Gimme Shelter
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Gimme Shelter" | ||
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| Song by The Rolling Stones | ||
| from the album Let It Bleed | ||
| Released | December 5, 1969 | |
| Recorded | February 23 & November 2, 1969 | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 4:31 | |
| Label | Decca Records/ABKCO | |
| Writer(s) | Jagger/Richards | |
| Producer(s) | Jimmy Miller | |
| Let It Bleed track listing | ||
| "Gimme Shelter" (1) |
"Love in Vain" (2) |
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- This article is about The Rolling Stones' song. For the 1970 documentary film, see Gimme Shelter (documentary).
"Gimme Shelter" is a song by The Rolling Stones, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. It first appeared as the lead-off track on the band's 1969 album Let It Bleed, and quickly became a staple of their live show. It has been included on many compilation releases, and concert versions appear on the Stones' albums No Security and Live Licks.
The song takes the form of a churning mid-tempo rocker. It begins with a rhythm guitar intro played by Keith Richards, followed by Jagger's lead vocal and then a high second vocal track sung by guest vocalist Merry Clayton. An unreleased version features only Richards providing vocals. The song's lyrics paint a picture of social apocalypse -- storm, fire, flood, war, rape, murder, all "just a shot away" -- finally capped by the assertion that "love, sister, it's just a kiss away."
"Gimme Shelter" was placed #38 in the list of Rolling Stone Magazines 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004.
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[edit] Personnel
- Keith Richards – electric guitars, backing vocals
- Charlie Watts – drums
- Bill Wyman – bass
- Mick Jagger – lead vocals, harmonica, backing vocals
- Nicky Hopkins – piano
- Jimmy Miller – percussion
- Merry Clayton – vocal solo, backing vocals
[edit] Cover versions
- Ruth Copeland on her debut album Self Portrait, performed with George Clinton's Parliament, in 1969 (reissued on The Invictus Sessions in 2002)
- Original backing singer Merry Clayton in 1970
- Grand Funk Railroad on the album Survival in 1971
- The Sisters of Mercy in 1983
- The Goo Goo Dolls on their 1989 album Jed
- Holy Soldier, a 1980s Christian metal band from Los Angeles, California, on the album Last Train in 1992
- Hawkwind (with Samantha Fox taking the female vocal solo) in 1993
- Thunder in 1993
- Swedish rockers The Hellacopters in 2002
- Rock band The Accident Experiment on the maxi-single "Mind Death Machine"
- The late Renato Russo, leader of Brazilian rock band Legião Urbana, was known to cover this song in during his performances. For example, in a Rio de Janeiro concert in early October of 1994, he sang some verses of "Gimme Shelter" during the (usually) instrumental interlude in "Ainda é Cedo". At least two concert recordings have surfaced of him performing "Gimme Shelter". In both, he mumbles the first lines of the second stanza - which was not unusual, as he often forgot lines to his own songs during live performances.
[edit] Appearances in popular culture
- The song is featured in the films Adventures in Babysitting (1987), Air America (1990), Goodfellas (1990), The War (1994), Casino (1995), The Fan (1996), Layer Cake (2004), and The Departed (2006), three of which (Goodfellas, Casino, and The Departed) were directed by Martin Scorcese. A string version of the intro can be heard in the Children of Men (2006) trailer.
- "Gimme Shelter" featured in the 2005 MICF play Die On Your Feet (directed by and starring Australian comedian Greg Fleet) as both the opening and closing title.
- During Michelle's Landau's return to 'escorting' in "Dawn Budge", episode 5 of season 4 of Nip/Tuck, "Gimme Shelter" is played continuing into Sean and Julia's second wedding.
- Gimme Shelter is the name of Dr. Eggman's hideout in the Sonic Battle video game.
- The intro was once used in a television advert for the RAC.
[edit] Miscellany
- Merry Clayton reportedly suffered a miscarriage due to the intensity of her performance on the song. [1]
- About three minutes into the song Clayton's voice cracks from the strain of her powerful singing. A second afterward an unknown voice is very faintly heard giving a cheering "wooo" of approval.
- Merry Clayton's name is misspelled on the album, appearing as 'Mary.' She was named Merry because she was born on Christmas Day, 1948.
- On the Let It Bleed album, the song is spelled "Gimmie Shelter". However, the second 'i' is omitted in the title of the movie, as well as in the song title on the Hot Rocks compilation and www.rollingstones.com, the band's official website.
- The verses are in the key of C#, and the chorus chords are C#, B, A.
