History Music / LetItBleed

[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/let_it_bleed_cover.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:320:''"... but if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need."'']]

** Merry Clayton's cracking voice in the bridge of "Gimme Shelter". So powerful that [[StudioChatter Mick audibly says "Woo!" in response]].

* SpecialGuest: Ry Cooder plays mandolin on "Love in Vain" and slide guitar on "Let It Bleed". Another famous name is Leon Russell, who provides piano and horns on "Live with Me". The London Bach Choir provides vocals on "You Can't Always Get What You Want".

[[caption-width-right:320:"''... but if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need.''"]]

''Let It Bleed'' is widely acknowledged among the Stones' best albums. Ike & Music/TinaTurner even covered "Country Honk" that same year, [[CoveredUp which became a hit]]. The record was listed at #32 on ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s [[Music/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time]] and at #52 on ''Magazine/{{NME}}'s'' [[UsefulNotes/NME500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime list of the same name]], indicating that it receives universal acclaim among critics both young and old.

* RefrainFromAssuming: Despite being released around the same time as Music/TheBeatles' ''Music/LetItBe'' album, it was not a PunBasedTitle. The Stones' album came before the Beatles record. "Country Honk" is the original version of "Honky-Tonk Women", not the other way around.

* CarefulWithThatAxe: "Monkey Man"
--> ''I'm a monkeeeeeeeeeee-uuuurgh!''

* {{Bowdlerize}}: The line "she blew my nose and then she blew my mind" in "Country Honk" originally blew [[RagingStiffie something else]] in the working lyrics than a nose.

--> ''Well, you heard about the Boston…\\
It’s not one of those…\\

* CoverVersion: "Love In Vain", a Music/RobertJohnson cover. The albums credits, however, have cited it as a [[NonIndicativeTitle traditional piece]] or to "Woody Payne", a HousePseudonym of Robert Johnson.
* DesignStudentsOrgasm: The cover is a surreal sculpture designed by Robert Brownjohn and depicts a record being played by the tone-arm of an antique phonograph, and a record-changer spindle supporting several items stacked on a plate in place of a stack of records: a tape canister labelled "Stones – Let It Bleed", a clock dial, a pizza, a tyre and a cake with elaborate icing topped by figurines representing the band.

* EtherealChoir[=/=]GospelChoirsAreJustBetter: "Gimme Shelter" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" feature choirs. Jagger originally wanted to use a {{Gospel Music}} choir, but since they couldn't find one around they settled on the London Bach Choir instead. Funnily enough, the Choir released a statement soon after to disavow support for the record and its "[[MoralGuardians relentless drug ambiance]]".
* GenreRoulette: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" starts off with an ACappella choir singing, then moves into a more rockin' sound. "Gimme Shelter" uses a gospel sounding background vocal. "Country Honk" is a CountryMusic arrangement of "Honky Tonk Women".
* GriefSong: "Gimme Shelter" sings about a CrapsackWorld, though in the final lines we do get a more hopeful message:

* WarIsHell: "Gimme Shelter", one of the seminal [[ProtestSong protest songs]] of [[TheSixties '60's]]/[[TheSeventies '70's]]:

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/let_it_bleed_cover.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"''... but if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need.''"]]

!! '''''Rape, murder! It's just a trope away! It's just a trope away!'''''

--> ''But I've been bit and I've been tossed around''
--> ''By every she-rat in this town''
--> ''Have you, babe?''
--> ''Well, I am just a monkey man''
--> ''I'm glad you are monkey woman too''
--> ''I was bitten by a boar''
--> ''I was gouged and I was goured''
--> ''But I pulled it on through''

!! ''Did you hear about the midnight troper?''

** Creator/MartinScorsese is quite fond of "Gimme Shelter", seeing that he used in no less than three of his movies: ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}'' (1990), ''Film/{{Casino}}'' (1995) and ''Film/TheDeparted'' (2006). ''Goodfellas'' also uses ''Monkey Man'' in the montage sequence depicting the day of Henry's arrest.

** Creator/MartinScorsese is quite fond of "Gimme Shelter", seeing that he used in no less than three of his movies: ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}'' (1990), ''Film/{{Casino}}'' (1995) and ''Film/TheDeparted'' (2006).

* ACappella: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" starts of with a male and a female choir, which sings the first verse.

* BeliefMakesYouStupid: "Monkey Man". It's also a clever [[TakeThatCritics self-deprecating mockery of the band's perceived image at the time]] since they were getting lots of flack for being influenced by Satanism (especially after the release of "Sympathy for the Devil" from ''Music/BeggarsBanquet'').

* CoverSong: "Love In Vain", a Music/RobertJohnson cover. The albums credits, however, have cited it as a [[NonIndicativeTitle traditional piece]] or to "Woody Payne", a HousePseudonym of Robert Johnson.

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/let_it_bleed.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:"''... but if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need.''"]]

[[quoteright:280:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/letitbleedrs_6308.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:280: ''... but if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need.'']]

With this record, the band continued to invoke explicitly sexual and political subjects such as UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar in "Gimme Shelter", [[AllLoveIsUnrequited unrequited love]] in "You Got the Silver" and "Love in Vain", and [[SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll lust]] in "Let It Bleed" and "Live With Me". The album features influential GenreBusting concerns such as [[GospelChoirsAreJustBetter the male and female choir]] in the final track, the creative use of SopranoAndGravel VocalTagTeam, and the AlternativeCountry sound expressed throughout the record. Straddling these complex subjects with [[DefectorFromDecadence the perceived decadence of the time]], the album is hailed as a stylistic and thematic masterpiece for expressing maturity and passion when confronted with grim reality.

# "Love In Vain" (4:19)

# "Live With Me" (3:33)

# "You Got The Silver" (2:51)

* [[AbsenteeActor Absentee Musician]]: Brian Jones, who is absent on the entire album bar "Midnight Rambler" and "You Got The Silver". Likewise, his replacement Mick Taylor only appears on "Country Honk" and "Live With Me".

* AlbumSingle: "Honky Tonk Women" / "You Can't Always Get What You Want", "Let It Bleed" / "You Got The Silver" in Japan.

* EpicRocking: "Midnight Rambler" is often extended live; it is a whopping nine minutes long in the Stones live album ''Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!''. The 7:30 "You Can't Always Get What You Want" is longer than the single version, which is only 4:50.

--> ''I tell you love, sister, it's just a kiss away.''

* HouseHusband: "Live With Me" is a deconstruction of the role of [[RatedMForManly masculinity]] within a household. It's complete with the man in the song asserting dominance over the woman and wanting to have sex with her all the time, while they share a seemingly blissful life ([[DinnerAndAShow complete with the butler shtupping the cook]]).

* InTheStyleOf: The band's cover of Music/RobertJohnson's "Love in Vain" is performed in a CountryMusic style.

* RefrainFromAssuming: Despite being released around the same time as Music/TheBeatles' ''Music/LetItBe'' album, it was not a PunBasedTitle. The Stones' album came before the Beatles record. "Country Honk" is the original version of "Honky Tonk Woman", not the other way around.

* SpecialGuest: Ry Cooder plays mandolin on "Love In Vain" and slide guitar on "Let It Bleed". Another famous name is Leon Russell, who provides piano and horns on "Live With Me". The London Bach Choir provides vocals on "You Can't Always Get What You Want".
* SpoiledBrat: "Live With Me" seems to reference, [[IntercourseWithYou among other things]], hippies and their incessant laziness around that time:

--> ''[[TimeMarchesOn They got earphone heads]] they got dirty necks''

* StepUpToTheMicrophone: Keith Richards sings lead on "You Got The Silver". This was the first Stones song were he was the solo lead vocal throughout. Previously, he had sung separate lead vocals on "Something Happened To Me Yesterday" from ''Music/BetweenTheButtons'' and "Salt Of The Earth" from ''Music/BeggarsBanquet''.

* UnrequitedLove: "Love In Vain"

'''''Let It Bleed''''' is the eighth studio album (tenth American album) by Music/TheRollingStones, released in December 1969. It is the last Stones album to feature founding member Music/BrianJones, who left the band and subsequently drowned during the recording of the album, and the first to feature Music/MickTaylor. The band struggled to achieve the [[EchoingAcoustics lush production sound]] on the singles "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Gimme Shelter", while pushing for a [[HardRock heavier]], more [[BluesRock bluesy]] sound in the studio. The release was thus delayed until the end of the year, after the Rolling Stones had completed their American tour; nevertheless, many critics view it as the ultimate [[TheLastDance swan song]] for the tumultuous era of TheSixties.

With this record, the band continued to invoke explicitly sexual and political subjects such as UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar in "Gimme Shelter", [[AllLoveIsUnrequited unrequited love]] in "You Got the Silver" and "Love in Vain", and [[SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll lust]] in "Let It Bleed" and "Live With Me". The album features influential GenreBusting concerns such as [[GospelChoirsAreJustBetter the male and female choir]] in the final track, the creative use of SopranoAndGravel VocalTagTeam, and the AlternativeCountry sound expressed throughout the record. Straddling these complex subjects with [[DefectorFromDecadence the perceived decadence of the time]], the album is hailed as a stylistic and thematic masterpiece for expressing maturity and passion when confronted with the grim realities of the time.

'''''Let It Bleed''''' is the eighth studio album (tenth American album) by Music/TheRollingStones, released in December 1969. It is the last Stones album to feature founding member Music/BrianJones, who left the band and subsequently drowned during the recording of the album,, and the first to feature Music/MickTaylor. The band struggled to achieve the [[EchoingAcoustics lush production sound]] on the singles "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Gimme Shelter", while pushing for a [[HardRock heavier]], more [[BluesRock bluesy]] sound in the studio. The release was thus delayed until the end of the year, after the Rolling Stones had completed their American tour; nevertheless, many critics view it as the ultimate [[TheLastDance swan song]] for the tumultuous era of TheSixties.

* HouseHusband: "Live With Me" is a deconstruction of the role of [[RatedMForManly masculinity]] within a household. It's complete with the man in the song asserting dominance over the woman and wanting to have sex with her all the time, while they share a seemingly blissful life (DinnerAndAShow complete with the butler shtupping the cook]]).

* LoveNostalgiaSong: "Country Honk":
--> There's many a bar-room queen I've had in Jackson\\
But I just can't seem to drink you off my mind

* EtherealChoir[[=/=]]GospelChoirsAreJustBetter: "Gimme Shelter" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" feature choirs. Jagger originally wanted to use a {{Gospel Music}} choir, but since they couldn't find one around they settled on the London Bach Choir instead. Funnily enough, the Choir released a statement soon after to disavow support for the record and its "[[MoralGuardians relentless drug ambiance]]".

* HouseHusband: "Live With Me" is a deconstruction of the role of [[RatedMForManly masculinity]] within a household. It's complete with the man in the song asserting dominance over the woman and wanting to have sex with her all the time, while they share a seemingly blissful life.
* {{Improv}}: Near the end of "Midnight Rambler" Mick starts adlibbing.

* AStormIsComing: "Gimme Shelter"

--> ''All my love's in vain''

''Let It Bleed'' is the eighth studio album (tenth American album) by Music/TheRollingStones, released in December 1969. It is the last Stones album to feature founding member Music/BrianJones (who left the band and subsequently drowned during the recording of the album), and the first to feature Music/MickTaylor. The band struggled to achieve the [[EchoingAcoustics lush production sound]] on the singles "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Gimme Shelter", while pushing for a [[HardRock heavier]], more [[BluesRock bluesy]] sound in the studio. The release was thus delayed until the end of the year, after the Rolling Stones had completed their American tour; nevertheless, many critics view it as the ultimate [[TheLastDance swan song]] for the tumultuous era of TheSixties.

With this record, the band continued to invoke explicitly sexual and political themes seldom explored at the time, such as UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar in "Gimme Shelter", [[AllLoveIsUnrequited unrequited love]] in "You Got the Silver" and "Love in Vain", and [[SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll lust]] in "Let It Bleed" and "Live With Me". The band once faced controversy for these themes, but critics have admired the songs for expressing maturity and passion when confronted with the grim realities of the time. Straddling these complex subjects with [[DefectorFromDecadence the perceived decadence of the time]], the album is hailed as a stylistic and thematic masterpiece.

''Let It Bleed'' is widely acknowledged among the Stones' best albums. The album features GenreBusting concerns such as [[GospelChoirsAreJustBetter the male and female choir]] in the final track, the creative use of SopranoAndGravel VocalTagTeam, and the AlternativeCountry sound expressed throughout the record. Ike & Music/TinaTurner even covered "Country Honk" that same year, and their version became a hit.

The record was listed at #32 on ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s [[Music/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time]] and at #52 on ''Magazine/{{NME}}'s'' [[UsefulNotes/NME500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime list of the same name]], indicating that it receives universal acclaim among critics both young and old.

* AddedAlliterativeAppeal: "Midnight Rambler"
--> ''Well he's pouncing like proud black panther''

* BeliefMakesYouStupid: "Monkey Man"

* CoverSong: "Love In Vain", a Music/RobertJohnson cover.
* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: "Let It Bleed"
--> ''But you knifed me in my dirty filthy basement''

* DoubleEntendre: "Let It Bleed", sang from the perspective of a woman:

* EpicRocking: "Midnight Rambler" and the 7:30 "You Can't Always Get What You Want" (which is longer than the single version, which only takes 4:50).
* EtherealChoir: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" starts off with one and it comes back halfway the song, giving the number a divine touch.
* GenreRoulette: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" starts off with an ACappella choir singing, then moves into a more rockin' sound. "Gimme Shelter" uses a gospel sounding background vocal. "Country Honk" is a CountryMusic arrangement of "Honky Tonk Women".
* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: "Gimme Shelter":
--> ''Rape, murder! It's just a shot away.''
* GospelChoirsAreJustBetter: "Gimme Shelter" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" feature choirs. Jagger originally wanted to use a {{Gospel Music}} choir, but since they couldn't find one around they settled on the London Bach Choir instead.

* HeavyMeta: "Monkey Man"
--> ''Well, I hope we're not too messianic''
--> ''Or a trifle too satanic''
--> ''We love to play the blues''
* HideAndNoSeek: "Gimme Shelter".
--> ''Gimme, gimme shelter, or I'm gonna fade away!''

* IntentionallyAwkwardTitle: The title sounds very violent.
* IntercourseWithYou: "Country Honk"
--> ''There's many a bar-room queen I've had in Jackson''
--> ''But I just can't seem to drink you off my mind.''
* MurderBallad: "Midnight Rambler"

* NonAppearingTitle: "Let It Bleed", though the lyrics do mention it indirectly:
--> ''Take my arm, take my leg, oh baby don't you take my head''
--> ''Yeah, we all need someone we can bleed on''
--> ''Yeah, and if you want it, baby, well you can bleed on me''
* OneManSong: "Monkey Man".

--> ''But sometimes you'll find''
--> ''You'll get what you need.''
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: "Midnight Rambler" was inspired by real-life serial killer Albert [=DeSalvo=], aka "The Boston Strangler".

* SerialKiller: "Midnight Rambler".
--> ''Well you heard about the Boston...''
--> ''It's not one of those''
--> ''Well, talkin' 'bout the midnight...sh...''
--> ''The one that closed the bedroom door''
--> ''I'm called the hit-and-run raper in anger''
--> ''The knife-sharpened tippie-toe...''
--> ''Or just the shoot 'em dead, brainbell jangler''

* StepUpToTheMicrophone: Keith Richards sings lead on "You Got The Silver". This was the first Stones song were he was the solo lead vocal throughout. [[note]] Previously he sang separate lead vocals on "Something Happened To Me Yesterday" from ''Music/BetweenTheButtons'' and "Salt Of The Earth from ''Music/BeggarsBanquet'' [[/note]]

--> ''Oh, a storm is threatening my very life today''

* TimeMarchesOn: "Live With Me"
--> ''And there's a score of harebrained children''
--> ''They're all locked in the nursery''
--> ''They got earphone heads they got dirty necks''
--> ''They're so 20th century''
* TitleTrack: "Let It Beed"

* WarIsHell: "Gimme Shelter"