Was getting ready for work today, going thru my usual ritual (yes I have one, sorry as it may sound). I usually keep my iTunes on random for surprises, and sure enough, 'You Got Me Rocking' came on. I haven't listened to the original studio version in a year or so, maybe 2. Well it struck me! Really, that booming drum sound, the nice touches of slide and 'mystery' guitar (I understand that to be a dobro), the gnarly and impassioned vocal by Mick. @#$%& alright track! Yes the lyrics are nonsense, that is undeniable - but it's a rock and roll song, what do you want? Who needs the lyrical dexterity of say, Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen, over this swampy, gritty track? It would sound silly as hell from a lot of artists, but in the grasp of a band that built its rep out of sounding primal (like AC/DC), it sounds RIGHT. So many other good elements - Keith's perfect little solo, Mick's primal screams when he improvises, a nice production job that keeps things both murky and bright at once.

It may not be 'Jumping Jack Flash', but there's plenty to like here. I only wish that the live versions could come close to this. If so, maybe hardcore fans would go easier on this song. Either way, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed listening to it, and for a moment I was transported back to 1994, when 'Voodoo Lounge' was THE hottest thing to hit record stores. Good times.

I agree! Great song. When I first heard this song a smile spread on my face as I heard the classic riffing and slide attack. Great stuff, and the lyrics are fine for like you say a simple rock song. I don't understand all the greif that is piled on this song. A classic later day rocker. And one of the best on Voodoo!

One of my favorites, that's for sure ... But maybe they've relied on it a bit too much? ... I mean, it's been performed on EVERY tour since 1994! But on the other hand, I can't help but feel just sympathy on their inconditional support to this song -that's my band!

Great on record, but they never really captured that rawness (especially on the choruses) live, imo.

It is a simple, very good rock song that features a dance element, I think the best versions could be heard 1997-1999. The No Security version is better than the studioversion I think.

...Very wel put, Imposter!
I second that completely.

Great song, great drums,, great guitars..........and the extended mix......pa cagarse ( to die listening it)

i love it too! a great rocking stones song!

YGMR is one of those songs that works far better on record than live. Always thought it was one of their better late period rockers.

I love it, but there's plenty here that have strong feelings in the negative. I don't understand.

One of the few songs I never really liked,especially live it´s
often enough forced into one´s throat....

I really enjoyed it when it was played on ABB tour .

I actually think it comes over well live - gets the crowd going.

ugh

Love it 100% both the studio version and the when played live.

Often gets slagged off here for being played live to often (surprise, surprise. but then again, what doesn't get knocked here?) but I would willingl,y listen to them play it live every gig.

Hey Hey, you got me rockin'!!!!!

I like the studio version a lot better then when they played it live...I have always enjoyed it but when
they do it live its sounds like they are bored to death...ha..That's one song they should skip on their next tour.
The song reminds me of, If you can't rock me...Just not as good.

formulamatic drivel, both musically and lyrically. nothing a bunch of wannabe hacks couldn't have come up with in 5 minutes....a true embarrassment for a band known as the grnrbitw...

Quote
StonesTod
formulamatic drivel, both musically and lyrically. nothing a bunch of wannabe hacks couldn't have come up with in 5 minutes....a true embarrassment for a band known as the grnrbitw...

I tried to put it in a decent ,diplomatic way,but....your description comes pretty close to what I really think about this song.

Yea...I love the way StonesTod beats around the bushes when he talks about things...He has a way with words...ha.

Quote
hot stuff
Yea...I love the way StonesTod beats around the bushes when he talks about things...He has a way with words...ha.

nothing a bunch of wannabe whiners couldn't have come up with in 5 minutes

what exactly is "rocking" anyway? how does one make another participate in "rocking"? is mick singing from the point of view of a rocking chair?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-02-24 19:20 by bernardanderson.

One of the better versions of this song is Austin. Charlie is on his game, and Ronnie is spot on the slide guitar..

Quote
bernardanderson
what exactly is "rocking" anyway? how does one make another participate in "rocking"? is mick singing from the point of view of a rocking chair?

isn't this the song that inspired the term "cringe-worthy"?

The No Security version is pretty good for a live version - better than any other one I've ever heard.

The unedited version from one of the Voodoo boots is amusing because one can hear where the ribbon falls off the snare drum - and when someone managed to put it back on - and that's the take they used for the LP.

Quote
skipstone
The No Security version is pretty good for a live version - better than any other one I've ever heard.

The unedited version from one of the Voodoo boots is amusing because one can hear where the ribbon falls off the snare drum - and when someone managed to put it back on - and that's the take they used for the LP.

Agreed on No Security - probably the best live version I have heard, though I wonder how much of that benefits from overdubs. either way it has a good mix and some nice energy.

Again, to naysayers of the song, I would never argue it is a brilliantly written song. It;s pretty dumb actually, but so are a lot of AC/DC songs - just empty-headed, fun rock and roll songs. Plus I think the production on the album version is great, just loaded with cool sounds and a fierce delivery from Keith, Charlie and Mick especially.

Quote
theimposter
I would never argue it is a brilliantly written song. It;s pretty dumb actually, but so are a lot of AC/DC songs

maybe if ron and keith played this while wearing school-boy uniforms it would work better....

What's nice about the live version compared to the LP version is it's faster and a bit tighter and the singing is better - even a little bit different in places, which is nice. And it's more rocking, ha ha, and performed better (as were almost all of the songs on the Bridges tour compared to the Voodoo tour).

Quote
skipstone
(as were almost all of the songs on the Bridges tour compared to the Voodoo tour).

With the exception of 'Flip the Switch' - Keith had lots of tasty licks on the live version, but the overall intensity of it couldn't really touch the album version.

Truly pedestrian

love the song live and studio, gets the crowd pumped IMO, nice little rocker, never understood the negative vibe this one gets



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-02-25 04:35 by melillo.