Last night, I tweeted / facebooked the following:
New music is great, I guess. But not one damn thing, since it came out, comes close to “Gimme Shelter.” Everyone ought to be ashamed.
The song came on the player, and I just wrote what I felt. Immediately after I wrote it, I said to myself, “That’s an awfully strong statement. You’re going to think of a song you like better tomorrow.”
And I did think of a song I like better. But it came out earlier, not later. I realized after thinking all day today, that I truly don’t think that a single song written since 1968 is better than than “Gimme Shelter.” Not even one.
Honestly, I had not thought much about favorite songs before hand. But tonight, on my third beer, I am thinking about it a lot. Here are my top 5. Note: I’m not giving any thoughts to diversity or intelligence or sophistication. These are the songs I know I love without thinking too much about it.
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- Bob Dylan – Girl from the North Country. I bought Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan around the same time I got the Stones’ Hot Rocks 1964–1971. So it’s probably not a coincidence that both my favorite songs are classic rock shit I discovered when I was 16. It is a coincidence that they both heavily feature guitar and harmonica. It’s the same song, sentiment, and picking pattern Dylan used in “Boots of Spanish Leather”, but his melody fits much better here, and the uncomplicated lyric is less forced. Playing the two tracks back to back, it sounds like he allowed the chords to sit there a while until they suggested a better song. From the moment I heard Bob Dylan, I knew he was better than anyone. This song is when I first realized that some Dylan was better than others.
- Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter. This song has everything. Blues. Sex. Death. Hard Rock. Inscrutable lyrics. Came out in ‘69 and it still sounds ahead of its time. I couldn’t tell you all the things I love: The interplay of Mick’s mouth harp and Keith’s layered guitar tracks. The very rare female vocal from Merry Clayton. The descending open E chords in the verse and intro that darken the whole song.
- Pixies – Hey. I once put a flyer out at Harris County Community College that said, in large print, “Hey. I Been Tryin’ To Meet’cha.” I found my first rock band that way. We practiced out at a farmhouse that was well north and east of Conroe. The drummer was a large mexican guy with a four-piece Ludwig kit and a keen command of the double bass pedal. The bassist was an ex-Navy guy in his 30s who was going to school on the G.I. Bill. Our guitar player was a guy who had once been the frontman for a north-side punk band called the Groms. This would not be the first time that I would be the second (or third) best singer in the band.
- Damnations, TX – No Sign of Water. The Eagles wish they could have covered this for Desperado. Trying to pull off of the western/cowboy allegory isn’t advised. Because if you’re going to do it, you simply aren’t going to write it—or sing it—this well.
- Camper Van Beethoven – All Her Favorite Fruit. My favorite lyrics come from David Lowery during the late phase of Camper Van Beethoven. Beyond that, all I can say is, “fecundity”.
I love your commitment to linearity. I have never been able to embrace lists fully enough to ever compile an honest one. I also love your commitment to the Stones glory era. Gimme Mick Taylor. I don’t agree in the slightest that Gimme Shelter is the ultimate song since its conception, but I admire your ability to stick it out there. Cheers.
Mick Taylor seconded. All in favor, say aye.
Is that Keith or Mick playing on the album version of “Gimme Shelter”? I had always thought Taylor didn’t play on it, because the album was nearly done by the time he joined. Google, surprisingly is not providing any easy answers.
I was always inclined to think it was Keith. Maybe I’m wrong.
Taylor is not on Gimme Shelter. The motion on the table is for the Taylor era of the Stones’ output, as opposed to the Jones or Wood eras.
I didn’t think so, but I couldn’t find anything saying he DID NOT play on it. So I was second guessing myself.
On the motion, I say yes. Not even a contest. Mick Taylor’s the best guitar player they’ve ever had. Just for fun, I’d like to see someone make a case for Wood (longevity? camaraderie?). I’m not sure a case can be made for Jones over Taylor, unless you want to champion specific tracks/hits.
When I was searching for an answer to the Taylor question, a few links vouched for his “Gimme Shelter” solo in a 1972 Philly show as something like “best solo ever” or maybe just best version of that song.
I will be searching for that when I get home today.
I think a case could be made for Jones were one to consider his songwriting chops. As for listening to his work on the classic post-Jones albums, Taylor is deservedly cast in the mold of guitar hero (somewhat unsung or not). In all fairness, Jones was more a songwriter than a technician. Speaking of Taylor, he’s not doing too well. As for Ronnie Wood, he’s a way better player than Jones too, but that’s mostly evident in the Faces and not in his work with the Stones. Hell, he’s easily the most reliable player in the bunch. He’s too much of a role player in the Stones, which I think is what holds back his reputation. He’s really a hell of a guitar player.