recorded the song herself on one of her albums.
One of the top Sones songs in my book. Another must hear is “Can’t you hear me knockin”.
Rolling Stones are a deep rabbit hole. I love them dearly and I hope you checkout lots more, SalvoG. My choices are as follows:
Street Fighting Man
Satisfaction
19th Nervous Breakdown
Paint It Black
Ruby Tuesday
Sympathy For The Devil
Brown Sugar
Let’s Spend The Night Together
Under My Thumb
It’s Only Rock N’ Roll
Tumbling Dice
Shattered
Start Me Up
Angie
Wild Horses
Emotional Rescue
Just to name a few. 😉
My fav Stones song!!!
I rarely comment to reaction videos. SalvoG, you are becoming my favorite reactor because you are humble, knowledgeable and learning. You have great presence. I love the choice of your songs. Keep at it and I am sure you will reach 1M subscribers once others find you. Keep it up. The Rolling Stones were the second most influential band coming out of the '60, after the Beatles. Best of luck and don't give up.
One of my favorite stones LPs for sure... Love Monkey Man!
I knew you'd like this...
I got to see the Stones in '75. Wow. SOOO much energy.
If I may be so bold, 'It's Only Rock & Roll', or 'Miss You' as your next ones. OR, for some early Stones, 'Satisfaction' or '2000 Light Years From Home'.
A new voyage begins...
Important to remember what was going on at the time of this record - Vietnam, violence in American cities, student riots in France - assassination of Bobby JlKennedy and Martin Luther King - the Stones perfectly capture the chaos, anger and sense of danger in this song. This album remains for me, one of the greatest rock albums ever. Powerful words and music, the gritty nature of this track in particular- an astonishing song that has stood the test of time and still resonates today.
This was released during the Vietnam war, and for those of us who saw our soldiers’ bodies in bags every night on the TV news, there was no escaping it. This song is the essence of DREAD.
My favorite Stones song WILL always be Sympathy for the Devil although I also enjoy Paint It Black, Beast of Burden, Jumping Jack Flash, Time Is On My Side, Satisfaction, Mother's Little Helper, Ruby Tuesday, Brown Sugar, Wild Horses and You Can't Always Get Want You Want.
You would absolutely love the album it comes from: LET IT BLEED. It's a masterpiece.
Great tune, great group, great album...... still like "Sticky Fingers" as my personal favorite album though and they're still rockin!!!
Excellent song to pick as your first Stones song! This is one of my favorite songs by anyone. Follow up picks for you? Wild Horses and Angie.
Nothing like someone cracking their knuckles to take you out of the music. 😆
Paint It Black has always been a favorite of mine.
GREAT SONG to start reacting to the Rolling Stones. I think I brought up Gimmie Shelter last Saturday's live. That was the period of Vietnam. And yes, this was a trip.
Probably my favorite Stones’ song. It gets your blood flowing, OMG. For me, it’s about the fall of Saigon in South Vietnam. What a devastating event. You should check out the history there. All I know is we the USA had no business engaging in that “conflict”. That’s what they called it. What it was was a war. The Vietnam War. I was very young when this took place.
The video presentation is brilliant and powerful. Thank you for posting! 👏🏼
This has always been one of my favorite tracks from the Stones. Love Merry Clayton's addition to the music. FYI back in the 70s there was a version of the Who's 'Tommy' that featured the London Symphony Orchestra and a variety of guest artists singing the various roles. Two amazingly talented women sang on the record - Maggie Bell as the Mother and Merry Clayton performing an amazing version of Acid Queen - hard to find but well worth checking out!
Gimme Shelter is also the name of a documentary about the Rolling Stone concert at Altamont. A lot of tension and bad vibes - a man was murdered in front of the stage while Mick sang Sympathy For The Devil and he vowed to never sing it live again. Both songs are among their best!