The History and Popular Music of the ’60s class learned about Rolling Stones’ classic 1969 record. Here are their reactions.
Conor McGeady:
Let it Bleed was an interesting listen for me, as what I’d heard of the Stones prior to listening to this record was that they were the pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll. I was somewhat surprised that only a few of the tracks on this album gave me that feeling. And don’t get me wrong, I loved those songs, such as “Gimme Shelter,” “Live With Me” and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” The rest of the tracks felt more country than rock to me, especially the title track which to me didn’t sound like anything I thought the Rolling Stones would sound like. To be fair, I had really only heard their big hits such as “Paint it Black” and “Satisfaction,” so my sample group was pretty biased for what I was expecting. The main takeaway for me is that they didn’t start out as a solely rock ‘n’ roll group, and definitely came from some country and soul roots.
There are definitely some interesting musical choices on this record, including unique effects on guitars that sound country inspired, such as heavy reverb or delay, with the steel string guitar on top of it, certain tracks definitely give country vibes. There are energetic drums on the more active songs. I can definitely see how music like this and how certain aspects on this record in specific pioneered the rock ‘n’ roll movement, but there’s still a good amount of “’60s sounding” music on here, if that makes sense. Maybe it was bold of me to anticipate something super hard-hitting or new, and while there were moments that felt like that, I was slightly underwhelmed based on my expectations. I guess it’s a lesson for me to not go into music with expectations, and let the music speak for itself. Nevertheless, I had a great time with this album, and while some tracks didn’t really do much for me, as I’m not a big fan of country, there were also a good amount of songs that did show me the rock ‘n’ roll side of this band that I knew existed.
Gibson McCoy:
London 1962, the Rolling Stones were born. They rose to fame during the British Invasion and pioneered heavier rock ‘n’ roll. In contrast to the Beatles, they were the bad boys, hard rock instead of sweet ballads. Unfortunately one of the things that the Rolling Stones are most known for is their performance at Altamont in 1969. During their performance, 18-year-old Meredith Hunter was stabbed to death by one of the Hells Angels working security at the free show. For my AR I made a painted collage with pictures from the show during the Rolling Stones set. The words that go around the frame are the lyrics to “Gimme Shelter” written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. There is a red and black hue behind the lyrics showing that everything they sang about is slowly folding in getting closer to happening.
Alex Skiles:
This is my artistic response to “Gimme Shelter,” my favorite song on the album. It is this strange blending of doomsday and hope that stuck with me, especially the refrains, “War, children, it’s just a shot away/ Love, sister, it’s just a kiss away.” I wanted to capture this contrast with text. I change the background color a few times to make you see the different words. With the purple one, I wanted you to be able to switch which one you see as you think about it, or maybe see whichever one based on how optimistic you are about the future.
Pritam Khalsa:
My favorite song was “Country Honk.” I really like that they used a fiddle because I think it adds to the song and makes it sound better. It’s such a fun sounding song and I love the idea of such a well known rock band playing it. I decided to draw a pair of cowboy boots that I think Mick Jagger might have worn during the ’60s.
Sam Swartley:
Really dug this album. I have listened to Sticky Fingers by the Stones and that’s a really good one, but this one is pretty different. I’ll be diving into my favorite song off the album, “Gimme Shelter.” Along with recreating my own version of the lyrics following a similar form and vibe, highlighting the idea of the pandemic and dealing with it all.
Gimme Shelter:
This tune starts with a simple plucking melody before adding in some more complex percussion instruments and another guitar melody on top of that. This starts a bigger build up of other instruments: bass, drums and another guitar part. But what really makes this intro so special is the vocals line on top of it all, it really ties it all together in a way that is one of a kind and sets up the entire album perfectly. When Mick Jagger comes in with that first “Ohhh” it gives you the chills, you can literally feel the energy that was in the studio. I feel like this song really showcases the magic of a studio recording, and how putting all these different parts together can make something super special (compared to live recordings which is a whole different animal). I feel that the studio is a place not for interaction with an audience, but more just mastering the craft of sound. With the female vocalist pushing Mick even higher. While any space that Mick leaves Keith Richards fills right up, really making the tune feel full and unique. The solo section really kills it. Starting with a raging harmonic and going into a ripping guitar solo with unheard of energy. This is when Merry Clayton really takes off. This really highlights the perfection in imperfection, as we talked about in class about Merry coming to the studio late and pregnant and under no circumstances should have performed with as much energy as she did. Her voice cracks and pushes her own limits to the point where you can hear and feel the strain, a good strain. In the last minute of the tune everyone is playing their part, not holding anything back. And then, sadly, the song just fades out. I hate it when songs fade out… endings are cool when you do it right, fade outs seem like a cop out.
Recreation of Lyrics: I kept some lines and added my own twist in relation to the pandemic.
Ooh, a storm has started
It seems like one is everyday
If I don’t get some light
Ooh yeah I’m gonna stay away
War, Lying
We are just away
We need to stay away
War, fighting
No one will stay
No one will say
Ooh, the fire has been brewing
Our lives today
Keep burning into us like
a bull that lost its way
Everyday.
War, Lying
We are just away
We need to stay away
War, fighting
No one will stay
No one will ever say
Hiding, fighting, it’s just so far away
It’s just so far away
Loneliness, murder, it’s in sight
It’s still far away
Lonliness, murder, it’s just a fight away
It’s just a long way
Mmm, the flood has settled
My very life today
Gimme, gimme shelter
Or I’m gonna drown
We can’t stay away,
we must stay away,
War with ourselves
Just to stay ok
Just to stay ok
Just to stay ok
Just to stay ok
just to stay ok
I tell you love, sister
It’s just a way to play
It’s just a way to play
It’s just a way to play
It’s just a way to play
NO way out except to stay and play
No way out except to play the game
No way out except to find the way
Lily Brooks:
I drew a little casket that says, “Here lies the 60s,” for a few different reasons. The first being that the Gimme Shelter doc really changed people’s perceptions on hippies. Instead of all peace and love, there was now violence attached that transcended into the ’70s. Let it Bleed also signifies this.
