The following video was produced for a class by ReinaldoUPR and posted to you tube in October of 2009. In the 2 years it has been up it has been viewed over 650,000 times. This iconic song and the images contained in the video are a powerful reminder of the turbulent era of the 1960’s and that we still have a long way to go. (Doug, it gave me the chills too.)
Gimme Shelter
Oh, a storm is threat’ning
My very life today
If I don’t get some shelter
Oh yeah, I’m gonna fade away
War, children, it’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
War, children, it’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
Ooh, see the fire is sweepin’
Our very street today
Burns like a red coal carpet
Mad bull lost its way
War, children, it’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
War, children, it’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
Rape, murder!
It’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
Rape, murder!
It’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
Rape, murder!
It’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
The floods is threat’ning
My very life today
Gimme, gimme shelter
Or I’m gonna fade away
War, children, it’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
I tell you love, sister, it’s just a kiss away
It’s just a kiss away
It’s just a kiss away
It’s just a kiss away
It’s just a kiss away
Kiss away, kiss away
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
listened 5 times. the past crashes into today. back then we had millions take to the streets and the law wasn’t organized the way they are today.
The more things change the more they stay the same. Kind of scary, whats the point. But you gotta keep trying It is all you have.
I guess it is all just human nature.
thanks great video.
Just so you all know, that is my favorite singer on the planet wailing away behind the Stones. Her name is Merry Clayton and take a min or two to look her up on You Tube, you will be glad you did and blown away by her passion!
I think it’s safe to say in thousands of years when humanity looks back in posterity, the years from 1965-1973 would easily be the most significant in the evolution of music, as it spans the years in which rock and roll fully matured and spread its creative wings. Look at the transformation from the Beatles “I wanna hold your hand” to Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” and it’s as if it spanned a millenium, not just 8 years.
All of this fueled and inspired by the tumultous events taking place worldwide and the new ability of people to quickly access information about it through television, radio and print.
Now that the internet, access to it on the fly through smart phones and tablets, and hundreds of satellite fed cable channels takes it to new levels how does this figure for mankind’s future? A mixed blessing as there is too much out there and it stifles growth of relations with people on a local level.
Anyway thanks for sharing this, one of the few iconic ’60’s anthems that actually holds its own musically and has aged gracefully with time like fine wine, even if its principals in the recording have not- though I suppose Mick and Keith still pass for “cool” in their age group.