Gimme Shelter

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Black Biscuit
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Does anyone know why Von changed the words of Gimme Shelter from the original (Stones) lyrics?

I'm talking about the "Love... it's just a...." and "War... it's just a.... " part.

I've heard Eldo only covered songs he considered laughable. And, to me, Gimme Shelter was indeed always pretty sh-tty. Just an amalgam of emotive words - love, rape, war, children.

True that he only covered songs he considered ridiculous? If I wanted music that is too earnest, I'd listen to Sinead O'Connor.
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Francis
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Black Biscuit wrote:I've heard Eldo only covered songs he considered laughable.
If they'd put Jolene or possibly even Emma on the Alice or Temple of Love 12 inches you may have a point. They were generally considered to be tongue in cheek at the time. On the other hand, their versions of 1969 and Gimme Shelter were considered by many to be some of their best recordings. I'm still not keen on Jolene myself. But their interpretation of Emma is outstanding.
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paint it black
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strangely enough was listening to an interview last night, so yes i do. can i be bothered to recount? not right now. no

it's

15Sep WKNJ - Dicussing origins of name, 1969, Gimmie Shelter,Reptile House & Sleeve, Phantom, American bands, playing Boston, Philladelphia & Washington,

*plug*

my site is being updated with contents of all interviews very soon 8)
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mh
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And oddly enough, I remember reading an interview somewhere where Von mentioned this too. I seem to recollect that it was little more than a cool joke, but I could of course be very wrong.
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Quiff Boy
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i'm sure i read something where he said that he only considered covering songs he thought were very cool.

which when you look at the songs he's covered makes way more sense than ones he thinks are cr@p...
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Black Biscuit
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Uh, so why'd he change the lyrics? Why the play on words? And I thought I had trouble expressing myself!
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Andie
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i think :von: changed the lyrics in Gimmie Shelter to convey the fact that the original was almost 15 years old and most probably considered out of touch with the mid 80's...


the Sisters version not only changes the structure of the songs lyrics but also avoids using the lyric "Just a shot away" prefering to go with "Just a kiss away" through out the chorus

Gimme Shelter Rolling Stones 1969

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
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
Rape, murder!
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
Rape, murder!
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
Rape, murder!
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
The floods is threat'ning
My very life today
Gimme, gimme shelter
Or I'm gonna fade away
War, children, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
I tell you love, sister, it's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
Kiss away, kiss away

Gimme Shelter Sisters 1984/5
(can anyone vouch for these lyrics...they seem to me to be missing some)

Oh, see the storm is threatening
My very life today
If I don't get some shelter
Yeah, I'm gonna fade away

War, children
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
[Repeat]
Yeah

Oh, see the fire is sweeping
Down through the streets today
Burning like a bright red carpet
Another fool who lost the way

Rape. Murder.
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
[Repeat]
Yeah

[Repeat verse one]

Love, sisters
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
Love, sisters
It's just a shot away
Shot away
Shot away

War, children
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
War, children
It's just a kiss away
Kiss away
Kiss away

Rape. Murder.
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
Rape. Murder.
It's just a kiss away
Kiss away
Kiss away

[Repeat previous three x2]

[Repeat love chorus]

War, children
It's just a kiss away
Kiss away
Kiss away
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James Blast
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Oh, a storm is threat'ning
My very life today

I thought he sang 'Mulberry Heights Today', I used to live there, allas thought it was a bit personal :oops:
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The main differences are obviously:

Stones version
War, children, it's just a shot away
Rape, murder! It's just a shot away
Love, sister, it's just a kiss away

Sisters version
War, children, It's just a kiss away
Rape. Murder. It's just a kiss away
Love, Sisters, It's just a shot away

The joke is "switching" shot for kiss. :von:'s typical curmudgeonliness? War, rape and murder are just a Kiss away whereas love is a Shot away (a shot of what? :lol:)
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markfiend wrote:The main differences are obviously:

Stones version
War, children, it's just a shot away
Rape, murder! It's just a shot away
Love, sister, it's just a kiss away

Sisters version
War, children, It's just a kiss away
Rape. Murder. It's just a kiss away
Love, Sisters, It's just a shot away

The joke is "switching" shot for kiss. :von:'s typical curmudgeonliness? War, rape and murder are just a Kiss away whereas love is a Shot away (a shot of what? :lol:)
i reckon mr fiend's is "on the money" with that one. :notworthy:

it was something i was trying to get at but couldn't quite put my finger on... nice one 8)
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mh
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And of course the "Sisters" bit is funny too.
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Black Biscuit
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The song (the original, that is) is about the Vietnam War, me thinks. Correct?
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Black Biscuit wrote:The song (the original, that is) is about the Vietnam War, me thinks. Correct?
i always thought so due to the imagery. haven't read anything to conforim that but yeah, i always though it was.
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BorislavX
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I don't much like the Stones version but I absolutely love the Sisters Remake of this song. :notworthy:
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markfiend
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Black Biscuit wrote:The song (the original, that is) is about the Vietnam War, me thinks. Correct?
Yeah, that and the rioting and political unrest back in the US that resulted from it.
BorislavX wrote:I don't much like the Stones version but I absolutely love the Sisters Remake of this song. :notworthy:
"This is one for all you hippy scum..." :von: ;)
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claws
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I have something to add about this song. (I'm talking about TSOM's version) The first verse is:

Oh, see the storm is threatening
My very life today
If I don't get some shelter
Yeah, I'm gonna fade away

This verse is repeated when 2 min 20 sec has passed. However it's not an absolute repeat, Line 3 is changed, and the whole verse goes something like this:

Oh, see the storm is threatening
My very life today
Gimme.... Gimme shelter
Yeah oh, I'm gonna fade away

This is something that not many people seem to have noticed.
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markfiend
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Oh yeah. Well spotted!

I don't know that it actually means anything though... ???
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markfiend wrote:Oh yeah. Well spotted!

I don't know that it actually means anything though... ???
works well though dunnit? ;D
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claws
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it works tremendously well. This song is excellent the first 4 minutes... I wish the fadeout had come around there. Personally I don't need the last 2 minutes of the song.
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claws wrote:it works tremendously well. This song is excellent the first 4 minutes... I wish the fadeout had come around there. Personally I don't need the last 2 minutes of the song.
I thought Heartland's repetition should have been shortened.

Whenever I listen to SGWBM on the way to school, I'll usually start from Gimme Shelter, skip out Watch, and listen to the last 3 as many times as I can before I get to my classroom. ;)
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Dark wrote:
claws wrote:it works tremendously well. This song is excellent the first 4 minutes... I wish the fadeout had come around there. Personally I don't need the last 2 minutes of the song.
I thought Heartland's repetition should have been shortened.

Whenever I listen to SGWBM on the way to school, I'll usually start from Gimme Shelter, skip out Watch, and listen to the last 3 as many times as I can before I get to my classroom. ;)
pffft.... all i ever did in school was listen to my discman during class :wink:
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claws
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Dark, I agree with you that "Heartland" should have been shortened also. I think it's the biggest flaw in some sisters songs that they go on too long. The same with "This Corrosion"
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James Blast
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normally I like Sisters tunes to go on and on (we have so few of them) but I must agree with claws on the TC front, the 7" version is thee one
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pikkrong
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Dark wrote:
I thought Heartland's repetition should have been shortened.

NO! :von:
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Quiff Boy
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heathens, all of you. :lol:
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