Gimme Shelter (song)
A cover of the Rolling Stones song ... officially released in 1983 on the Temple of Love 12" single
and re-released in 1992 on The Sisters of Mercy's early singles compilation Some Girls Wander By Mistake.
There are, however, many earlier versions on several Live Bootlegs like ECHOES VOL. II or Colours In Carnage
The Sisters of Mercy covered the song referring to the Altamont Festival on December 6, 1969 .
See a news report about the events here and this - otherwise also quite interesting - interview on this website here (scroll), where Andrew Eldritch explained:
INT: ... there's another quote here I took from your press release. "The Sisters writhe in the legends of Altamont..."
Well, they meant Altamont as in Altamont Speedway the Rolling Stones, when they played early seventies
San Francisco, Altamont Speedway right?
AE: One of the reasons Gimme Shelter is so important. We changed the words around in Gimme Shelter.
The original was about how love's just a kiss away and war is just a shot away. We turned it around.
Altamont's very important. If there's a part of history where rock music stopped for a second and we began.
If there's a point were the seeds of what we do were sown, it's probably Altamont, cus it encapsulated
everything wonderful at the time. The good things and the bad things, and a lot of both. It's when the trip
turned sour and it's when the best music was.
INT: It was slightly dangerous at that time. Really, for a few minutes there.
AE: For one guy especially. But it encapsulates so much, Altamont.
For more informaton about this issue see also the current discussions on the Heartland Forum
Gimme Shelter
Sisters lyrics
Oh, see the storm is threatening
My very life today
If I don't get some shelter
Yeah, I'm gonna fade away
War, children
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
(repeat)
Yeah
Oh, see the fire is sweeping
Down through the streets today
Burning like a bright red carpet
Another fool who lost the way
Rape, murder
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
(repeat)
Yeah
Oh, see the storm is threatening
My very life today
Gimme, gimme shelter
Or I'm gonna fade away
Love, sisters
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
Love, sisters
It's just a shot away
Shot away
Shot away
War, children
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss awy
War, children
It's just a kiss away
Kiss away
Kiss away
Rape, murder
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
Rape, murder
It's just a kiss away
Kiss away
Kiss away
(repeat previous three twice)
(repeat love chorus)
War, children
It's just a kiss away
Kiss away
Kiss away
Music & Lyrics of the original: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards
Lyrics and music are property and copyright of their respective rights holders and provided only for study purposes.
