The Rolling Stones - Honky Tonk Women

This is a live performance by the famous British rock 'n' roll band The Rolling Stones playing their song "Honky Tonk Women" live. The performance is from Japan and it was part of their Voodoo Lounge tour, this performance is from 2005.
The song was originally released in 1969 and it was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. It was hugely successful in both America and the UK. The song was originally conceived as an acoustic country song and it was recorded it two versions. The second version was re-named "Country Honk" and was on the band's "Let It Bleed" album.
The song has also been done by a lot of famous artists since its release by The Rolling Stones, these artists include: Ike and Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, Gram Parsons, Elton John, Taj Mahal, and Albert King.
I really love this performance though. Especially love the guitar work by Richards on this one, it's so his style and he plays it magnificently. Also love the piano work by Chuck Leavell, but again Richards can't help but cut in and play the piano a bit. This performance is all about Keith Richards, in my opinion, and he rocks it!

Enjoy ; )

The Rolling Stones - Happy

This is a live performance by The Rolling Stones playing the song "Happy" live. The performance is from the 2006 gig they played on the beach of Rio de Janeiro. They played to an audience of 2 million people, that's probably the biggest crowd ever at a live show, thus proving the grandiose scale The Rolling Stones are at.
The song originally appeared on the band's 1972 album "Exile on Main St.", and it was the second single released from the album. Richards sings lead on this one, on the record Jagger was credited for percussion and backing vocals. In this live performance, however, he does not seem to appear on stage.
It's a great performance by Richards, really proving that he could be the front man if he wanted to. His performance is so energetic. It's also a good example of how Richards and Ronnie Wood work together and play off each other. It's a great performance and in a way, in my opinion, it brings a certain intimacy to a grand show courtesy of Mr. Richards.
A fantastic performance!

Enjoy ; )

The Rolling Stones - Midnight Rambler

This is a live performance by the infamous British rock 'n' roll and blues band The Rolling Stones playing their song "Midnight Rambler" live. The performance is from a concert in India from 2003 and it was raining heavily which can also be seen in the concert footage.
The song is from the band's 1969 album "Let It Bleed". The lyrics take the viewpoint of a rapist/murderer, and Keith Richards has referred to the song as "a blues opera". The song was written by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. On the original studio recording Richards played all of the guitar parts, mainly using standard tuning, but also open E tuning for some parts. Mick played the harmonica on it, Bill Wyman played bass, Charlie Watts played drums, and Brian Jones was credited as percussionist.
I think it's a really good performance, I love the tempo shifts in it, Jagger's harmonica playing and just the whole feel of it. Really seems very loose and a lot like a jam. A great performance of a really great song.

Enjoy ; )

Keith Richards - Connection

This is a live performance by Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards playing the song "Connection" live. It's from some sort of gig called "Sevilla's Guitar Legends" and the members look like a lot of guys from Richard's X-Pensive Winos project, I know I recognize Steve Jordan on drums. We also get a quick glimpse of Steve Cropper playing in the background. And in fact after the song even more famous people takes the stage, ready for an encore all star jam sort of thing, among them is Bob Dylan. As far as I can find out, the concert is from 1992.
The song "Connection" was originally a song recorded by The Rolling Stones on their 1967 album "Between the Buttons". The song was written by Jagger and Richards, but mostly by Richards. They both sing on it, but it has since become one of those songs Richards would do solo, both with his solo projects and on stage with the Stones. In fact in the Martin Scorsese film "Shine a Light" Jagger leaves the stage, and Richards then proceeds to take the microphone and centre stage to sing the song.
It's a good song and a good performance.

Enjoy ; )

The Rolling Stones - Jumpin' Jack Flash

This is a live performance by legendary British rock 'n' roll band The Rolling Stones playing their classic song "Jumpin' Jack Flash" live. The performance is from the concert-film "Shine a Light" from 2008 directed by Martin Scorsese.
The song was released in 1968 and it was considered The Rolling Stones' venture back into the rock 'n' roll bluesy sound that they were originally known for. The song was written by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger.
The song has also been recorded by soul diva Aretha Franklin. She did a recording of the song for the Whoopi Goldberg film of the same name. Richards and Ronnie Wood also played the guitar parts on her version.
Other notable covers of the song includes: Leon Russell, Tina Turner, Peter Frampton, Johnny Winter, Motörhead and Guns N' Roses.
It's a great song and the version from "Shine a Light" is an awesome performance of the song as well, with some really good camera angles courtesy of Scorsese. A great performance.

Enjoy ; )

Chuck Berry & Keith Richards - Carol

This is a live performance by Rock 'n' Roll legend Chuck Berry performing his classic song "Carol" which he also has writing credit for. Keith Richards is sitting in as this is the rehearsal footage prior to the main performance celebrating Berry's 60th birthday in the film "Hail! Hail! Rock N' Roll" from 1987.
The song "Carol" was first released by Berry in 1958. It was later covered by a long list of artists, including: The Beatles, Charlie Daniels, The Doors, and of course also by The Rolling Stones.
I really love this piece of post concert footage. I love the tension that is between Berry and Richards, it is very entertaining to watch. Berry's solos on this are amazing, Richard's not so much as he screws up a bit on a lick or two and also has a hard time getting the intro down. But Berry's solos and Johnnie Johnson's piano solo makes for a really good performance- When they finally get through it.
A great little piece of footage from Berry when he was in his prime performing-wise. A great performance and very entertaining as well.

Enjoy ; )

The Rolling Stones - Wild Horses

This is a studio session recorded by The Rolling Stones. In this part of the session they play their classic song "Wild Horses".
The song "Wild Horses" was released on their 1971 album "Sticky Fingers". The song is written by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. Keith Richards wrote the melody and came up with the phrase "Wild Horses". A session pianist was hired for the original recording that also featured Mick Jagger and Mick Taylor on acoustic guitars. Richards played an electric guitar in Nashville tuning.
This video is from the recording session of the album "Stripped" from 1995. On this version Jagger, Richards, Wood and Watts are joined by some other musicians and record an acoustic version of this song. This version is the only version of the song that's been released as a single. It was released as a single in 1996.
Besides being a hit for The Stones it also over time became a popular song for other artists to cover. It's been covered by artists like: Leon Russel, Elvis Costello, Neil Young, Guns N' Roses, Stone Sour and Sheryl Crow, to only name a few of the prominent artists who have covered this song.
I really love this song and especially in this version. The song really fits the acoustic setting. And when Richards and Jagger sing the chorus together it's just so beautiful. It shows the natural sorrow in Richard's voice and just how good his voice is and how well it country music.

Enjoy ; )

The Rolling Stones - Paint It, Black

This is a live performance by the British rock band The Rolling Stones performing their iconic song "Paint It, Black".
The song was released in 1966 as a single from their album "Aftermath". The title was originally "Paint It Black" without the comma and according to an interview with Keith Richards the comma was added by the record company. The song was written by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, but the main riff and the Indian feel can be attributed to guitarist Brian Jones. The single reached no. 1 positions in both US and UK charts. It was named the 174th best song ever by Rolling Stone Magazine and the first no. 1 single to feature a sitar.
It has become one of The Rolling Stones most iconic songs and has been covered by a long list of people, including: Deep Purple, U2, Vanessa Carlton, R.E.M ,Rush and many more.
It's a great song, though the lyrics are a little weird. Keith Richards has stated in interviews that he doesn't really know what they exactly mean.
It's a great song and part of the band's live repertoire. A great song and a great performance.

Enjoy ; )

Rolling Stones ft. Christina Aguilera

This is a performance by British rock 'n' roll band The Rolling Stones featuring Christina Aguilera. They play the classic Rolling Stones song "Live with Me" from their 1969 record "Let It Bleed". It isn't the most famous song be The Stones, but it is considered an important song amongst fans. It was one of the first recordings where guitarist Mick Taylor contributed. It is the first song where Keith Richards is credited for playing bass (he only played bass on the original recording, and sticks to playing guitar in the performance clip above). This original recording was also the first song to feature sax player Bobby Keys.
The performance in the clip above is from Martin Scorcesse's concert film "Shine a Light" from 2008. It's a really good film, and it hosts some really good and solid performances from the band, and is excellently shot.

Previous posts from the film "Shine a Light"
Brown Sugar
You Got The Silver
Champagne And Reefer (ft. Buddy Guy)

Enjoy ; )

Brian Setzer - Run Rudolph Run

The song "Run Rudolph Run" has become a Christmas classic, and is one of the most recognizable rock 'n' roll Christmas songs. The song was popularized by Chuck Berry, and it was originally released in 1958 as a b-side to Berry's version of "Merry Christmas, Baby".
The song has been covered by an endless list of performers, including: Lynrd Skynrd, Sheryl Crow, Keith Richards, Foghat, Billy Idol, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem and a supergroup consisting of Lemmy Kilmister, Billy Gibbons and Dave Grohl, to only name a few.
I think that Brian Setzer and his orchestra do a fantastic job with the song, they play it like straight forward happy 50's rock 'n' roll which fits the song very well.
Below is the Lemmy, Gibbons and Grohl version embeded, it's a good version too, but I still prefer Setzer's version, but they're both good.


Enjoy ; )

Keith Richards - Dead Flowers

This is a solo performance from Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. He performs the classic Stones song "Dead Flowers" at what looks like some country award show or something, sorry haven't looked more into it.
The song "Dead Flowers" appeared on The Rolling Stones album "Sticky Fingers" from 1971. The song was written by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger and it's about the time that the Stones start experimenting with a country influence. They have said in interviews that they love country for it's stories and nice melodies. This song has a story, but a darker subject matter than your average country tune, it's about heroin use and the loosing one's love and being angry. However it's somehow uplifting, if you look purely to the musical side of things, it's up beat, it doesn't have a sad melody, but the lyrics are very dark.
They have experimented with country through out their career surpassing the 1970's, and have also done songs like "Far Away Eyes" that's probably the most country inspired song of them all.
Mick has said in an interview that he feels that the country songs are a little odd for his voice. He feels that he is a blues singer, and therefore feels that the country material suits Keith's voice better. So this is just that, Keith Richards singing this delightfully odd country inspired song. A lovely performance.

Enjoy ; )

The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar

This live performance is from the Martin Scorsese film "Shine a Light", a concert film by the Rolling Stones featuring some interviews and stuff, but for the most part a brilliantly directed concert film.
I have posted clips from this particular film previously. It's a great film and a good introduction to The Stones if you're new to them. It brilliantly captures their energy and performance on stage.
So if you don't already have this, go buy it!
The song "Brown Sugar" was released in 1971 on the album "Sticky Fingers". It's the opening track, and it has that hard rock bluesy riff and a musical breakdown where Bobby Keys can play a fantastic Saxophone part, just great. The song has that middle period Stones sound that is rock oriented, but still bluesy and with the bigger set-up of using a horn section. It's just a great song.
The song "Brown Sugar" was also ranked as no. 490 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. And it definitely is a great song, no doubt about that.

Enjoy ; )

Previous posts from Shine a Light:
Champagne And Reefer - Buddy Guy ft. Rolling Stones 
You Got The Silver - Keith Richards

Sugar Blue - Hoochie Coochie Man

I knew at some point I would be posting different versions of the same song. I previously posted this in a version from the rock 'n' roll film about Chuck Berry featuring Keith Richards, Robert Cray and Etta James singing the song. Click here to go to that post.

This is another version of the same song. It's by blues musician Sugar Blue. He plays the harmonica, and plays it better than anyone I've heard. He truly pushes the limitations of what that instrument is capable of. And he's so cool wearing his military belt with harmonicas in different keys. Truly a great player, just thought I'd share his talent with the world.


Enjoy ; )

Keith Richards - You Got the Silver

This performance is from the Martin Scorsese documentary/concert-film "Shine a Light". It's Keith Richards singing on stage on his own. Richards occasionally sings lead on songs by The Rolling Stones, but for the most part Mick does it, and Keith sticks to backing vocals, or they do the vocals as a duo.
Normally during a show Keith takes over for two songs, as is also the case with "Shine a Light". On this song Ronnie Wood accompanies him, but it's a simple set-up, and a beautiful song.

Enjoy ; )

Wee Wee Hours - Chuck Berry with Eric Clapton

This is a performance from the documentary "Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll". It's a documentary about Chuck Berry, and the influence his playing has had on more contemporary players. The film was made in celebration of Chuck's 60th birthday, and he looks better than ever in the film, energetic and young. He performs on stage with a long list of artists including; Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Etta James, Johnnie Johnson, Bobby Keys and Keith Richards to name a few.
This is a great performance, love it when Clapton goes off and does two solos in a row, as Chuck says "...Eric Clapton; man of the blues", and that's true.

Enjoy ; )

Freddie King - Goin' Down

This is a clip of blues legend Freddie King performing Goin' Down live. Freddie is one of the '3 Kings of blues'. The three kings of blues are Albert, B.B. and Freddie King, all named 'King' as their last name. Freddie being inspired by both the raw Texas blues and the West side Chicago blues fused them into his recognizable tone and sound. Freddie has influenced a lot of players; Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmy Vaughan, Eric Clapton and Peter Green are all inspired by Freddie.
The song 'Goin' Down' has been covered on  occasion by artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan , Keith Richards and the G3 guys, but it isn't Freddie's most covered song.

Enjoy ; )

Etta James - Hoochie Coochie Gal

This video is from the Chuck Berry documentary 'Hail Hail Rock 'n' Roll'. It features a performance of the classic Willie Dixon blues tune 'Hoochie Coochie Man'. It was made famous and performed by Muddy Waters, and have been covered by numerous artists including; Eric Clapton, Steppenwolf and Buddy Guy. I love this version, because Etta really brings something to the table, she sings amazingly on it. She is truly versatile, can do both ballads, blues and rock 'n' roll.
The song also features a smokin' piano solo by Johnnie Johnson who was a regular with Chuck on the road. On guitar is Keith Richards and Robert Cray, and we get some sweet reaction shots from Chuck who is simply stunned by the performance.
Enjoy ; )

Dust My Broom - Gary Moore

This is a clip of Gary Moore covering the famous song 'Dust My Broom'. It's song that's been covered a lot, artists who have done cover-versions include; Howlin' Wolf, ZZ Top, Ike & Tina Turner, Keith Richards, and many more.
The song was originally recorded by blues legend Robert Johnson, but made famous by legendary slide player Elmore James.
Moore isn't much of a slide player, but I really think he brings something to this cover, and does a very good job with it.

Enjoy ; )