I am just now reading the book by Keith Richards, Life. In one of the earlier chapters, Keith recounts how John Lennon teased him about how bad his solo in the middle of the song was. This was apparently soon after the song was released for radio play.

I have listened to this song many times and think it is pretty much incredible. It is wild, fast, and energetic, and is one of his better solos, ever.

The solo begins about 1:28 into the song.

I think you will either love it or hate it.

[www.youtube.com]

Ive always been impressed by it, but what do I know.

My all time favorite Stones Song.

It's a trip to listen to on headphones with that primitive stereo. Bass and drums on one side, guitars on the other with some bleed-over on the echo.

The solo is great. John (and I love him) could be a bit envious of the Stones.

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71Tele
The solo is great. John (and I love him) could be a bit envious of the Stones.

...George in his early days couldn't hold a candle to that lead. John wished George could do that...

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flilflam
I am just now reading the book by Keith Richards, Life. In one of the earlier chapters, Keith recounts how John Lennon teased him about how bad his solo in the middle of the song was. This was apparently soon after the song was released for radio play.

I have listened to this song many times and think it is pretty much incredible. It is wild, fast, and energetic, and is one of his better solos, ever.

The solo begins about 1:28 into the song.

I think you will either love it or hate it.

[www.youtube.com]

Lennon must have had a bug up his ass that day. That's one of my favorite solos of all time.

"Gonna find my way to heaven because I did my time in hell"
- Dan -
Fan of The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in The World

Supposedly, George had to record his "Roll Over Beethoven" solo at half-speed.

Oh, look, yet another Beatles vs. Stones thread. All the OP had to do was mentioned a little aside from Keith's book about a comment from a Beatle and all the resentful Stones fans start seething away--not only putting down Lennon, but also insulting Harrison in the process. Typical.

If someone from another band had teased Keith (and we don't know the context behind the teasing), any other band, be it Ray Davies from the Kinks or Townshend from the Who, none of these posters would have bothered.

It's a few resentful Stones fans who "have a bug up their ass", even 50 years on.

On those heavy as hell gauged strings, and a guitar that likely wasn't set up well, it's bad assed.

I agree with JL in that I don't think it's a very good solo. It doesn't make sense to my ears as it completely flies in the face of the laid back groove of the song. Just doesn't fit for me and I've always thought as much. That style is killer on "Carol" (obviously) but doesn't suit what's essentially a country song me finks.

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71Tele
Supposedly, George had to record his "Roll Over Beethoven" solo at half-speed.

Where did you get this information? After playing it night after night in Hamburg and Merseyside for three years or more? Please.

However, regarding the question, I think Lennon was having a go at Keith, in a playful way.
Lennon's solo on You Can't Do That is pretty similiar to IAON.

I'm just a jealous guy ...............



ROCKMAN

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stonehearted
Oh, look, yet another Beatles vs. Stones thread. All the OP had to do was mentioned a little aside from Keith's book about a comment from a Beatle and all the resentful Stones fans start seething away--not only putting down Lennon, but also insulting Harrison in the process. Typical.

If someone from another band had teased Keith (and we don't know the context behind the teasing), any other band, be it Ray Davies from the Kinks or Townshend from the Who, none of these posters would have bothered.

It's a few resentful Stones fans who "have a bug up their ass", even 50 years on.

I love the Beatles, I just don't think he was that great of a guitarist in the real early days and nothing he did in '64 could compare with that solo that Lennon was complaining about. I'm not entitled to my opinion?

Good gravy, here we go again.
In case some of you need to be reminded, George Harrison was GREAT guitar player. Case closed.
In fact, he's one of the best slide guitarists ever.

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BluzDude

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71Tele
The solo is great. John (and I love him) could be a bit envious of the Stones.

...George in his early days couldn't hold a candle to that lead. John wished George could do that...

John played similar solos in the early days. I think he was just teasing because the solo was a bit one- dimensional, as great as it is...

I love John's solo on Yer Blues, those hammer-ons from E to G.
Funny how no one says, "Oh, Keith or Clapton or Dave Davies could have played it better." But when George takes a solo it's "Oh, Keith or Eric or Dave Davies could have done it better."

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stonehearted
Oh, look, yet another Beatles vs. Stones thread. All the OP had to do was mentioned a little aside from Keith's book about a comment from a Beatle and all the resentful Stones fans start seething away--not only putting down Lennon, but also insulting Harrison in the process. Typical.

If someone from another band had teased Keith (and we don't know the context behind the teasing), any other band, be it Ray Davies from the Kinks or Townshend from the Who, none of these posters would have bothered.

It's a few resentful Stones fans who "have a bug up their ass", even 50 years on.

My saying that maybe Lennon had a bug up his ass was by no way a resentful put down of the Beatles. I love the Beatles. I was only saying that perhaps John was not in the best of moods on the day he critiqued Keith's solo. No way was that meant to put down the Beatles. One can analyze something a member of a band says. It doesn't mean they are putting down the band. I'll say that sometimes members of the Stones have said things that deserve criticism. I still love the Stones....and I also love the Beatles. You read things into my post that were not there.

"Gonna find my way to heaven because I did my time in hell"
- Dan -
Fan of The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in The World

Please stop that Beatles-Rolling Stones battle. Can't we agree that both were/are great bands? The discussion has nothing to do with putting down Harrison or Lennon.

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saltoftheearth
Please stop that Beatles-Rolling Stones battle. Can't we agree that both were/are great bands? The discussion has nothing to do with putting down Harrison or Lennon.

"Gonna find my way to heaven because I did my time in hell"
- Dan -
Fan of The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in The World

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OzHeavyThrobber
I agree with JL in that I don't think it's a very good solo. It doesn't make sense to my ears as it completely flies in the face of the laid back groove of the song. Just doesn't fit for me and I've always thought as much. That style is killer on "Carol" (obviously) but doesn't suit what's essentially a country song me finks.

I don't think the Valentinos could have ever been described as country, in any sense--anyway, to me the genius of this solo is that it took a song that could have belonged to any number of genres and rooted it firmly in rock and roll.

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BluzDude

John wished George could do that...

You know that for sure, do you?

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FanOfGRARBITW
You read things into my post that were not there.

At least I put in quotes what was there.

what's wrong with that solo? to me it's great
ciao
m.

Fantastic solo, energetic, in your face, rhythmical.
What the F did John Lennon know about solos anyway?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-05-09 11:29 by matxil.

One of the Stones' best solo in one of the Stones' best covers.

The Beatles were a great pop band and especially McCartney was genius.
But, apparantly John Lennon was always insecure about being in a pop-band, and not being in a "real raw rock n roll band", which explains his constant bickering towards both the Stones as McCartney. Some of that was justified, in the case of McCartney because on his off-days he would produce crap like Obladiblabla and Hello, Goodbye, and in the case of the Stones because they did try to copy the Beatles for awhile (65 - 67). Still, why Lennon was always so jealous (in lots of his interviews, sooner or later it would come up one way or other) is a mystery.

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stonehearted

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BluzDude

John wished George could do that...

You know that for sure, do you?

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FanOfGRARBITW
You read things into my post that were not there.

At least I put in quotes what was there.

Let's not argue. It's really not worth it and it's not what people want to see here. Have a nice day dude.

"Gonna find my way to heaven because I did my time in hell"
- Dan -
Fan of The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in The World

Hi all,I remember "Rolling Stone" magazine said it was one of the best solos in rock.(thats when it was a magazine of note)

I like it as a solo but it has to be said that a very great many of Keith's solos in the early years are pretty similar. Anyway, It's All Over Now is a great record.

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71Tele
Supposedly, George had to record his "Roll Over Beethoven" solo at half-speed.

If that were true, then the guitar lead would play back at twice the pitch.

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From4tilLate

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71Tele
Supposedly, George had to record his "Roll Over Beethoven" solo at half-speed.

If that were true, then the guitar lead would play back at twice the pitch.

I think he had to record it backwards :-)

Anyway, I read Life some time ago and don't remember this bit, so I don't know the context Keith puts it in. But eventhough Keith writes it in Life, that doesn't necessarily mean it happened :-) At least I would not start a love / hate - Stones / Beatles argument based upon that. If it happened, it doesn't mean it was more than a good natured teasing. I doubt that Keith suggests anything else. If I knew what page was was on, I would go and look it up. But I don't, so I won't

And yea, the solo - I like it!