Gimme Shelter–The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones first played the song live on the TV special, ‘Pop Go The Sixties’, on 31 December 1969.

Featuring Lisa Fischer: Many Say
the Greatest Performance of this Song

“Gimmer Shelter” is one of those classic songs that captures the nasty and dangerous feelings of people living on the sharp edge of annihilation for far too long, and yearning to swing the pendulum of chance the other direction towards peace and hope, but feeling gravity’s constant tug back towards destruction. It first appeared as the opening track on the band’s 1969 album, “Let It Bleed”.

The Stones were the first band I ever saw play live. It was September 25th 1981. I remember walking out on to the bleachers, and seeing more than a hundred thousand people rocking their brains out on a late summer afternoon at Philadelphia’s dilapidated JFK stadium.

There were human miseries and ecstasies my 12 year old eyes witnessed that day that I will never forget. A biker climbed up a thin pillar on the side of the stage and was balancing on one leg with a jug full of wine. He must have been 30 feet above the ground. Two guys who had been snorting something were hunched over themselves with noses pouring blood. I also saw an energized Jagger, still in his prime, marionetting around the stage with an Eagles jersey and an American flag playing great Rock and Roll. In the heat of the late afternoon, the small city of Stones fans collectively went out of their minds. I was instantly sold on this Devil’s music.

Gimme Shelter
(M. Jagger/K. Richards)

Oh, a storm is threat’ning
My very life today
If I don’t get some shelter
Oh yeah, I’m gonna fade away

War, children, it’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
War, children, it’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away

Ooh, see the fire is sweepin’
Our very street today
Burns like a red coal carpet
Mad bull lost its way

“10:15 Saturday Night”–The Cure

Live At Praça da Apoteose, Rio de Janeiro, 26 de Janeiro de 1996

This has always been an incredibly cool song.  If any band captures my life through High School it has to be The Cure. This song shows every facet– the tension, desire, and immense boredom.

Watch these 3 videos as the song devolves from stadium rock into a bare boned, rage restrained, reggae infused punk groove.

1979 version does it for me. I love the minimalism, the clock ticking bass line, water dripping high hat, unmistakable skank guitar, and Robert Smith’s singular, pleading voice.

Live at the Nakano Sun Plaza in Tokyo October 17, 1984

09.09.1979 Rotterdam

10:15 on a Saturday night
And the tap
Drips under the streetlight
And I’m sitting in a kitchen sink
And the tap drips
Drip, drip, drip, drip

Waiting for the telephone to ring
And I wonder where she’s been
And I’m crying for yesterday
And the tap drips
Drip, drip, drip, drip

10:15 on a Saturday night
And the tap
Drips under the streetlight
And I’m sitting in a kitchen sink
And the tap drips
Drip, drip, drip, drip

The Cure – 10:15 Saturday Night (Robert Smith Home Demo 2/78)

“Way Down in the Hole”–Tom Waits

From musical film, Big Time (1988)

This song always scares me a little. I just want to be sure we heed Wait’s advice and keep the Devil way down, and besides, damn ain’t it a funky and soulful hymn.

‘Way Down in the Hole’ from the album ‘Frank’s Wild Years’ (1987)

When you walk through the garden
you gotta watch your back
well I beg your pardon
walk the straight and narrow track
if you walk with Jesus
he’s gonna save your soul
you gotta keep the devil
way down in the hole
he’s got the fire and the fury
at his command
well you don’t have to worry
if you hold on to Jesus hand
we’ll all be safe from Satan
when the thunder rolls
just gotta help me keep the devil
way down in the hole
All the angels sing about Jesus’ mighty sword
and they’ll shield you with their wings
and keep you close to the lord
don’t pay heed to temptation
for his hands are so cold
you gotta help me keep the devil
way down in the hole

Tom Waits & the Kronos Quartet This is AMAZING

Steve Earle– CITY WINERY NYC 2/6/12

Blind Boys of Alabama– Madrid 18-07-2011

M.I.A MIA/BLAQSTARR

BAMM.tv Presents: Wolf Larsen

Ed Sheeran

“Cortez The Killer” –Neil Young and Crazy Horse

Bonnaroo Music Festival, Manchester, TN. June 13, 2003

Though brilliant through both of these Neil Young and Crazy Horse performances, the Dave Matthews band led by Warren Haynes and an all out guitar war with Tim Reynolds is the must see jam.

This guitar driven song is by one of America’s truly great artists. Where do you start when celebrating Neil Young as a songwriter? The only place I can start is with one that gets you in the gut. This song is social, political, poetic, and marries hurricane force with subtle imagery. Few rock songs capture the mystic and tragic mood of the time of the conquistadors.

“Cortez the Killer”is from the 1975 album, Zuma.

Rust Never Sleeps Tour in 1978

He came dancing across the water
With his galleons and guns
Looking for the new world
In that palace in the sun.

On the shore lay Montezuma
With his coca leaves and pearls
In his halls he often wondered
With the secrets of the worlds.

And his subjects gathered round him
Like the leaves around a tree
In their clothes of many colors
For the angry gods to see.

And the women all were beautiful
And the men stood straight and strong
They offered life in sacrifice
So that others could go on.

Hate was just a legend
And war was never known
The people worked together
And they lifted many stones.

They carried them to the flatlands
And they died along the way
But they built up with their bare hands
What we still can’t do today.

And I know she’s living there
And she loves me to this day
I still can’t remember when
or how I lost my way.

He came dancing across the water
Cortez, Cortez
What a killer.

Cortez the Killer Solo & Unplugged Tour 2003 Neil Young

Great Covers!!!
Dave Matthews Band (with Warren Haynes)@ The Gorge 2011

Grace Potter, Joe Satriani, Steve Kimock, Reed Mathis, Willy Waldman and Stephen Perkins at the Jammy’s.