Throwback Thursday: The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed

Let It Bleed

The Rolling Stones

Original Release date: 5th December 1969

Available to stream on Spotify - see Spotify player below

In 2013 The Rolling Stones celebrated their 50th Anniversary. Take a second to think about that. Fifty years. Fifty years of making some of the most popular music the world as seen. Fifty years of causing trouble. Fifty years of wowing audiences at their live shows. I doubt another band will be able to equal that. I was lucky enough to go to their Hyde Park concert this year with my Dad, who was at the first Hyde Park concert in 1969. They may be in their late 60's or early 70's now, but Mick Jagger can still hold a note, Charlie Watts can still keep a rhythm, and Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards can still play guitar. In 1969 'Let It Bleed' was released. It was The Rolling Stones eighth release and their first since the death of founding guitarist Brian Jones. Not only did 'Let It Bleed' confirm the Stones status, it was a new beginning for the band.

A 20 year old Mick Taylor joined the Stones on 'Let It Bleed' after Brain Jones' death. The album followed a year after 'Beggars Banquet' and was recorded in sessions along with tracks from the preceding album. The album was notably darker than previous records from The Rolling Stones, with tracks like 'Gimme Shelter', 'Midnight Rambler', 'Love In Vain' and 'You Can't Always Get What You Want'. These songs are full of grim imagery. Mick Jagger blamed this on the era in which the record was made. In an interview given to Rolling Stone magazine in 1995, Jagger pointed it out that the late 60's was a 'very rough, very violent era' and highlighted the Vietnam War as a particularly strong influence on the record: 'I was influenced. All those images were on the television'. I'm sure that the death of Brian Jones was also an influence.

It opens with the chilling guitar of 'Gimme Shelter' - which is without doubt, one of the Stones best songs and a live highlight. Jagger called it a 'kind of end-of-the-world song' and it certainly does have that feeling to it as it builds up to Merry Clayton's superb guest vocals which are synonymous with the track. The lyrics illustrate the darkness of the album with 'rape' and 'murder' both mentioned.

The album also contains songs which show the Stones blues side - the cover of Robert Johnson's 'Love In Vain' highlights this. 'Live With Me' is a much heavier taste of blues rock. But 'Midnight Rambler' is probably the greatest blues track the Stones have produced. Fittingly the album ends with 'You Can't Always Get What You Want', another Stones anthem. The haunting choir at the start of the track convey the darkness felt throughout the album, but it grows into a euphoric finish.

It's impossible to talk about this album without mentioning the iconic artwork. It's a sculpture designed by Robert Brownjohn which features a cake made by the then unknown Delia Smith. It's possibly one of the most recognisable album covers ever.

'Let It Bleed' was a success on both sides of the Atlantic, knocking The Beatles off top spot in the UK and reaching number 3 on the US Billboard charts. The Rolling Stones remain one of a handful of British rock and roll bands that have been popular in the US and the UK. 'Let It Bleed' was accompanied by a tour which set a new standard for rock concerts and culminated with the infamous show at the Altamont Speedway in San Francisco where biker gang Hell's Angels provided security and were responsible for the death of a fan.



Key tracks: Gimme Shelter, Midnight Rambler, You Can't Always Get What You Want