Let It Bleed

The album contains a huge chunk of the work that made the band famous for this era....Gimme Shelter, Love in Vain, Let It Bleed, Midnight Rambler, and You Can't Always Get What You Want have all pretty much defined not only the Stones but this era of English-speaking history to the world. The album is a staple in every serious rock collection.....it's that simple.

The album has several notable facts:
.....Brian Jones died the same day the last tracks were recorded in London
.....M.C. Escher and photographer Man Ray were both invited to design the cover (they declined)
.....it includes the 1st song not sung by Mick - You Got The Silver, sung by Keith (Mick's version was left in the can)
.....Gimme Shelter was written by Keith while he waited in his car for girlfriend Anita Pallenberg who was starring with Mick (and actually making love instead of only acting) on the set of Performance
.....the Stones have long been accused of stealing many of the song bits from Ry Cooder who was involved in the early sessions and laid down basic tracks that developed into many of the songs

The tracks were recorded between Feb 9 and Jul 2, 1969 at Olympic Sound, London, with final mixing done at Sunset Sound and Elektra Studios in L.A. between Oct 18 and Nov 3. You Can't Always Get What You Want dates slightly earlier, first recorded on Nov 17, 1968 at Olympic with Al Kooper on French horn, producer Jimmy Miller on drums instead of Charlie, and the 35 member London Bach Choir. In addition to the 9 tracks that made the album, the Let It Bleed sessions also produced:
.....the entire jam session on April 23, 1969 that became the album Jammin' With Edward
.....Honky Tonk Woman (released as a single - Mick Taylor's 1st session with the band)
.....All Down The Line (released on Exile On Main Street)
.....Stop Breaking Down (released on Exile On Main Street)
.....Sweet Virginia (released on Exile On Main Street)
.....Shine A Light (released on Exile On Main Street)
.....Loving Cup (released on Exile On Main Street)
.....Sister Morphine (released on Sticky Fingers)

This information comes from "It's Only Rock And Roll: The Ultimate Guide To The Rolling Stones" by Karnbach and Bernson and from my own collection.


50/50 Classic Stone's Lulabyes............   April 28, 2007
" Groovin' guy "
59 out of 68 found this review helpful

Keith is perfect in his 'You Got The Silver'. Other great and arresting songs are 'Gimme Shelter','Monkey Man".

The other half of the songs are pretty Sluggish for their usual fast pace.


My personal favorite Stones album...   October 6, 2002
J. Christal (Teaneck, New Jersey United States)
35 out of 49 found this review helpful

...though my favorite Stones song is not on this album- that honor goes to Can't You Hear Me Knocking on Sticky Fingers. Still, this album contains their other best songs, every one is great, even the song not sung by Mick, You Got the Silver, has a gentle, Dylan like quality to it. And of course, there are the classics: the Vietnam war inspired Gimme Shelter, the drug pumped Monkey Man, the melodic You Can't Always Get What You Want, the menacing and echoing Midnight Rambler, a total blues song (Love in Vain) and a total country song (Country Honk), and two other trademark Stones songs (Let it Bleed, Live with Me). For rock fans of today who want to start listening to the "Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World", as it's quoted, or for fans of the Stones who are out of touch, this is the first to grab a hold of. A rock masterpiece.


The Stones Best Album: Please follow instructions, PLAY LOUD   October 24, 2002
Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota)
35 out of 37 found this review helpful

For my money this is the best Rolling Stones album ever, even if it is really not a typical example of their work. I do not think you can find a better opening to a Stones album than "Gimme Shelter" with Mary Clayton providing awesome guest vocals to some apocalyptic lyrics. The catchy guitar lead suggests bad things are coming this way, a sentiment amplified by the high pitched, wordless vocals and the complimentary piano before the rest of the band crashes in and Mick Jagger starts singing. I also know you can not top "You Can't Always Get What You Want" as the big finale, what with the London Bach Choir lending their voices (not to mention Al Kooper providing the most memorable French Horn work on a sixties rock 'n' roll album). I understand the idea that this is the Stones' response to "Hey Jude," but it certainly stands on its own as a classic pop tune, which makes it a most atypical Stones song on that grounds alone. Then there is the philosophical sentiments of the chorus, which again has you double-checking to make sure this is the same Stones who did "Sympathy for the Devil" and were the acknowledged bad boys of rock 'n' roll.

"Midnight Rambler," which originally began Side 2 in those days of vinyl, is another one of those most rare long Stones songs and featured Mick Jagger wailing on his harp. "Monkey Man" is my all time favorite non-Stones hit song with Jagger pointing out " I hope we're not too messianic or a trifle too satanic" (I used it for a class assignment once as the music background for a Pat Paulsen speech) and "Country Honk" is a countrified version of their hit "Honky Tonk Woman." You also have a couple of acoustic blues tracks with "You Got the Silver," which offers up the first lead vocals by Keith Richards, and a cover of Robert Johnson's "Love in Vain." "Live With Me" is a solid Stone rocker and the title song is okay, but what is important is that title: it fostered an inherent comparison with "Let It Be," but since that was the Beatles' weakest album, the Stones came out ahead on this one. Those were fun days in rock and roll, boys and girls, let me tell you.

Special mention to the efforts of Nicky Hopkins on this album, who plays piano on most of the key tracks as well as the late Brian Jones, who appears on two of the tracks, as does his replacement, Mick Taylor. On top of all that, I love the way the back of the album deconstructs the front. "Beggar's Banquet" might be the more traditional Rolling Stones album, but "Let It Bleed" still holds the top spot for me and the last time I put together my Top 10 albums of all time list for my Pop Culture class "Let It Bleed" was on it. Finally, as it says at the bottom of the liner notes: THIS RECORD SHOULD BE PLAYED LOUD. It should also be played often.



Best Stones Studio Album?   June 12, 2003
Brian D. Rubendall (Oakton, VA)
35 out of 65 found this review helpful

Released way back in 1969, "Let it Bleed" finds The Rolling Stones at their absolute creative peak. Though it was released as part of a string of masterpiece albums the band recorded between 1968 and 1972, the argument can be made that "Bleed" stands ever so slightly above the rest. The Stones' countryfied rock has never sounded better, and is a major source of inspiration to today's "alt. country" movement.

The album would be worthwhile even if all it contains was thier best "epic" song, "You Can't Always Get What You Want." But in addition are the other two monster hits: "Gimmie Shelter" and "Midnight Rambler." The title track rocks gently, while "Country Honk" is a teriffic reworking of "Honky Tonk Girls." Even one of the lesser known tracks, "Monkey Man," was used with tremendous effect by Director Martin Scorsese in the movie "Goodfellas." The digitally remastered CD provides particular sonic clarity, making the album sound as if it was just recorded last week.

Overall, an absolute masterpiece that is one of the many highlights of the Stones' career.