On this, the 50th anniversary of Let It Bleed, I declare that "Gimme Shelter" was the Stones' best.

Prove me wrong.

 

Honky Tonk Woman
Brown Sugar
Jumping Jack Flash

 

NONE of those songs or performances thereof have the depth of intellect and emotion of "Gimme Shelter."

 

TBH, I just wanted to start a bar fight.

 

Agreed, no doubt

 

I don't listen to the Stones for intellectual depth, Keith said it's about feeling it in your crotch. LOLOL

 

Set loose the pigeons!

 

To to a bar and talk some smack.

 

I think you're right.

 

agreed

 

Tie with Wild Horses

 

You talkin to me?

 

Jumpin' Jack Flash stands above all else.

 

Nine of my ten favourite Stones songs date from 1965-67 and the other is Time Waits for No One.

 

It’s a difficult statement to challenge.

I know a lot of people give “Sympathy for the Devil” the nod as their great composition or Exile or Sticky Fingers as their great album. But “Devil” is no “Gimme Shelter.” And Exile and Sticky Fingers don’t have “Gimme Shelter” on them.

Let It Bleed on the other hand has “Gimme Shelter,” and “Can’t Always Get What You Want,” and “Love In Vain,” too. It’s got “Midnight Rambler” and “Let It Bleed,” as well. It’s got something neither Sticky Fingers or Exile have — it’s got Brian Jones, buried somewhere in that mix. And Mick Taylor! All those Taylor aficionados can’t deny Let It Bleed’s greatness, it’s the real Stones’ debut of their guitar hero. It’s got Jack Nitzsche and “Mister Jimmy” Miller as well, a giant supporting cast of who’s who from Stonesville, even Ry Cooder was around.

And, yeah, again, it’s got “Gimme Shelter.”

Sometimes I might prefer “Can’t Always Get What You Want” — as definitive a statement about the’60s and life the Stones ever came up with — but when it comes down to it, the first song or the last song, or even “Monkey Man,” the entirety of Let It Bleed is great. It’s arguably their greatest LP if not the greatest LP in all of rock.

If you think “Gimme Shelter” is the best, I can’t and won’t argue it.

 

No argument as, it's not only the Stones' best, it's the best rock song ever. Second favorite Stones' song, Can't You Hear Me Knocking.

 

Mick who?

 

And 4 great piano/organ players:
Ian Stewart
Nicky Hopkins
Leon Russell
Al Kooper (also playing the french horn on YCAGWYW)

 

In a forum where it is discouraged to have best threads

This song might just have little argument

Even though I don’t like the subject matter - Symphathy for the Devil is also a strong argument

Imho

 

Tough to argue against.

Just too many great songs to be conclusive.

 

Pfff. It's okay, but let's face it, for undercurrents of sheer malevolent malice, no song screams "Rape! Murder!" louder than "Maxwell's Silver Hammer."

(Sorry. I was just leaving...)

 

I declare it’s not even the best song on Let It Bleed. Prove me wrong.

 

Careful, you're about to get hit with "Like A Rolling Stone."

 

I won’t argue with you. Gimme Shelter is as epic a song that has ever been written or performed. The perfect storm!

 

I agree.