Gimme Shelter is the opening track from the essential Let It Bleed album, the cover of which has the little Stones figurines standing atop a cake's frosting layer that is on top of other round objects placed above the turntable...and the needle is on the record! The back cover shows the resulting catastrophe...please don't try this at home.
Ch-keee, ch-keee, chk chk chk...that instrument is a guiro. It's being played by producer Jimmy Miller. Nicky Hopkins on heavy tolling bell piano. Merry Clayton accompanies Mick on the vocals and her presence adds that extra oomph to the theme of the song. I love that moment at 3:03, her voice rips the air as she screams out Rape, murder!, and Mick (I presume) lets out a woo! Keith's opening guitar riff is classic. Can't forget to mention Mick's harmonica. All the instruments together create a kind of super chord, intense and foreboding.
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