hi,

A friend since childhood emailed today musing on YCAGWYW. He's a musician and writer, and expounded lengthily about it.

A very small excerpt:

"I thought of how I've never liked the choral introduction, about how the single version -- with Keith's guitar just bursting open -- was always preferable to me. It's Mick trying to elevate himself into music...Classical territory. Such as the times were...to lift himself into the smartness of The Beatles, which was always a fatal Achilles Heel (to sound like Yogi Berra for a moment). The chorale makes no sense at all. 'Classy' wallpaper in a wooden shack; a wooden shack that was just fine fine fine on its own. No biggie. But it would seem odd to me if someone were passionately attached to that introduction."

I realized I've also never "liked" the opening chorale. I wait for it to finish.

What are your thoughts?

- swiss



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-11-28 14:00 by swiss.

It's fantastic. It makes the original recording for me.

I grew up used to listen to the single version, so when I first listened to the album version with the choir intro I thought it was kind of strange, but I liked. Nowadays I love it, and the live version with the choir added since 2012 was a great changing.

I think I could live without the choir intro, but I do love the choir outro.

I think the choir is very important may be essential to the song to support and emphazise the philosophical message that the title carries. I don't think about Mick's ego when I listen to the song at all.
Rock and roll,
Mops

Without that opening, it would have been a very pedestrian song, IMO, and probably would have come off as a Dylan knock-off. The choral opening (together with the outro) makes the song.

Keith's guitar intro works in concert because we all know the choral opening.

Most of my life I could take it or leave it but when they added it to the live show in 2012 I get the goosebumps everytime whether it be Live or studio version.

Quote
Green Lady
I think I could live without the choir intro, but I do love the choir outro.

Same here. But I really couldn't live without the Brussell's live version.

I guess it wasn't a thrill for me back in the day as I edited it out one time when making a mixtape.

I loved it the first time I heard it and still do...although I prefer the outro compare to the intro (studio)

__________________________

I have always thought that the choir intro added very little to the song. It is a very simplistic arrangement, kind of like a symphony orchestra playing only whole notes and half notes. When I heard it for the first time my initial thought was that the Stones were trying to be something they weren't, reaching for a musical sophistication that they did not have.

If I remember well, the first time I heard this one with the noisy choir, I was quite surprised and thought there was a problem with the cassette or with my player.
no, everything was ok and when Keith's guitar appeared, then it was much better and happy not to have to fix the player.
Today, I also tend to play fast forward to skip the intro and prefer the outro.

It's an essential part of the song that sets the contemplative somber gospel vibe which then re-occurs at the end with a victorious hallelujah and stomping celebration.

The orchestra intro to the Beatles All You Need is Love is similar in that it sets the stage and announces things to come.

Without the intro's, neither of them be the same.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

not much i guess but it alludes to KR the choir boy and as such is one of the 2 million or so essential RS parts.

Quote
herecomesrichard
It's fantastic. It makes the original recording for me.

Same here. And for the record I'm also attached to the "car horn" at the beginning of Country Honk!

Love it. Its great to see the excitment on the choir's faces while on stage with the Stones.

Yeah, these days the choir does work well live - especially dramatic as the encore.

It's one of their big prog rock moments. However, it wouldn't have been out of place on a Moody Blues record. I used to skip it, but have grown fonder of it over the years. Adding the local choirs to the live arrangement is a nice touch.

BTW, the greatest Stones prog moment is the mellotron on We Love You. That outdoes King Crimson for dark menace!

It's very moving... but I find far more moving the choir of screams/applause that came during the very 1st live rendition of the song (Vancouver'72) when Keef hits the intro chords and the audience realizes YCAGWYW is being played.

It gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it!

Quote
Green Lady
I think I could live without the choir intro, but I do love the choir outro.

Me too -- also do like the French horn meandering in.

Interesting responses, in general.

I wonder whether anyone who likes the choir opening likes it more, having heard it live? I know I appreciate it more -- it was thrilling to see the choir in Oakland. And it was really touching that they went to the bother to re-create it live--but even more, in each locality.

Does anyone know whose idea was that? With no basis for saying so, I feel like it might be something unexpected, like Charlie saying "Why don't we add the choir back in?" and Mick jumping on it as a good idea--and maybe Keith or even Ronnie suggesting local choirs. I wonder...

- swiss

I have LOVED the additions of the mostly local choirs since the began in 2012 and would hate to see them go. Great for the choir members and their schools etc., and the concert itself.

Only way I would be happy to see it go is if/when they put on a "stripped" down concert/tour featuring just the Rolling Stones.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-11-29 04:43 by MisterDDDD.

Quote
MisterDDDD
I have LOVRD the additions of the mostly local choirs since the began in 2012 and would hate to see them go. Great for the choir members and their schools etc., and the concert itself.

Only way I would be happy to see it go is if/when they put on a "stripped" down concert/tour featuring just the Rolling Stones.

YES to all that, MisterDDD.

I don't particularly like it as a stand alone, isolated thing but it's interesting sounding, those weird English enunciations and the high pitched sopranos draw you in on an almost subconscious level. But most importantly it sets up the beautiful, powerful, soulful and simple acoustic guitar that really satisfies. It's like the classic suspense and release that's so important to the best music, in this case they just start with the suspense...and man what a release!

You can't really appreciate it's significance or impact without including what it so perfectly sets up. That transition is friggin' brilliant. That's what it's about for me. When I hear the choir now I get excited knowing that the beautiful acoustic is about to be unleashed. It's like a musical drum roll or something.

Always loved it.

the french horn is important too.

Quote
Naturalust
I don't particularly like it as a stand alone, isolated thing but it's interesting sounding, those weird English enunciations and the high pitched sopranos draw you in on an almost subconscious level. But most importantly it sets up the beautiful, powerful, soulful and simple acoustic guitar that really satisfies. It's like the classic suspense and release that's so important to the best music, in this case they just start with the suspense...and man what a release!

You can't really appreciate it's significance or impact without including what it so perfectly sets up. That transition is friggin' brilliant. That's what it's about for me. When I hear the choir now I get excited knowing that the beautiful acoustic is about to be unleashed. It's like a musical drum roll or something.

Well put!

Love the choir

I'm another one who doesn't need the choir intro but loves the outro - although what I really love about it
is that cymbal that sounds like a refugee from a lunatic asylum stumbling along in its off-kilter looniness
until the glorious moment the track kicks into doubletime and the cymbal falls into place along with the rest
now THAT is leap up dancing hallelujah time!

Ahem, I mean: The choir adds a nice icing to the outro, but the glory is in that cymbal. Thanks & praises, Jimmy Miller

Don't like the choir at all. Wish there was a mix available without it.Pretty much ruins a classic as far as I'm concerned.

Quote
ash
Don't like the choir at all. Wish there was a mix available without it.Pretty much ruins a classic as far as I'm concerned.

there is an official version without the choir on Collector's Only (German release I think)

appreciated the chorale on the Zip Code tour (& 50th tour)...but in general i don't have strong feelings either way.


IORR............but I like it!