What does it take to make a really classic album? That’s a question I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about. There’s a million factors involved of course and sometimes it’s hard to pick apart the magic without losing it entirely. Art is art after all.
There’s one item that’s absolutely essential though. It’s simply got to have a killer opening track. No two ways about it. And when it comes to picking a favorite, Gimme Shelter from 1969 has to be in any true Stones fan’s Top 5 at the very least.
It helps when the rest of the album is a masterpiece too of course. There’s not a weak moment on Let it Bleed in my opinion but the opening track sets the tone for everything coming down the line perfectly. And the closer ain’t bad either! Stick Gimme Shelter at the beginning and You Can’t Always Get What You Want at the end and you’re looking at an album that couldn’t be bookended better.
Merry Clayton – the backing singer on Gimme Shelter
There’s a lot to love throughout the track – Keith’s iconic opening guitar line, Mick’s harmonica and masterful vocal performance, the usual impeccable backing from Charlie – but the standout feature of the song has to be Merry Clayton’s barnstorming backing vocals.
One of the great female backing performances of all time without a doubt but accompanied by a tragic backstory. You can hear Mick discuss it in a recent piece with NPR featured over on Openculture.
1969 was a crazy, dark year for the Stones with violence and death following seemingly everywhere in their wake. Brian Jones’ tragic death arrived midway through the year and the tragedy of Altamont brought it to a close.
The rest of the world wasn’t doing too well back then either of course with the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy here in the US and the Soviets rolling into Prague. Something about Gimme Shelter just seemed to capture all that lightning in a jar. You can still hear the crackle in the air every time it’s played.
Image credits: Angela George
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