She was pregnant when she got the late night call for a midnight recording session with the Rolling Stones; you can hear how she pushed herself; the next day she lost the baby. The song lives on.
“Sympathy…” is lyrical creative genius. The music is spectacular too, but I’m fascinated by whatever kind of mind even thinks of a song of such a topic.
The song is from 1969 in the midst of the worst of the Vietnam War. It has such a straightforward message: LOVE not WAR. 50 plus years later...we still haven't learned.😥
They have learned that war is a money maker, death and destruction is the price the people for profit. Has George W Bush said, "Sometime profit trumps peace."
Sadly, that humans will never learn from those past mistakes. I was a toddler during this era of music, height of Vietnam War, Civil Unrest, and Police Brutality. Even though I was 5 watching all these actions unfold on TV. War is still going today: Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon, and Gaza Strip. Lebanon, Gaza Strip, and Israel - Secular (Religion) War while war in Ukraine is just one man's paranoia and greed: Putin.
One man? History doesn’t often work that way. Gorbachev was a hero who believed us when we told him NATO would not move one inch eastward. In return, he cancelled the Cold War, possibly saving the world from nuclear destruction. Russia has been invaded 15 times. The last time it lost 27 million. So it’s not “one paranoid man.” It’s an entire nation which has been taught to be paranoid by history. There was a brief magical moment when Russians thought maybe the history they knew had been cancelled and they could join the free world. But America’s military-industrial complex couldn’t allow that. NATO/USA tightened the noose over 30 years confirming, for Russians, their inborn paranoia, and confirming for them the need for a dictator. Blame Putin. Blame America’s military-industrial complex. There are no good guys in this war.
@MrTech226 One man? History doesn’t often work that way. Gorbachev was a hero who believed us when we told him NATO would not move one inch eastward. In return, he cancelled the Cold War, possibly saving the world from nuclear destruction. Russia has been invaded 15 times. The last time it lost 27 million. So it’s not “one paranoid man.” It’s an entire nation which has been taught to be paranoid by history. There was a brief magical moment when Russians thought maybe the history they knew had been cancelled and they could join the free world. But America’s military-industrial complex couldn’t allow that. NATO/USA tightened the noose over 30 years confirming, for Russians, their inborn paranoia, and confirming for them the need for a dictator. Blame Putin. Blame America. There are no good guys in war.
At the end of the 3rd “rape and murder”, when her voice cracks on “murder”, listen very closely and you’ll hear a faint man’s voice in the background yelling “YEAH!!”….that was captured during the recording because Jagger was so moved by her passion and raw emotion when her voice broke that he couldn’t contain it. They decided not to mess with it and left it in the song, which I’m so glad they did. That would have been taken out immediate in current times.
@@joescott8877 my point is that would have taken away from the raw emotion that made/makes it sound so raw and visceral. If you don’t get that then keep listening to your pop bands homie!
@@bruno3778 Dude I guess I should have paid more attention to my OWN "tone" in my comment, because I meant it to code as Total Agreement, not sarcastic disagreement at all! I am WITH YA bro, on how glad I am Mick and the Boys left Merry's cracked-from-emotion-and-passion voice alone!
@@joescott8877 aahhh, my bad then! Not sure why I assumed it was sarcastic. Maybe it’s because I’m a sarcastic a$$hole most of the time so I just assume other people are! Anyway, no worries and all good! Peace brother! ✌🏼✌🏼
@@bruno3778 Fair. I actually think my "God forbid" is often something peeps use before a sarcastic remark, i know i do anyhow, so that coulda "fooled" u, but yeah, from one sarcastic ahole to another, yes: peace, lol.
I cringe when I think of this song being recorded today & some idiot producer would "fix" or "auto-tune" the spots during Merry Clayton's solo where her voice cracks & breaks a bit . That's the difference between today & yesterday . Back then the producer could hear the perfect strained passion of that solo & realizing those slight imperfections is what made the recording even more perfect .
Yes, it's treating music like science rather than art. It would be like upping the contrast or sharpness of an impressionist painting. Music should have emotion and emotion often reveals flaws. We should celebrate that.
autotune the vocals, quantize all the instruments and vocals, then maximize everything so everything is always as loud as possible without causing distortion. Thats been the industry for over 25 years now. No more subtlety, no more feel. no more humanity. A lot of us are hoping that as AI music becomes more common the human element becomes more in demand by audiences because machines can't make mistakes like humans do ... at least not yet.
As younger people discover "our" music, I hope it sheds light on why we're "stuck in the past". If the music of your youth is as good as this you'll be stuck in the past when you're 65 too.
Hey, Aileen. Great reaction. Next up, the lyric video for SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL. This is one of their greatest songs. And then, HONKY TONK WOMEN. Have fun.
Fun fact: the lady who sang the backing vocal wanted to do another take on her vocal solo (during the third chorus) because her voice cracked....but the band told her no way, they loved her first take, and her voice cracking was the best part! Other Stones songs i recommend, Wild Horses, and Monkey Man.
Dont quote me but I believe she also tragically suffered a miscarriage apparently because she sang so passionately in this song. That was at least the accusation from what I remember.
@@johnnyfry2 While it is true that Merry Clayton did suffer a miscarraige after the Gimme Shelter session, there really isn't much basis for it being related to the recording session, It is entirely possible that doing studio work when she was very pregnant was stressful, but it's only an assumption.
@@johnnyfry2 She did have a miscarriage, but it was weeks later and she blatantly denies it had anything to do with this recording session (but you're right, I'd heard that story before too, as it's a bit of a famous rock myth that's not actually true).
If you listen carefully, after her voice cracks, you can hear Mick in the background yelling "woooo!" from behind the glass in the studio while she was recording.
I can't recommend enough doing a YT search for Naked voice with Merry Clayton, and watching that 3 minute video. It has Merry and Mick Jagger talking about how her part came to be, and at the end has the isolated vocal of that Rape, Murder section, where you can really hear her voice cracking as she hits those last 2 high parts.
Hi Aileen greetings from England 🇬🇧 The Rolling Stones truly are an iconic English Rock Band and have been performing together for over 60yrs and they are now in there 80s and are still going strong!!! They simply get better with age and they are a national treasure in England 🇬🇧 and we simply know them as The Stones!!! Mick Jagger the lead singer is incredible with his vocal talent!!! You need to check out The Stones song "SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL" which is one of there greatest songs and The Stones are one of the greatest rock bands ever!!! How many Rock Bands are still performing in there 80s???
Great song from 1969 with Merry Clayton on backing vocals. So many more great Stones songs to choose from, but you must listen to "Jumpin' Jack Flash".
My dad was a transmission mechanic in L.A. in the late 70's and Nicky came walking into the General Motors dealership and was asking about some real expensive cars, don't remember the model. Anyway he said he loved one but he didn't have the ability to buy it because he wasn't allowed access to his money without a representative to sign. My dad's coworkers started teasing him and he told them "I'm the pianist for the Rolling Stones,I'm practically a member, sometimes they jokingly call me "the sixth stone". Well, they all had a good laugh after he left, then hours later he comes back in a limo with a beautiful women and he buys a brand new high end car for cash! I showed my dad his picture on an album and dad's like "OMG that's him!" then mom ripped dad a new one for teasing the guy!🤣
Thanks for today’s reaction! If you can, check out “Sympathy for the Devil” or “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” FROM Rock and Roll Circus. Live from the early days with a lot of top music names in the audience!
When that woman’s voice cracks but she has total control over it. Gives me chills every time, and you can hear someone give a “ whoo “ in the background because they were blown away too.
No she hasn’t. Whenever the voice cracks, it is not a good sign. People like it for some reason, but it means that something is not the way it’s supposed to be. And you see that a lot with singers who’s voice tends to crack, that they suffer from different conditions related to that when they get older. There is not much control over that.
The singer, Merry Clayton, whose passionate vocals added so much to this song isn't widely known, but she had a long singing career. While it isn't easy to find, there is a version of the Who's Tommy featuring the London Symphony Orchestra with guest vocalists and she sings a fantastic rendition of the "Acid Queen" on that recording.
Well, WE don't, other than on a personal level. In the case of actual war, that choice is unfortunately in the hands of people we have no access to, who are very good at propaganda to convince the majority that a given war is necessary (or happening whether you want it or not, and, if you don't, then you don't "support the troops"), and who have bunkers to hide out in while the rest of us burn.
It's ironic and interesting how many songs from the Vietnam era are so relevant today. Buffalo Springfields Something Happening to Black Sabbath War Pigs. "What we got, ain't nothing new." -No Country for Old Men
Aileen this song is one of the sublime highlights of Stones shows, where they expand even more the exchange between Mick and one of many amazing female voices over the years.
Hello darling, Good to see you are exploring more Rolling Stones, I highly recommend you checking out the official video for Symphony for the devil, lyrically it’s a masterpiece as it walks through history but I don’t wanna give much more away
This song was an anthem during the last half of the Vietnam war... The Rolling Stones were always known to cover subject matter that other bands were afraid to do. I was fortunate once again to see them do this Live a couple months ago. Another lovely reaction Aileen 🥰
The Stones have so many great songs. I'm so lucky to be born in 59 and was exposed to a variety of fantastic bands and songs. Keep Jammin' for us Aileen. Tanks.
The story behind the backup singer, Merry Clayton, is heartbreaking. From an article: "Clayton’s searing performance is about as powerful and emotional as rock ‘n’ roll can ever get and, while it is a shame that Clayton’s name isn’t as well known as The Rolling Stones, the song is also linked to another tragedy for the singer. One which left her unable to listen to the song for many years, let alone sing it." Merry was pregnant when she got the call to go to the studio to sing back up: "Clayton had travelled to the studio in the middle of the night while pregnant without much thought to who the band were or what the song could be. Or indeed the lyrics she was given, “I’m like, ‘Rape, murder…’? You sure that’s what you want me to sing, honey? He’s just laughing. Him and Keith."..."Sadly, this isn’t the end of the story. The real tragedy of the story is that shortly after the session, when she returned home, Clayton suffered a miscarriage. Many have pointed towards the session as the sole reason for the loss as the emotional stress, intensity of the recording session and its late-night timings took its toll on Clayton and her unborn child." Very, very sad story. Here's a link to the article: faroutmagazine.co.uk/rolling-stones-gimme-shelter-merry-clayton-story-miscarriage/
She did have a miscarriage yes (not "shortly after" though) but those who wanted to connect the two events certainly didn't include Merry Clayton herself. There is zero evidence to back up this fable and besides, if a late-night singing session on its own is enough to trigger a miscarriage, many of us clever dicks on the internet wouldn't be here. This is nothing but a speculative yellow rag story dished up as facts. But alas, people will believe anything that "sounds right" to them.
There is a reason this song is so often played in movies and TV shows when trying to invoke the feeling of the 60's. It downright exudes it. Another incredible song from the stones is Tumbling Dice, but there are literally dozens more. Thanks for listening and sharing!
Keith Richards might not have been a virtuoso player, but he's a riff master, singular songwriter, and quite ingenious in the studio. What really gives “Gimme Shelter” that apocalyptic, eerie feeling is his use of the tremolo effect, while Charlie’s thudding drum fills accentuate the song’s dark undertones. Also, Keith’s solo is very simple and probably plays no more than five notes, but there's not a wasted note; he always plays what is necessary.
The song " Paint it Black" was a song about the Natinal Guard shooting and killing students at Kent State University. A very low time in our history. Very sad time i might add. Check it out. During also with the Vietnam War!! 😱😢😥
Gimme Shelter is probably my favorite song by The Stones. You should also listen to You Can't Always Get What You Want, by The Stones. Phenomenal song and message.
Aileen, this song was written during the height of the Vietnam war, so the lyrics were very relevant. Unfortunately, they still are. Only the geography seems to change.
Merry Clayton has an interesting story that she did on a CBS morning show talking about this performance. She recently got in an auto accident and lost both her legs, she is still a powerful gospel singer.
Honestly for me it doesn’t get much better than Paint It Black and Gimme Shelter. Wild Horses album version and Shattered are great also. Wild Horses is beautiful. Anyway great reaction as usual.
Merry Clayton... what a voice. The breaks and cracks in her voice during her solo really lend an air of anger, desperation, longing, hope, hate, love, ugh, it's amazing. The story behind it is fucking amazing. She walked barefoot, with curlers in her air, to the recording studio at midnight, WHILE PREGNANT, gave this performance, and if the legends are to be believed, had a miscarriage when she got home. So legendary.
A lot of the Stones' sound can be credited to principal touring keyboardist and musical director Chuck Leavell (since 1982). He is the one who "stacks" the sound and is also responsible for the emphasis on the back-up singers' voices. It adds so much....
Great reaction, I would say “Sympathy For The Devil” is my absolute favorite from the Stones and will truly give you even more appreciation for the band. As always keep up with the awesome reactions and much love ❤
As a fan of reaction posts, I appreciate your attention to the song Aileen. You seemed to let it speak to you in a pure way. When it's an iconic song like this, that's always nice to witness, especially when you heard Mary Clayton's soul piercing vocal. After decades of hearing it, still goosebumps every time for me.
I've popped by several times over the last few months, and always enjoy your reactions. The way you address both the musicality and emotional aspects of songs is really engaging. But your reaction to Gimme Shelter was spellbinding, and brought me new insights to a song that I heard it when it was first released in 1969, and I was 17. It got so overplayed, that over the years while I frequently heard it, I never really listened to, or thought about, the lyrics. Although I do remember doing a deep dive into the background of the female vocalist, Mary Clayton, and the circumstances surrounding this recording with the Stones. During her vocals, you may have heard a kind of whoop sound in the background. That's Mick Jagger responding to one of those exquisite notes she hits --- in fact, I noticed you reacted to one of those notes -- maybe the same one as Jagger. Lastly, the methodology you use in producing your reactions is the perfect way to do it.Take a suggestion, go in cold, research after, and watch again. The perfect way to experience any art! Look forward to more, and may offer up a suggestion or two down the road. Cheers!
Always been my favorite Stones tune. So much soul and passion throughout the song. Merry’s voice is absolutely amazing, a perfect compliment to Mick’s.
Love the song and another great reaction. I love your engagement with all the music you listen to. For songs/bands from this era, I would recommend The Who to you. They are a band that combined one of the great rock Songwriters (Pete Townsend), one of the great rock voices of the era (Roger Daltry), one of THE greatest bassists (John Entwistle), and one of THE greatest (and craziest) drummers (Keith Moon). A lot of the material that Townsend wrote is focused a lot around mental health (sometimes clumsily, by modern standards, but one of the few at the time talking openly about mental health struggles) and dealing with societal ills and struggles in a way that would very much influence the punk movement/groups of the decade after they became big. They had a lot of great stuff. Some of their best individual songs are on their Album Who's Next (I would start with Baba O'Reilly, Behind Blue Eyes, and Won't get Fooled Again), and their two rock-operas (one of the first mainstream groups) to do something like that. Good starting places there are Pinball Wizard from Tommy and Love Reign O'er Me from Quadraphenia. One of the things about The Who I think you'll appreciate is that a lot of their songs are very heavily built around the Bass part instead of the Guitar part. Here is an video isolating the Bass line of Wont Get Fooled Again. As a bassist I think you'll really appreciate it. ua-cam.com/video/80dsyo2Ox-0/v-deo.html
For me, the most incredible use of a harmonica in rock & roll. It’s not often the harmonica is played with such finesse, almost understated and woven into the tapestry of the piece. Merry Clayton is obviously the star of this performance and I won’t pretend she isn’t but that little bit of harmonica just fills the soundscape perfectly for me.
Merry Clayton sang the backing vocals. Her agent called her in the middle of the night. The Stones were in LA recording and needed someone. She says “they picked me up in the middle of the night. I got to the studio and they were sitting there in their pajamas. I decided I was going to give it everything I had!” That one note on “murder” gets me everytime. Great reaction to true Legends!
Uh, no, her agent did not call. CLAYTON: Well, I'm at home at about 12 - I'd say about 11:30, almost 12 o'clock at night. And I'm hunkered down in my bed with my husband, very pregnant. And we got a call from a dear friend of mine and producer named... GROSS: Jack Nitzsche. CLAYTON: Jack Nitzsche (laughter). Jack Nitzsche. Jack Nitzsche called and said, you know, Merry, are you busy? I said, no, I'm in bed. He says, well, you know, there are some guys in town from England. And they need someone to come and sing a duet with them, but I can't get anybody to do it. Could you come? He said, I really think this would be something good for you. And any time in my life that Jack would call for me to do something, it would always be - something wonderful would turn out of it, you know?
I primarily listen to mearl and punk, and always have. I love classic rock too, and this particular song hets my adrenaline going, mire than any metal or punk song. It's phenomenal.
Merry Clayton gives the performance of a lifetime. One of the great rock vocals of all time.
When her voice cracks, I still get chills. AMAZING!!
She was pregnant when she got the late night call for a midnight recording session with the Rolling Stones; you can hear how she pushed herself; the next day she lost the baby. The song lives on.
Agreed in my all time top 3 from "the rock and roll years" (1954/present )
While pregnant
@@writerwade9241 Yeah, that don't happen with todays auto-tune. Love Jaggers WHOOP at the end of her voice crack. Like hell yeah, get it!!!
….When Mary’s voice cracks you can hear Mick in the background yell “whoa” and he wanted and did leave that on the official final production ❤️
My favorite part in the song!
Have you seen "20 Feet From Stardom"? They interview her and play her vocal track just by itself. It's nuts.
You really hear it with good speakers.
Always loved that exact moment!
Cracking voice is not a good sign though. It can be harmless, but mostly it isn’t.
Great song and great reaction, Sympathy for the Devil, is a great rolling Stones classic and will blow your mind.
Paint It Black too
Do the lyric video for sure (Sympathy for the Devil), it's amazing all they cram into those lyrics!
The Master and Margarita, put into just seven minutes of neatly restrained music!
“Sympathy…” is lyrical creative genius. The music is spectacular too, but I’m fascinated by whatever kind of mind even thinks of a song of such a topic.
@@scottNNJ Marianne Faithful is said to have handed Mick Jagger the inspiration for his masterpiece:
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Master_and_Margarita
The song is from 1969 in the midst of the worst of the Vietnam War. It has such a straightforward message: LOVE not WAR. 50 plus years later...we still haven't learned.😥
They have learned that war is a money maker, death and destruction is the price the people for profit. Has George W Bush said, "Sometime profit trumps peace."
Sadly, that humans will never learn from those past mistakes. I was a toddler during this era of music, height of Vietnam War, Civil Unrest, and Police Brutality. Even though I was 5 watching all these actions unfold on TV. War is still going today: Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon, and Gaza Strip. Lebanon, Gaza Strip, and Israel - Secular (Religion) War while war in Ukraine is just one man's paranoia and greed: Putin.
couldn't agree more
One man? History doesn’t often work that way.
Gorbachev was a hero who believed us when we told him NATO would not move one inch eastward. In return, he cancelled the Cold War, possibly saving the world from nuclear destruction.
Russia has been invaded 15 times. The last time it lost 27 million. So it’s not “one paranoid man.” It’s an entire nation which has been taught to be paranoid by history. There was a brief magical moment when Russians thought maybe the history they knew had been cancelled and they could join the free world. But America’s military-industrial complex couldn’t allow that. NATO/USA tightened the noose over 30 years confirming, for Russians, their inborn paranoia, and confirming for them the need for a dictator.
Blame Putin. Blame America’s military-industrial complex. There are no good guys in this war.
@MrTech226
One man? History doesn’t often work that way.
Gorbachev was a hero who believed us when we told him NATO would not move one inch eastward. In return, he cancelled the Cold War, possibly saving the world from nuclear destruction.
Russia has been invaded 15 times. The last time it lost 27 million. So it’s not “one paranoid man.” It’s an entire nation which has been taught to be paranoid by history. There was a brief magical moment when Russians thought maybe the history they knew had been cancelled and they could join the free world. But America’s military-industrial complex couldn’t allow that. NATO/USA tightened the noose over 30 years confirming, for Russians, their inborn paranoia, and confirming for them the need for a dictator.
Blame Putin. Blame America. There are no good guys in war.
At the end of the 3rd “rape and murder”, when her voice cracks on “murder”, listen very closely and you’ll hear a faint man’s voice in the background yelling “YEAH!!”….that was captured during the recording because Jagger was so moved by her passion and raw emotion when her voice broke that he couldn’t contain it. They decided not to mess with it and left it in the song, which I’m so glad they did. That would have been taken out immediate in current times.
For real, and God forbid they would have "cleaned up" Merry's cracking voice, auto-tuned it and shit, OMG, lol.
@@joescott8877 my point is that would have taken away from the raw emotion that made/makes it sound so raw and visceral. If you don’t get that then keep listening to your pop bands homie!
@@bruno3778 Dude I guess I should have paid more attention to my OWN "tone" in my comment, because I meant it to code as Total Agreement, not sarcastic disagreement at all! I am WITH YA bro, on how glad I am Mick and the Boys left Merry's cracked-from-emotion-and-passion voice alone!
@@joescott8877 aahhh, my bad then! Not sure why I assumed it was sarcastic.
Maybe it’s because I’m a sarcastic a$$hole most of the time so I just assume other people are! Anyway, no worries and all good! Peace brother! ✌🏼✌🏼
@@bruno3778 Fair. I actually think my "God forbid" is often something peeps use before a sarcastic remark, i know i do anyhow, so that coulda "fooled" u, but yeah, from one sarcastic ahole to another, yes: peace, lol.
One of the greatest rock songs ever recorded. A true masterpiece.
Definitely one of the greatest intro's to a song, it almost lures you into a trance.
Maybe the best even.
I cringe when I think of this song being recorded today & some idiot producer would "fix" or "auto-tune" the spots during Merry Clayton's solo where her voice cracks & breaks a bit . That's the difference between today & yesterday . Back then the producer could hear the perfect strained passion of that solo & realizing those slight imperfections is what made the recording even more perfect .
Glad to see I’m not the only one who believes there’s an Antichrist called “ Remastered “ 😡 , Leave us people who enjoy the flaws alone 😎
Very true. "All this machinery making modern music"
Yes, it's treating music like science rather than art. It would be like upping the contrast or sharpness of an impressionist painting. Music should have emotion and emotion often reveals flaws. We should celebrate that.
This shit is fucked up.
autotune the vocals, quantize all the instruments and vocals, then maximize everything so everything is always as loud as possible without causing distortion.
Thats been the industry for over 25 years now.
No more subtlety, no more feel. no more humanity.
A lot of us are hoping that as AI music becomes more common the human element becomes more in demand by audiences because machines can't make mistakes like humans do ... at least not yet.
As younger people discover "our" music, I hope it sheds light on why we're "stuck in the past". If the music of your youth is as good as this you'll be stuck in the past when you're 65 too.
There's plenty that expresses how we feel now. Watch the other things Aileen reacts to.
Word
@@crhu319it’s no where near as good as
This may well be THE perfect rock and roll song.
You won't get an argument from me!
Another insightful reaction. Sympathy For the Devil would be a great follow up
Probably my favorite Rolling Stones song. How can you not move to it?🖤
Can't You Hear Me Knockin'
Fuck yeah 🙃
Oh hell yeah 👍
Sway !
Help me baby, ain't no stranger.
The female vocalist, that is one of the greatest performances in rock n’ roll history.
Hey, Aileen.
Great reaction.
Next up, the lyric video for SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL. This is one of their greatest songs.
And then, HONKY TONK WOMEN. Have fun.
and Heartbreaker (Doo Doo Doo Doo)
Fun fact: the lady who sang the backing vocal wanted to do another take on her vocal solo (during the third chorus) because her voice cracked....but the band told her no way, they loved her first take, and her voice cracking was the best part! Other Stones songs i recommend, Wild Horses, and Monkey Man.
Dont quote me but I believe she also tragically suffered a miscarriage apparently because she sang so passionately in this song. That was at least the accusation from what I remember.
@@johnnyfry2 While it is true that Merry Clayton did suffer a miscarraige after the Gimme Shelter session, there really isn't much basis for it being related to the recording session, It is entirely possible that doing studio work when she was very pregnant was stressful, but it's only an assumption.
@@johnnyfry2 She did have a miscarriage, but it was weeks later and she blatantly denies it had anything to do with this recording session (but you're right, I'd heard that story before too, as it's a bit of a famous rock myth that's not actually true).
Wild Horses if you want to cry during the video.
Best backing vocal of all time.
#HoldMyBeer - Clare Torry on Great Gig in the Sky 🙂
It’s a duet, there are no backing vocals.
Epic song. I saw them play this live, twice. Always the highlight of the show for me. I’d strongly suggest more Stones and Beatles reactions.
If you listen carefully, after her voice cracks, you can hear Mick in the background yelling "woooo!" from behind the glass in the studio while she was recording.
One of my all time favorite songs.
This song is relevant today! Sadly, it may always be relevant.
So very sad and unfortunately true.
Until the nukes fly.
I can't recommend enough doing a YT search for Naked voice with Merry Clayton, and watching that 3 minute video. It has Merry and Mick Jagger talking about how her part came to be, and at the end has the isolated vocal of that Rape, Murder section, where you can really hear her voice cracking as she hits those last 2 high parts.
You would love Wild Horses. And Angie. Just saying. Thanks darlin.
Aileen, Merry Clayton was the backup singer with the great voice. Her story behind this song is good, sad and reverence. Check out her story.
Can’t you hear me knocking is my absolute favorite song
Hi Aileen greetings from England 🇬🇧 The Rolling Stones truly are an iconic English Rock Band and have been performing together for over 60yrs and they are now in there 80s and are still going strong!!! They simply get better with age and they are a national treasure in England 🇬🇧 and we simply know them as The Stones!!! Mick Jagger the lead singer is incredible with his vocal talent!!! You need to check out The Stones song "SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL" which is one of there greatest songs and The Stones are one of the greatest rock bands ever!!! How many Rock Bands are still performing in there 80s???
One of the best rock songs from the sixties, maybe THE best. Marry Clayton's voice is also incredible.
Great song from 1969 with Merry Clayton on backing vocals. So many more great Stones songs to choose from, but you must listen to "Jumpin' Jack Flash".
I've been having a rough time lately but watching your videos really seems to put a smile on my face, so thank you. Peace, and love
My all time favorite Stones song
"Beast of Burden" ....my personal favorite Stones song🎶
Thank you songbird🎼
💝U!!!
Just wanted to tell you, I love your reactions. You feel music like I do. ✌️❤️🔥🤘
Love me some Rolling Stones ...great reaction. Please also check out Angie, an other great song from the Stones
On piano Nicky Hopkins🎹
My dad was a transmission mechanic in L.A. in the late 70's and Nicky came walking into the General Motors dealership and was asking about some real expensive cars, don't remember the model. Anyway he said he loved one but he didn't have the ability to buy it because he wasn't allowed access to his money without a representative to sign. My dad's coworkers started teasing him and he told them "I'm the pianist for the Rolling Stones,I'm practically a member, sometimes they jokingly call me "the sixth stone". Well, they all had a good laugh after he left, then hours later he comes back in a limo with a beautiful women and he buys a brand new high end car for cash! I showed my dad his picture on an album and dad's like "OMG that's him!" then mom ripped dad a new one for teasing the guy!🤣
5: You Can't Always Get What You Want
4: Fool to Cry
3: Memory Motel
2: Street Fighting Man
1: Can't You Hear Me Knocking
Thanks for today’s reaction!
If you can, check out “Sympathy for the Devil” or “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” FROM Rock and Roll Circus. Live from the early days with a lot of top music names in the audience!
When that woman’s voice cracks but she has total control over it. Gives me chills every time, and you can hear someone give a “ whoo “ in the background because they were blown away too.
No she hasn’t. Whenever the voice cracks, it is not a good sign. People like it for some reason, but it means that something is not the way it’s supposed to be. And you see that a lot with singers who’s voice tends to crack, that they suffer from different conditions related to that when they get older. There is not much control over that.
I loved your analysis of this awesome song. You should also check out "Angie" and "Wild Horses" by the Stones.
Angie ??
The lousiest Stones - Song !
Great reaction! I knew you would feel it. Dead Flowers is awesome and shows again another side of the Stones. Keep on Rockin!
The singer, Merry Clayton, whose passionate vocals added so much to this song isn't widely known, but she had a long singing career. While it isn't easy to find, there is a version of the Who's Tommy featuring the London Symphony Orchestra with guest vocalists and she sings a fantastic rendition of the "Acid Queen" on that recording.
War, it's just a shot away....Love...it's just a kiss away.....We have a choice
Well, WE don't, other than on a personal level. In the case of actual war, that choice is unfortunately in the hands of people we have no access to, who are very good at propaganda to convince the majority that a given war is necessary (or happening whether you want it or not, and, if you don't, then you don't "support the troops"), and who have bunkers to hide out in while the rest of us burn.
The song "Angie" hits you in the touchy feels! Beautifully sung and written!
It's ironic and interesting how many songs from the Vietnam era are so relevant today. Buffalo Springfields Something Happening to Black Sabbath War Pigs. "What we got, ain't nothing new." -No Country for Old Men
Indeed. The Mideast and Ukraine are just insane examples of how little we've learned since then.
Aileen this song is one of the sublime highlights of Stones shows, where they expand even more the exchange between Mick and one of many amazing female voices over the years.
She's like a rainbow.
Love that song.
Hello darling,
Good to see you are exploring more Rolling Stones, I highly recommend you checking out the official video for Symphony for the devil, lyrically it’s a masterpiece as it walks through history but I don’t wanna give much more away
Little known, little appreciated Stones song may be my favorite - "Moonlight Mile"
This song was an anthem during the last half of the Vietnam war... The Rolling Stones were always known to cover subject matter that other bands were afraid to do. I was fortunate once again to see them do this Live a couple months ago.
Another lovely reaction Aileen 🥰
Check Angie next from Stones
The Stones have so many great songs. I'm so lucky to be born in 59 and was exposed to a variety of fantastic bands and songs. Keep Jammin' for us Aileen. Tanks.
one of THE GREATEST BACKING VOCALS IN A SONG EVER RECORDED!!!!!!! HER BREAK IN HER VOICE IS JUST ASTOUNDING!~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The story behind the backup singer, Merry Clayton, is heartbreaking. From an article: "Clayton’s searing performance is about as powerful and emotional as rock ‘n’ roll can ever get and, while it is a shame that Clayton’s name isn’t as well known as The Rolling Stones, the song is also linked to another tragedy for the singer. One which left her unable to listen to the song for many years, let alone sing it." Merry was pregnant when she got the call to go to the studio to sing back up: "Clayton had travelled to the studio in the middle of the night while pregnant without much thought to who the band were or what the song could be. Or indeed the lyrics she was given, “I’m like, ‘Rape, murder…’? You sure that’s what you want me to sing, honey? He’s just laughing. Him and Keith."..."Sadly, this isn’t the end of the story. The real tragedy of the story is that shortly after the session, when she returned home, Clayton suffered a miscarriage. Many have pointed towards the session as the sole reason for the loss as the emotional stress, intensity of the recording session and its late-night timings took its toll on Clayton and her unborn child." Very, very sad story. Here's a link to the article: faroutmagazine.co.uk/rolling-stones-gimme-shelter-merry-clayton-story-miscarriage/
Yes , many have pointed to the session as the cause, but I don't think Merry herself ever did
This has since been debunked.
So true Michael it use to be my favorer Stones song but now its hard to listen to when you now the whole story.
She did have a miscarriage yes (not "shortly after" though) but those who wanted to connect the two events certainly didn't include Merry Clayton herself. There is zero evidence to back up this fable and besides, if a late-night singing session on its own is enough to trigger a miscarriage, many of us clever dicks on the internet wouldn't be here. This is nothing but a speculative yellow rag story dished up as facts. But alas, people will believe anything that "sounds right" to them.
I’d heard that tragic story and was hoping to catch reference of it.
Rolling Stones' Aftermath/Beggars Banquet/Let it Bleed.
Beatles's Sgt Peppers/White Album/Abbey Road
Kinks's Something Else/Village Green/Arthur
This and Jumpin' Jack flash are still my favorite songs bij them.
There is a reason this song is so often played in movies and TV shows when trying to invoke the feeling of the 60's. It downright exudes it. Another incredible song from the stones is Tumbling Dice, but there are literally dozens more. Thanks for listening and sharing!
Great reaction !! As soon as I saw it pop up, I knew you would be blown away. When message, music and passion unite immaculately ...
and that's the way the Album starts .. released late November, 1969 ... the song "Midnight Rambler", is also from this album .
Keith Richards might not have been a virtuoso player, but he's a riff master, singular songwriter, and quite ingenious in the studio. What really gives “Gimme Shelter” that apocalyptic, eerie feeling is his use of the tremolo effect, while Charlie’s thudding drum fills accentuate the song’s dark undertones. Also, Keith’s solo is very simple and probably plays no more than five notes, but there's not a wasted note; he always plays what is necessary.
So glad I grew up in the 70's. We absolutely had the best music.
Made around the Vietnam war iconic song love you’re reaction
One of the coolest grooves ever put down.
Waiting on a friend is by far my favorite song by them
This and Paint it Black are my two favourite Stones Songs. ❤
plus Last Time and Jumping Jacjk Flash
The song " Paint it Black" was a song about the Natinal Guard shooting and killing students at Kent State University. A very low time in our history. Very sad time i might add. Check it out. During also with the Vietnam War!! 😱😢😥
The world's Greatest Rock & Roll band
Gimme Shelter is probably my favorite song by The Stones. You should also listen to You Can't Always Get What You Want, by The Stones. Phenomenal song and message.
My favorite Stones song.And they have so many great songs.
Listen to their song Heartbreaker.
Merry Clayton delivered the best Female rock vocal performance of all time that night. it gives me chills to listen to her. she was magnificent.
Aileen, this song was written during the height of the Vietnam war, so the lyrics were very relevant. Unfortunately, they still are. Only the geography seems to change.
and politicians remain the same....
We were fortunate to see Mary perform this with the Stones live in the mid 90's in NYC.
Merry Clayton has an interesting story that she did on a CBS morning show talking about this performance. She recently got in an auto accident and lost both her legs, she is still a powerful gospel singer.
Honestly for me it doesn’t get much better than Paint It Black and Gimme Shelter. Wild Horses album version and Shattered are great also. Wild Horses is beautiful. Anyway great reaction as usual.
yes please Wild Horses album version
The times we live in are reflected in the music of the eras that we live in, locked in memories forever. This was written during cold war era.
It's one of my top 5 ever rock songs. Powerful, atemporal.
I highly recommend “Shattered”, a darkly comedic take on NYC in 1978. Very witty and on point.
My other favourite one from them is Can't you Hear me Knocking
Yes but you can't come in 😅
One of the greatest songs in all of rock 'n roll history - right up there next to All Along the Watchtower, Dream On, and Stairway.
Merry Clayton... what a voice. The breaks and cracks in her voice during her solo really lend an air of anger, desperation, longing, hope, hate, love, ugh, it's amazing. The story behind it is fucking amazing. She walked barefoot, with curlers in her air, to the recording studio at midnight, WHILE PREGNANT, gave this performance, and if the legends are to be believed, had a miscarriage when she got home. So legendary.
Miss You by the Rolling Stones!
A lot of the Stones' sound can be credited to principal touring keyboardist and musical director Chuck Leavell (since 1982). He is the one who "stacks" the sound and is also responsible for the emphasis on the back-up singers' voices. It adds so much....
Check out the song Blinded by Rainbows, Great Rolling Stones song that people overlook.
One of my all-time favorite songs. Outstanding tune from The 'Stones
Great reaction, I would say “Sympathy For The Devil” is my absolute favorite from the Stones and will truly give you even more appreciation for the band. As always keep up with the awesome reactions and much love ❤
As a fan of reaction posts, I appreciate your attention to the song Aileen. You seemed to let it speak to you in a pure way. When it's an iconic song like this, that's always nice to witness, especially when you heard Mary Clayton's soul piercing vocal. After decades of hearing it, still goosebumps every time for me.
Stones in 1969 at their glorious dark peak. This song IS rock n roll.
They’re both within our reach…
Yeah golden age of the rolling stones and the excellent album sticky fingers.
Mick's reaction to her voice cracking was awesome. shows how much she just let it rip vocally.
I've popped by several times over the last few months, and always enjoy your reactions. The way you address both the musicality and emotional aspects of songs is really engaging. But your reaction to Gimme Shelter was spellbinding, and brought me new insights to a song that I heard it when it was first released in 1969, and I was 17. It got so overplayed, that over the years while I frequently heard it, I never really listened to, or thought about, the lyrics. Although I do remember doing a deep dive into the background of the female vocalist, Mary Clayton, and the circumstances surrounding this recording with the Stones. During her vocals, you may have heard a kind of whoop sound in the background. That's Mick Jagger responding to one of those exquisite notes she hits --- in fact, I noticed you reacted to one of those notes -- maybe the same one as Jagger. Lastly, the methodology you use in producing your reactions is the perfect way to do it.Take a suggestion, go in cold, research after, and watch again. The perfect way to experience any art! Look forward to more, and may offer up a suggestion or two down the road. Cheers!
❤ there's a very old saying we bleed the same color just different mothers 👩 ❤ we are one people ❤ 💙 ♥
Saw the stones couple months ago in LA. Sizzling! Mick & boys were hardcore and he’s 81 years old !
Sympathy for the devil is a must...
Sympathy for the Devil.
oh hell yes...i hope she does that one
Sympathy for the Devil is their best song. (I can't get no) Satisfaction is their biggest hit song. It has one of the best guitar riffs of all time.
@@martinwhite3559 How about You Can't Always Get What You Want
Always been my favorite Stones tune. So much soul and passion throughout the song. Merry’s voice is absolutely amazing, a perfect compliment to Mick’s.
Wonderful and amazing reaction Hun!! This song is a classic!! You are lovely and beautiful as always!! 🌹🌹🖤🖤🖤🦝
Love the song and another great reaction. I love your engagement with all the music you listen to.
For songs/bands from this era, I would recommend The Who to you. They are a band that combined one of the great rock Songwriters (Pete Townsend), one of the great rock voices of the era (Roger Daltry), one of THE greatest bassists (John Entwistle), and one of THE greatest (and craziest) drummers (Keith Moon). A lot of the material that Townsend wrote is focused a lot around mental health (sometimes clumsily, by modern standards, but one of the few at the time talking openly about mental health struggles) and dealing with societal ills and struggles in a way that would very much influence the punk movement/groups of the decade after they became big. They had a lot of great stuff. Some of their best individual songs are on their Album Who's Next (I would start with Baba O'Reilly, Behind Blue Eyes, and Won't get Fooled Again), and their two rock-operas (one of the first mainstream groups) to do something like that. Good starting places there are Pinball Wizard from Tommy and Love Reign O'er Me from Quadraphenia.
One of the things about The Who I think you'll appreciate is that a lot of their songs are very heavily built around the Bass part instead of the Guitar part. Here is an video isolating the Bass line of Wont Get Fooled Again. As a bassist I think you'll really appreciate it. ua-cam.com/video/80dsyo2Ox-0/v-deo.html
Thanks! So blessed to have seen them perform this and other huge hits, back in the early 70's.
For me, the most incredible use of a harmonica in rock & roll. It’s not often the harmonica is played with such finesse, almost understated and woven into the tapestry of the piece. Merry Clayton is obviously the star of this performance and I won’t pretend she isn’t but that little bit of harmonica just fills the soundscape perfectly for me.
Merry Clayton sang the backing vocals. Her agent called her in the middle of the night. The Stones were in LA recording and needed someone. She says “they picked me up in the middle of the night. I got to the studio and they were sitting there in their pajamas. I decided I was going to give it everything I had!” That one note on “murder” gets me everytime. Great reaction to true Legends!
Uh, no, her agent did not call.
CLAYTON: Well, I'm at home at about 12 - I'd say about 11:30, almost 12 o'clock at night. And I'm hunkered down in my bed with my husband, very pregnant. And we got a call from a dear friend of mine and producer named...
GROSS: Jack Nitzsche.
CLAYTON: Jack Nitzsche (laughter). Jack Nitzsche. Jack Nitzsche called and said, you know, Merry, are you busy? I said, no, I'm in bed. He says, well, you know, there are some guys in town from England. And they need someone to come and sing a duet with them, but I can't get anybody to do it. Could you come? He said, I really think this would be something good for you. And any time in my life that Jack would call for me to do something, it would always be - something wonderful would turn out of it, you know?
@@manwithumbrella producer, I knew it was something like that. Lol
I primarily listen to mearl and punk, and always have. I love classic rock too, and this particular song hets my adrenaline going, mire than any metal or punk song. It's phenomenal.