Let It Bleed (song)
| "Let It Bleed" | |
|---|---|
Japanese single cover
|
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| Single by The Rolling Stones | |
| from the album Let It Bleed | |
| B-side | "You Got the Silver" |
| Released | February 1970 (Japan) |
| Recorded | 9 March – 10 June 1969 |
| Genre | Blues[1] |
| Length | 5:28 |
| Label | Decca Records/ABKCO/London (Single) |
| Writer(s) | Mick Jagger/Keith Richards |
| Producer(s) | Jimmy Miller |
"Let It Bleed" is a song by English rock band The Rolling Stones. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and features on the 1969 album of the same name. It was released as a single in Japan in February 1970.
"Sixth Stone" Ian Stewart plays piano on this track (his only appearance on the album) while Bill Wyman plays autoharp. It may be that "Let It Bleed" was a take on The Beatles' song/album Let It Be. The titles are very similar, and there was a running history of the Stones and the Beatles tweaking each other. The Stones' "Let It Bleed" was released months before "Let It Be", but the songs from Let It Be had been recorded earlier than most of the songs in Let It Bleed.
The song opens with a slide piece and quickly moves into a solo acoustic guitar strumming C, F and G chords before bass, drums and piano join in, respectively. Wyman's autoharp can be heard somewhat faintly during the first verse with noticeable 'ping' sounds coming from it around the 0:40-0:50 mark but it is mostly inaudible throughout the track after the 0:55 ('she said my breasts') minute mark.
The lyrics include a number of drug and sexual references, including an invitation for "coke and sympathy," a reference to a "junkie nurse" and Jagger's suggestions that we all need someone to "bleed on," "cream on" and "come on" him.[2] However, to Allmusic critic Richie Unterberger, the song is mainly about "emotional dependency," with Jagger willing to accept a partner who wants to lean "on him for emotional support."[2]
Unterberger also asserts that "Let It Bleed" may be "the best illustration" of the way the Rolling Stones make "a slightly sloppy approach work for them rather than against them."[2] He also praises Jagger's vocals, stating the song represents "one of his best vocals, with a supremely lazy approach that seems to be both affectionate and mocking at the same time."[2]
Personnel
- Mick Jagger - vocals
- Keith Richards - guitar
- Bill Wyman - bass guitar, autoharp
- Charlie Watts - drums
- Ian Stewart - piano
- Ry Cooder - slide guitar[citation needed]
