Track Listing

1. Gimme Shelter
2. Love In Vain
3. Country Honk
4. Live With Me
5. Let It Bleed
6. Midnight Rambler
7. You Got The Silver
8. Monkey Man
9. You Can't Always Get What You Want

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1555 in Music
• Released on: 2006-08-10
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .19 pounds
• Running time: 43 minutes

CD Description
The last Stones studio album of the '60s finds the band, for perhaps the first time, accurately reflecting the spirit of its age. The erstwhile bad boy outsiders of rock now foundthemselves firmly in the centre of the social and politicalpost-'68 whirlwind, and faced up to the challenge magnificently. The band's confident climb to its artistic peak was begun by BEGGAR'S BANQUET, but LET IT BLEED is a quantum leap even from that musical milestone.
The album's opener, "Gimme Shelter", with its insinuating guitar introduction, leads us decisively out of Flower Power and into a world where rape and murder are "just a shot away", and the Devil of BANQUET is very much alive and taking names. There's a nod to seminal influence Robert Johnson, whose "Love in Vain" is a mandolin-accompanied highlight. The climax arrives in the formof "You Can't Always Get What You Want", bearing referencesto the fallout of the Swinging London era. LET IT BLEED finds the Stones brimming with musical confidence and artistic inspiration.

Customer Reviews

Classic Stones
It took me many years to pick up on this album but it is my all time favourite. Superb from start to finish. Terrific drumming from Charlie especially on the opening track - Gimme Shelter. Keef at his best and great (in a sixtiesish sort of way) to hear You Can't Always Get what You Want with the choral opening! Midnight Rambler - very questionable sentiments but fantastic musicianship especially the guitars.

My view is it is better than Exile - more coherent and better songs. A real classic.

The Stones in transition
Someone walked off with my vinyl of this in the early seventies (I still remember who, if you read this Tony) and it wasn't the first Stones CD I had to buy when converting. When I did get and play it, from the opening of 'Gimme Shelter', I immediately saw what a gem I'd been missing. This is a transitional album, after Brian Jones had gone(he features on two tracks but only on percussion and Autoharp) but before Mick Taylor arrived (only features on Country Honk)

It's like the rest of the band have something to prove and Keith's lead vocal "You got the Silver" is brilliant - as featured in Zabriskie Point. A lot of keyboards, Nicky Hopkins, Leon Russel, possibly some of the last Ian Stewart and some rare Al Koooper. Keith does most of the guitars and the songwriting is some of their best. The weakest thing on here is 'Can't Always Get What You Want' which says much for the other tracks.

It's like when Ronnie Wood joined them they became a charicature of themselves - he was bought in as much for his bad boy image as his playing ability (a la Sid Viscious to the Pistols). This predates all of that and still has some innovative and delicate stuff, before everything became a bit musically formulaic. Even Country Honk sounds great & fresh. Maybe some of those Stones tribute bands should try including it in their repertoire as a medley with the more recognisable (and predictable)Honky Tonk Women.

Pure Class
It opens with Gimme Shelter.. closes with You Cant Always Get What You Want. Thats just two reasons for you to buy this album. Gimme Shelter is possibly one of the greatest rock n roll songs off all time. It gives out this raw energy that you only really get from live performances and with the brilliant yet haunting backing vocals from Merry Clayton, a rock n roll song doesn't get much better. Love in Vain is another brilliant tune. Originally a Robert Johnson number from 1936, the Stones make this their own little bluesy number with a great result.. Country Honk is a basically a country version of Honkey Tonk Women. It comes complete with fiddle and a little variation on the lyrics as well. The title tune is a brilliant country/rock number. Its timing in the album is perfect as its just around the middle and leads the way for the amazing Midnight Rambler. Keith gets his first lead vocal with You Got The Silver, a slow acoustic number. Its an excellent slow ghostly country/rock number. Monkey Man is a forgotten classic. This song is decades ahead of its time. This is a really funky cool track. It should have been on the Forty Licks in my opinion. You may have heard it in Goodfellas or Casino. Live with Me is good song and lthough its my least favorite on the album its still a very strong track that the boys performed live at many of their Forty Licks gigs. Last but by no means least, is the brilliant You Cant Always Get What You Want. Theres nothing I can say about this song that hasn't already been said a thousand times by before. Its an absolute masterpiece. If there is one thing I would say against this album its that its too short. Only nine songs. And to think that Honky Tonk Women was recorded druing the same sessions yet wasnt included! My favorite Stones album is Exile but this runs it a very very close second.