Over the years there have been many songs taken from the band's past and revived on stage, some have lasted onlky for a tour (Play with Fire, Monkey Man), some have come back and become a steady part of the set list (Paint it Black in 1989). But there is one song, actually a musical sequel to Paint it Black, that was never touched again by the Stones live, after having played it live shortly in 66: Mother' s Little Helper. I believe it could well be a nini hit because of its musical power that Ron would be able to deliver well as he did with Paint it Black and add something to the live set. So why don't they play it live? I believe the problem rest solely on the opening line: "What a drag it is getting old", which Jagger doesn't feel like singing, maybe scared that some newspaper/tv reports cxould use it as headline and therefore cause bad publicity to the whole band. Hope they'd be able to go over that fear.

I've always thought it would be a great opener due to that opening line. As for Mick being afraid of it, pure speculation.

Cannot sing? Or is deathly afraid of singing?

Regarding this fear, I think you're putting thoughts into his head.

I always thought it would be realy great if they play that song! They never do, but Jagger did at his solo gig to promote his Wandering Spirit album in 1993.

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GJV
I always thought it would be realy great if they play that song! They never do, but Jagger did at his solo gig to promote his Wandering Spirit album in 1993.

I think it was "Have you seen your mother..."

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riccardo99
Over the years there have been many songs taken from the band's past and revived on stage, some have lasted onlky for a tour (Play with Fire, Monkey Man), some have come back and become a steady part of the set list (Paint it Black in 1989). But there is one song, actually a musical sequel to Paint it Black, that was never touched again by the Stones live, after having played it live shortly in 66: Mother' s Little Helper. I believe it could well be a nini hit because of its musical power that Ron would be able to deliver well as he did with Paint it Black and add something to the live set. So why don't they play it live? I believe the problem rest solely on the opening line: "What a drag it is getting old", which Jagger doesn't feel like singing, maybe scared that some newspaper/tv reports cxould use it as headline and therefore cause bad publicity to the whole band. Hope they'd be able to go over that fear.

It's absolutely one of their best songs from the 60's so I also wonder why they haven't played it live... It's really the only great traditional type of SONG they haven't played live as for their original songs. Maybe the lyrics are the issue here...

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riccardo99
Over the years there have been many songs taken from the band's past and revived on stage, some have lasted onlky for a tour (Play with Fire, Monkey Man), some have come back and become a steady part of the set list (Paint it Black in 1989). But there is one song, actually a musical sequel to Paint it Black, that was never touched again by the Stones live, after having played it live shortly in 66: Mother' s Little Helper. I believe it could well be a nini hit because of its musical power that Ron would be able to deliver well as he did with Paint it Black and add something to the live set. So why don't they play it live? I believe the problem rest solely on the opening line: "What a drag it is getting old", which Jagger doesn't feel like singing, maybe scared that some newspaper/tv reports cxould use it as headline and therefore cause bad publicity to the whole band. Hope they'd be able to go over that fear.

Monkey Man: 1994, 1995, 2002, 2003 and 2007. And it was always delivered brilliantly!

IAW Ricardo that he will never sing it because of that opening line. It is also a line that is essential to the song, so it can't really be dropped.
I thought it was going to be a thread on which song do we think Jagger can't sing live. My vote would surely go to "Rocks Off'. One of the greatest song in the Stones canon, but it comes off so bad live. Mainly because Jagger can not decide which way to go with it. In studio the main vocal is actually far down register-wise, and that won't project on stage. I have never understood why they dont change the key for that song.

I read an interview with Mick where he said they wouldn't change keys on any song.

They did that, however, back in 73 already - with IAON.

IAON is for ???

It's All Over Now (The Nicaraguan Benefit show)

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kowalski

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GJV
I always thought it would be realy great if they play that song! They never do, but Jagger did at his solo gig to promote his Wandering Spirit album in 1993.

I think it was "Have you seen your mother..."

You're right ofcourse! I always confuse those two songs which each other.

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Palace Revolution 2000
IAW Ricardo that he will never sing it because of that opening line. It is also a line that is essential to the song, so it can't really be dropped.
I thought it was going to be a thread on which song do we think Jagger can't sing live. My vote would surely go to "Rocks Off'. One of the greatest song in the Stones canon, but it comes off so bad live. Mainly because Jagger can not decide which way to go with it. In studio the main vocal is actually far down register-wise, and that won't project on stage. I have never understood why they dont change the key for that song.

I always thought that theyd never play 'Its all over now' and 'The last time' live because of how it'd be interpreted....and they played neither of them for decades on end. Now it doesnt seem to be an issue.

I think it'd be wonderfully ironic to hear Mick sing those lyrics in 2014.

We've often tried to perform Mother's Little Helper and it's never been any good, never gelled for some reason - it's either me not playing it right or Keith not wanting to do it like that. It's never worked. It's just one of those songs. We used to try it live but it's a bloody hard record to play, although we did perform it live on Ed Sullivan.

- Charlie Watts, 2003

How old were they when they wrote 'Mother Little Helper" 23, I think it's a great and funny song especially in "66, don't think it will fit the Stones in 2014......We Love You would be a better choice.....don't know why they never consider to play this song live.........

__________________________

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rollingon
IAON is for ???

Thank you for asking, that one stumped me too

It's All Over Now ...



ROCKMAN

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Gazza

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Palace Revolution 2000
IAW Ricardo that he will never sing it because of that opening line. It is also a line that is essential to the song, so it can't really be dropped.
I thought it was going to be a thread on which song do we think Jagger can't sing live. My vote would surely go to "Rocks Off'. One of the greatest song in the Stones canon, but it comes off so bad live. Mainly because Jagger can not decide which way to go with it. In studio the main vocal is actually far down register-wise, and that won't project on stage. I have never understood why they dont change the key for that song.

I always thought that theyd never play 'Its all over now' and 'The last time' live because of how it'd be interpreted....and they played neither of them for decades on end. Now it doesnt seem to be an issue.

I think it'd be wonderfully ironic to hear Mick sing those lyrics in 2014.

They can always rewrite the lyrics. They've done it before:..."she looked about fifty..."

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treaclefingers

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rollingon
IAON is for ???

Thank you for asking, that one stumped me too

abbreviations should be for bitten on IORR 80% I don't recognize ...

__________________________

Daltrey still sings "Hope I die before I get old." I really don't think there's any embarrassment regarding the lyrics on their part--Jagger can always sing the first line with an ironic expression, if absolutely necessary.

I always thought that Mother's little Helper was a bad song. Almost embarrassing.

Rip this joint

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NICOS

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treaclefingers

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rollingon
IAON is for ???

Thank you for asking, that one stumped me too

abbreviations should be for bitten on IORR 80% I don't recognize ...

+1 on that idea...
I feel silly how often I cant place the song with the SSCA (sometimes seeemingly cyrillic abbreviation)

I agree, though I think there should be an exception for YCAGWYW (You Can't Always get Want You Want), on account of length.

IAON was strangely hard to decipher, but it definitely deserves abbreviation status up there with the great ones that need not be spelled out here. WOAF is strange, but easily recognized. Can't think of any songs that might be confused with others, but the albums BB, B2B and BtB have caused problems for me. For the upcoming leg, I think a good setlist would be one where I have to think for a minute before making the connection. Some of those songs MJ can't sing live should be in there (LIS, ASMB, RO, MLH), IMHO.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2014-02-09 10:34 by Sipuncula.

IAON took me 2 and a half second to decipher but I had a bugger last nite to realize what OMS was.. And OMS is one of their best songs in years IMHO!!!

Could somebody make a list of the Stones songs and their abbreviations and this list could be somewhere here in iorr? Just an idea.

My guess is that if there is one former recorded Stones song, which has lyrics that Mick Jagger would have had some problem to deliver, unless done ironically, it has to be this one, written by Arthur Alexander