Midnight Rambler
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Midnight Rambler" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Song by The Rolling Stones | ||
| from the album Let It Bleed | ||
| Released | December 5, 1969 | |
| Recorded | February 9-10, 1969 | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 6m:53s | |
| Label | Decca Records/ABKCO | |
| Writer(s) | Jagger-Richards | |
| Producer(s) | Jimmy Miller | |
| Let It Bleed track listing | ||
| Let It Bleed (5) |
"Midnight Rambler" (6) |
You Got the Silver (7) |
"Midnight Rambler" is a song by British rock and roll band the Rolling Stones that was released on their 1969 album Let It Bleed. Stones guitarist Brian Jones is credited on percussion (he also plays autoharp) and this is one of the two songs he played on from the last album before his death.
Running at six minutes and fifty-three seconds, the song is said to be written about Albert DeSalvo, the Boston Strangler. Singer Mick Jagger included small pieces of his confession in the lyrics, which tells the lurid tale of a roaming murderer.
Written while on vacation in Italy, Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards have said they didn't mean for the song to turn into what some have called a "blues opera." The song was recorded on February 9 and 10 of 1969.
"Midnight Rambler" is especially noted for its live performances. Early performances had Jagger rolling around on the stage to the screams of women in the audience while he sang of rape, some bootlegs setting a performance time at nearly fifteen minutes. Of note is the performance captured for 1970 live album Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! The Rolling Stones in Concert, where Mick Taylor added a second guitar. It is also popular for its requirement of Jagger to pull out the harmonica. The version from the Stones' concert film Four Flicks registers this song at around twelve minutes.
