Everybody knows The Rolling Stones morph into a formidable live band once they take the stage. And fans opine that such and such songs are so much better live than the studio versions. I would agree now and then.
Yet there are some songs I feel cannot recreate or deliver the unique, magical vibes that emanate from the original studio recordings when they are played live on stage. For me, Gimme Shelter is one. Any live versions, even the mystical Europe ‘73 performance that is religiously worshipped by the group’s devotees, do not convey the mysterious air surrounding the opening track of the Let It Bleed album. The intro build-up of Keith’s haunting guitar work accompanied by the ghost-like scat, Merry Clayton’s legendary shout-cum-singing that goes beyond the human reach, Mick’s apocalyptic harp that brings the song to the close…all of these are absent from the live version. There is something Mick T’s free-flowing ad-libbing in the backing and dexterous solo, though masterful at that, could not make up for.

I also feel some elements of the studio versions are lost or not translated live in Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Sympathy For The Devil and Brown Sugar, to name a few.

What are other IORRers’ choices and views?

2000 Light Years From Home
Jumpin' Jack Flash - post 1970
Sympathy For The Devil - post 1976
You Got The Silver
Can't You Hear Me Knocking
Rocks Off
Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo...
Crazy Mama
Respectable
Beast Of Burden
Emotional Rescue
She's So Cold
Neighbours
She Was Hot
One Hit (To The Body)
Love Is Strong
Anybody Seen My Baby
Doom And Gloom
One More Shot



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2025-10-30 22:31 by GasLightStreet.

Love Is Strong come to mind quickly (unfortunately). Also One Hit To The Body.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025-10-30 22:28 by frankotero.

I forgot about One Hit!

Edited.

With the definite exception of Midnight Rambler - although I do like the studio-take - I think that, generally, the studio recordings of their better-known, genuinely great numbers, are nearly always superior. It’s tough, as I view them as entirely different entities. For example: I don’t associate the Ya-Ya’s Sympathy, with the Beggars Banquet opener.

In my opinion both SFTD and SFM shine during the Mick Taylor years.

For me the most notable are Gimme Shelter and IORR.

Under my Thumb

19th Nervous Breakdown. At least, the ones I saw.

Gimme Shelter, Sympathy for the Devil, SFM , Midnight Rambler, Dead Flowers,Jumping Jack Flash were better live with Taylor.2000 Light Years, Le Spend the Night Together, Miss You,Out of Control, Ain’t Too Proud to Beg ,Hot Stuff are better live with Wood.

I may be in a minority here but I've never heard a live version of You Can't Always Get What You Want that is better than the studio version. Maybe its the Choir and the frantic ending that make the studio version so good.

Someone else mentioned, and Ill agree, IORR.

One irony or paradox surrounding the studio version of IORR the song is, it just doesn’t sound like rock ‘n roll that much despite it was intended to be a celebration of all things rock ‘n roll. More loose than tight, and little sense of urgency there — the whole musicality reminds me of the fashionable tag prevailing in the music scene of the day, ‘laid-back’, the trend most represented by 461 Ocean Boulevard, Eric Clapton’s ‘comeback’ album and another one released in 1974.

The studio version of Sympathy is much better than all live versions, except the versions from Get Yer Ya Yas Out and Hyde Park 1969.Nowadays they play it to slowly.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025-10-31 09:45 by wupperstein.

Miss You


HMN

Gimme Shelter
Monkey Man
Rocks Off
Start Me Up
One Hit
I am sure there are a few more.

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matxil
Gimme Shelter
Monkey Man
Rocks Off
Start Me Up
One Hit
I am sure there are a few more.

Completely agree - although there are some stupendous live renditions of Gimme Shelter.

Moonlight Mile
Sway

Let Me Go
Little T&A (although Leeds 1982 is glorious in its sloppiness)

There are many songs, but the most notable is JJF, imo.

- They don't play the mystical intro
- They skip the melody in the guitar riff
- They skip the vocal melody in the chorus

The closest rendition to the original is Rock'n'Roll Circus. That's why that version is my favourite.

It might be their best rock'n'roll tune ever. It's a shame that they don't treat it as that. For instance, on Shine A Light the guitar riff is almost unrecognisable.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025-10-31 11:33 by DandelionPowderman.

Welcome to the Stones not so much a live band thread!

paint it black has never in any version i've heard surpassed the studio version

same with sympathy for the devil

even the ya-ya's version which i agree is probably the best live version is just merely a good version of the song

but not better then the studio version

wild horses is another one though they get close sometimes

Quote
ProfessorWolf
paint it black has never in any version i've heard surpassed the studio version

same with sympathy for the devil

even the ya-ya's version which i agree is probably the best live version is just merely a good version of the song

but not better then the studio version

wild horses is another one though they get close sometimes

Oh, come on! 'Merely'?? It's friggin' fantastic! As I've said in this thread earlier, I struggle to compare the two. I'll say this, though: it's an absolute turd live, today. IMO, it hasn't been 'truly' good since the Bridges to Babylon and No Security Tours; although there were some decent renditions during the 2002'03 performances.

Paint it Black. Album version is just pure perfection. Also Satisfaction.

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Big Al

Quote
ProfessorWolf
paint it black has never in any version i've heard surpassed the studio version

same with sympathy for the devil

even the ya-ya's version which i agree is probably the best live version is just merely a good version of the song

but not better then the studio version

wild horses is another one though they get close sometimes

Oh, come on! 'Merely'?? It's friggin' fantastic! As I've said in this thread earlier, I struggle to compare the two. I'll say this, though: it's an absolute turd live, today. IMO, it hasn't been 'truly' good since the Bridges to Babylon and No Security Tours; although there were some decent renditions during the 2002'03 performances.

ok poor use of words

it is fantastic in fact it's the best it's ever sounded live

still the studio version is significantly better

but every version after 1970 has been to me pretty bad especially after 1989

it's just never clicked for me and seems to serve as a way for keith to solo for several minutes and for casual fans to hear a version of one of there biggest hits

a lot of people seem to think miss you is a big waste of space in modern shows but it's actually fine it's just to long

sftd on the other hand takes up enough space for at least two better performed songs and short of keith's soloing i can't find anything redeeming in it

maybe if they re-worked it into some kind of new arrangement it would gain some new life

Quote
ProfessorWolf

Quote
Big Al

Quote
ProfessorWolf
paint it black has never in any version i've heard surpassed the studio version

same with sympathy for the devil

even the ya-ya's version which i agree is probably the best live version is just merely a good version of the song

but not better then the studio version

wild horses is another one though they get close sometimes

Oh, come on! 'Merely'?? It's friggin' fantastic! As I've said in this thread earlier, I struggle to compare the two. I'll say this, though: it's an absolute turd live, today. IMO, it hasn't been 'truly' good since the Bridges to Babylon and No Security Tours; although there were some decent renditions during the 2002'03 performances.

ok poor use of words

it is fantastic in fact it's the best it's ever sounded live

still the studio version is significantly better

but every version after 1970 has been to me pretty bad especially after 1989

it's just never clicked for me and seems to serve as a way for keith to solo for several minutes and for casual fans to hear a version of one of there biggest hits

a lot of people seem to think miss you is a big waste of space in modern shows but it's actually fine it's just to long

sftd on the other hand takes up enough space for at least two better performed songs and short of keith's soloing i can't find anything redeeming in it

maybe if they re-worked it into some kind of new arrangement it would gain some new life

Keith's Sympathy For The Devil soloing, today, is the weak link, in my opinion. With this song, I don't think he's strung together a competent lead-run since 2003.

Quote
RisingStone
One irony or paradox surrounding the studio version of IORR the song is, it just doesn’t sound like rock ‘n roll that much despite it was intended to be a celebration of all things rock ‘n roll. More loose than tight, and little sense of urgency there — the whole musicality reminds me of the fashionable tag prevailing in the music scene of the day, ‘laid-back’, the trend most represented by 461 Ocean Boulevard, Eric Clapton’s ‘comeback’ album and another one released in 1974.

It sounds very much like Get it on Bang the Gong by T Rex.They have never attempted to play it live like the studio version

Quote
Taylor1

Quote
RisingStone
One irony or paradox surrounding the studio version of IORR the song is, it just doesn’t sound like rock ‘n roll that much despite it was intended to be a celebration of all things rock ‘n roll. More loose than tight, and little sense of urgency there — the whole musicality reminds me of the fashionable tag prevailing in the music scene of the day, ‘laid-back’, the trend most represented by 461 Ocean Boulevard, Eric Clapton’s ‘comeback’ album and another one released in 1974.

It sounds very much like Get it on Bang the Gong by T Rex.They have never attempted to play it live like the studio version

Yeah, glam influences that came couple years later. I forgot that.
The cover art of the IORR album is also very ‘glam’. Think it is done by the same artist who did Bowie’s Diamond Dogs, also a 1974 release.

In a way, IORR the song reclaimed its identity with the Chuck Berry arrangement on live performances. But it’s so straightforward it feels kinda boring for a long time. Wish they played it according to the studio version on the B-stage, with Mick strumming acoustic guitar.

SFTD on the 89/90 tour with Keith’s explosive solo was the highlight of the show. It went downhill thereafter.

Gimme Shelter is the obvious one for me. Nothing live has ever captured the menace of that studio into. Nor Charlie’s pile driving drums.

Sway also. In the studio recording it has an odd beat. I always think it sounds like it’s going to fall over. On stage, they never find that “sway”, if you will. It’s too perfect.

As others have said, Love is Strong should have been, could have been, a live highlight.. but alas.

And whilst I DO think they’ve played Wild Horses beautifully live, the contradictory simple, yet complex, moving parts of the acoustic studio version make it the superior version to me.

Rod

Miss you comes to my mind.