The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed

Mostly recorded without Brian Jones -- who died several months before its release (although he does play on two tracks) and was replaced by Mick Taylor (who also plays on just two songs) -- this extends the rock and blues feel of Beggars Banquet into slightly harder-rocking, more demonically sexual territory. The Stones were never as consistent on album as their main rivals, the Beatles, and Let It Bleed suffers from some rather perfunctory tracks, like "Monkey Man" and a countrified remake of the classic "Honky Tonk Woman" (here titled "Country Honk"). Yet some of the songs are among their very best, especially "Gimme Shelter," with its shimmering guitar lines and apocalyptic lyrics; the harmonica-driven "Midnight Rambler"; the druggy party ambience of the title track; and the stunning "You Can't Always Get What You Want," which was the Stones' "Hey Jude" of sorts, with its epic structure, horns, philosophical lyrics, and swelling choral vocals. "You Got the Silver" (Keith Richards' first lead vocal) and Robert Johnson's "Love in Vain," by contrast, were as close to the roots of acoustic down-home blues as the Stones ever got. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

Name Credits Al Kooper Horn, Piano, Keyboards, Organ, French Horn Alisa Ritz Repackaging Art Direction Bill Wyman Autoharp, Harp, Bass, Keyboards, Synthesizer, Vibraphone, Vocals Bob Ludwig Mastering Bobby Keys Saxophone, Sax (Tenor), Horn Brian Jones Percussion, Harp, Keyboards, Autoharp, Vocals, Guitar Bruce Botnick Assistant Engineer Byron Berline Fiddle, Violin Charlie Watts Drums Doris Troy Vocals, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Glyn Johns Engineer Gus Skinas Engineer Ian Stewart Keyboards, Piano Iris Keitel Repackaging Art Direction Jack Byrne Archive Research, Tape Archivist Jack Nitzsche Arranger, Percussion, Keyboards, Choir Arrangement Jesper Hansen Assistant Engineer Jimmy Miller Drums, Tambourine, Percussion, Producer Jody Klein Restoration Supervision Jon Astley Digital Transfers, Analog Transfer Keith Richards Vocals, Guitar (Acoustic), Keyboards, Bass, Guitar Laura Walton Production Assistant Lenne Allik Concept Leon Russell Horn Arrangements, Piano London Bach Choir Choir, Chorus, Vocals Madeline Bell Vocals (Background), Vocals, Choir, Chorus Maria Papazahariou Production Assistant Mary Clayton Vocals Merry Clayton Vocals, Vocals (Background) Mick Jagger Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals, Guitar, Harp Mick McKenna Tape Archivist, Archive Research Mick Taylor Guitar, Slide Guitar, Vocals Nanette Newman Vocals, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Nicky Hopkins Keyboards, Piano, Organ Nicole Monea Design Production Assistant Paschal Byrne Analog Transfer, Digital Transfers Rocky Dijon Percussion Rocky Dzidzornu Percussion Ry Cooder Mandolin Steve Rosenthal Restoration, Archives Coordinator Teri Landi Digital Transfers, Archive Research