Gimme Shelter

Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, "Gimme Shelter" was created from the combined efforts of both the singer and the guitarist. Richards had been working on the song's signature opening in London while Jagger was working on the film Performance. The song takes the form of a churning mid-tempo rocker. It begins with a rhythm guitar intro by Richards, followed by Jagger's lead vocal. On the recording of the album, Jagger said in a 1995 interview with Rolling Stone, "Well, it's a very rough, very violent era. The Vietnam War. Violence on the screens, pillage and burning. And Vietnam was not war as we knew it in the conventional sense..." On the song itself, he concluded, "That's a kind of end-of-the-world song, really. It's apocalypse; the whole record's like that." The lyrics of the song speak of seeking shelter from a coming storm, painting a picture of devastation and social apocalypse while also talking of the power of love: “ 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" The track was used to great effect in the Martin Scorses 1995 classic, 'Casino' adding period atmosphere as only great music can.

Gimme Shelter (Live 1995) Lyrics The Rolling Stones [Intro] Ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh-ooh [Verse 1] Ooh, a storm is threat'ning My very life today If I don't get some shelter Ooh yeah, I'm gonna fade away [Chorus] 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 [Verse 2] Ooh, see the fire is sweeping Our very street today Burns like a red coal carpet Mad bull lost your way [Chorus] 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 [Guitar Solo] [Bridge] 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 [Verse 3] Mmm, the floods is threat'ning My very life today Gimme, gimme shelter Or I'm going to fade away [Chorus] 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 [Outro] 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) [Audience Applause] [Spoken Word: Mick Jagger] Thank you! [?] Lisa! Alright. Woah! Yes indeed, are you ready for the next one? Produced By Mick McKenna, Elaine Shephered, Terry Shand, Geoff Kempin, Sherry Daly, Joyce Smith, Jane Rose, Dave Trafford & Don Was Written By Mick Jagger & Keith Richards Assistant Engineer Henk van Helvoirt, Kazuaki Fujita, Brandon Peters, Rene Suydendorp, Ronnie Rivera & Sander Nagel Mixing Engineer Bob Clearmountain & Ryan Freeland Primary Artists Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood & Charlie Watts Additional Artists Darryl Jones, Chuck Leavell, Lisa Fischer, Bernard Fowler, Bobby Keys (Saxophonist), Kent Smith, Andy Snitzer, Don Was & Michael Davis Recorded At Paradiso, Amsterdam Release Date June 3, 2016