Moving right along.👍👍

There's a video interview with her out there on KZfaq, where she tells the story of recording this. It's worth finding.

She was born on Christmas Day in 1948, thus : Merry Clayton. Born with a stage name set.

Absolutely worth watching '20 Feet From Stardom', a great documentary about killer backup performances , hers on this song included. Amazing story, especially since she was woken up in the middle of the night and laid this down in her bathrobe.

Man... On the fourth "rape, murder" when her voice cracks and you can hear Mick just lovin' it in the background... Maybe my favorite part. And goes along with the story that they made her sing it over and over to wear her down a bit. They got just what they wanted the ol' school way. Brilliant.

Didn’t she have a miscarriage the day after?

I learned they woke her up late at night to come and lay down the vocal and she was well along in her pregnancy

Her voice cracks in an iconic way. She sounded so realistic they left it in.

Yeah, sadly she miscarried.

At the very end of her part, you can hear a “whoop” which is Mick Jagger in the control room. The mics were able to catch it.

She nails it BIIIIIIIG time. Listen closely and you can hear someone give a “Whoo!” After that third “murder” 🤯

I believe she nailed this on the first take, too. Incredible singer.

Fortunately she lost her legs and a horrible car crash few years back. Became a paraplegic but she still getting along

It’s killer that whoa. They got this girl out of bed in the middle of the night to do this Vocal. I think she was pregnant, too

voice cracks the third time she sings it. It’s like a chord of feedback in Soundgarden song when you’re walking around the track in prison wishin you were dead, “Black Day.” That one chord keeps you wanting to to live 51%/die only 49% and after five years you get out & stop shooting dope & never go back. Amen.

OMG, just had a horrible thought if this epic song had been done today with that result. "Oh, never mind the cracking voice, we'll just auto-tune it out later." Vomit.

@@joescott8877don’t worry we woulda left it in

@@joescott8877 RIGHT?!? Auto-tune is an abomination.

I think her voice cracking was intentional. Exactly an octave. Mick Jagger's "whoop" on hearing it is also on the track.

And Mick going "Whoo" when she does it.

Legend. Straight up. 👈

good knowledge... one of my favorite Stones stories.... makes you appreciate what a labor of love this track was... Just like The Beatles and Zep they were all masters of the recording studio!

Man... I didn't know that. 😕🥺

I hate the way this story is told as if it's something to celebrate. I really, really hate it.

@@hackdaniels7253 How would you like the story to go….. she falls into a deep depression and commits suicide ?? 🤡 the story is what happened, can’t change it for you !

You took the words right out of my mouth, that's exactly how I feel about this song. Goosebumps every time!

Just heard that for the first time ever.

So classic!

Yep. The isolated track is available on KZfaq. It’s truly amazing. Recorded like 2am in a rain storm. One of the greatest impromptu vocals ever

And is still great at more than 50 years old.

Or the 5,000th or so, who knows, but I have heard it as much as any other in my lifetime.

It amazes me, with this song and The Stones in general being such a huge part of my life for decades, that there are people that have never listened to this tune before.

I only recently heard this song and absolutely love it. Blew my mind on first listen. Amazing message and vocals.

Keith famously said on the documentary about his life as a Rolling Stone, “Solos come and go, but a riff lasts forever.”

Yeah he is a great song writer

Sabbath and Floyd as well.

Don't forget Aftermath with Ruby Tuesday....

@@jordan390a truth

@@justinatest9456 truth again

Temptations, Deep Purple, Zeppelin, Sabbath, Floyd, The Who, Earth Wind and Fire, Ohio Players, Steely Dan, Trapeze...70's had tons of timeless bands and albums. More than I and others mentioned. But Stones were definitely in their prime in 1970's. I saw them once in concert late 90's, probably when they were at their lowest point (Keith's peak of addiction showed up on stage, Mick's voice shot, and seemed like the bad acoustics were intentional to try to gloss over it. But I know they were top notch all throughout mid 60's to early 80's. Which is impressive by any standards. Same thing with The Who and Clapton. I saw them both way past their primes.

Monkey Man is awesome.. Well, I admit it, I been tossed around By every she-rat in this town Have you, babe?

Yeah, Monkey Man is dope, killer cut, the opening always gives me chills.

He was only unofficial because the Stones' management thought he wasn't a good visual fit for the band's image.

Interesting bio on Nicky Hopkins. Sad his health issues limited him to being a studio role player. Apparently he was so good he was in demand by most major bands. But he couldn't tour. Very interesting bio, but also sad. He was struggling financially much of his brief life. That's too much talent to have those burdens. His agent(s) used him sounds like.

Why do people write dumb shit like this. Every Stones fan knows about Nick Hopkins. His contributions to the Stones and other bands get a lot of recognition.

Nadie desprecia al gran Nicky, es un gran Stone y todos lo amamos por siempre!

If the stories are to be believed, the Stones rang up Merry Clayton and asked her to sing on this. (Did she ever!!!!!) But she went home and had a miscarriage...

This song perfectly captures the gravity of that period in history. I grew up in the Vietnam era and was fortunate enough to be only 6 in '69, so I missed it. But I can remember worrying my dad was going to get drafted. I also remember the absolute energy & electricity in the air that you could feel -- even as a kid. There's a reason why the music from this era is so damn good - the best IMO.

Exactly the comparison I had in mind.

Both give hair raising performances, they both should get a Grammy for their contributions to 2 songs that will be heard forever.

@@vicprovost2561 Well it's estimated Clare Torry got 5 to 10 million from her lawsuit so one can argue that is better than a grammy lol

Sympathy for the Devil from “Get Yer Ya Yas Out” is better than studio imo.

I was just thinking when I used to hear this song on the radio Vietnam was on the news every day.

Every time I hear the intro to this song, I see Hueys with a gunner sitting with his M 60 machine gun in the open door and a bunch of grunts behind him, heading out into God knows what. I the unofficial anthem of the Vietnam war.

The anthem of pouring agent orange and napalm on unarmed civilians and freedom fighters

Great documentary

I’m an old AFRTS DJ. This, IMHO is the greatest rock song of all time.

The threat of nuclear war is still with us.

Just gently trying to correct you (please, no disrespect), Mick plays the Blues Harp and not the Harmonica!! I

​@@darylcliffordFYI call call it what you want . And no need for correction. The blues harp is slang for Monica. It's not a different instrument. The blues harp and the harmonica

​@@darylclifford- Mate, it's the same exact instrument.

@@joeyhuebner10 I stand corrected - no need to repeat @joansavarese2974 - I told him no disrespect - so he offered a concise explanation, which I appreciate more than any blunt and repetitive remark!

👍🏻 Midnight Rambler!! It's such a picturesque song. I can see everything they are singing about. Perfect request.

Well, considering this may very well be the best rock and roll song ever, this would be true.

Merry Clayton OWNS this track.

I was reading that she flew home after the studio sessions for Gimme Shelter and lost her child. That's bizarre and sad.

@@Greg-io1ip very sad didn't know that

@@mrnobody9104 Truly is. She's had some rough times. Then again she went from a small black church gospel singer to globally heard legend. She deserved better luck. She's apparently still alive after losing both legs in a car accident/diabetes complications related to recovery (probably the contusions from the wreck clotted and had to amputate to save her life.). She must be truly tough.

It was a combination of factors from stress. She flew back to Los Angeles apparently after they got the recordings they wanted. Probably no rest, altitude changes, nutrition perhaps low from the erratic travel and sleep schedules. But in 1969, medical technology lagging, and I understand she had more gigs coming up she wanted to get back to LA for. If you're not in town when they call, someone else gets the gig.

She tells the story herself just that way in the documentary "20 Feet from Stardom"- a must-see!

They got earphone heads They got dirty necks They're so 20th century...

or same lp, monkey man....that piano...etc..

Great show! I was there too. Saw lots of rocking shows at that stadium.