Live With Me
Encyclopedia
"Live with Me" is a song by the Rolling Stones
from their classic album Let It Bleed
, released in November 1969. The song is unique in a number of respects: (a) It was one of the first recorded contributions by guitarist Mick Taylor
, who joined the band in June, 1969 (the others being "Country Honk" from the same album and the single, "Honky Tonk Women
"). (b) It was the first song on which guitarist Keith Richards is credited as playing bass. Richards' muscular approach to the instrument is a marked departure from that of Stones bassist Bill Wyman
. (To get a sense of how Richards' playing differs from that of Wyman, listen to his contribution to "Yer Blues" as performed by The Dirty Mac
on the Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus and to "Casino Boogie
" on Exile on Main Street.) (c) It marks the first time the Rolling Stones would record with tenor saxophonist Bobby Keys
, who would contribute notable solos to other Stones songs, including their 1971 hit, "Brown Sugar
". (d) It marks the only time Leon Russell
would play with the Stones; Russell and Nicky Hopkins
both contributed piano to the piece.
Written by Mick Jagger
and Keith Richards
, "Live with Me" was recorded on 24 May 1969. Since Taylor joined the band some weeks later, his guitar part was presumably dubbed over the basic track.
It is said that the song's rather lewd lyrics were the reason why the London Bach Choir asked not to be credited for their contribution to "You Can't Always Get What You Want
". Jagger asks for "a woman's touch" to improve the conditions in his squalid apartment. The poet X.J. Kennedy has suggested that the lyrics are part of a tradition of responses -- beginning with John Donne
and Sir Walter Raleigh and continuing through C. Day Lewis -- to Christopher Marlowe's "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love
". Marlowe's poem begins "Come live with me and be my love". Read as a variation on Marlowe's theme, Jagger's lyrics ("They queue up for the bathroom / round about 7:35 / Don't you think we need a woman's touch / to make it come alive?") come off as quite witty indeed -- especially in the context of Richards and Taylor's raunchy, Chuck Berry-infused playing.
Although it was never released as a single, it is a popular live staple, appearing on the live albums Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! and No Security
. The song was performed live with Christina Aguilera
for the shooting of the documentary Shine a Light
. A cover version was recorded by Girlschool
.
Rhett Forrester
covered the song on his 1984 album Gone With the Wind.
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
from their classic album Let It Bleed
Let It Bleed
Let It Bleed is the eighth British and tenth American album by English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in December 1969 by Decca Records in the United Kingdom and London Records in the United States...
, released in November 1969. The song is unique in a number of respects: (a) It was one of the first recorded contributions by guitarist Mick Taylor
Mick Taylor
Michael Kevin "Mick" Taylor is an English musician, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and The Rolling Stones...
, who joined the band in June, 1969 (the others being "Country Honk" from the same album and the single, "Honky Tonk Women
Honky Tonk Women
"Honky Tonk Women" is a 1969 hit song by The Rolling Stones. Released as a single on 4 July 1969 in the UK and a week later in the US, it topped the charts in both nations.-Inspiration and Recording:...
"). (b) It was the first song on which guitarist Keith Richards is credited as playing bass. Richards' muscular approach to the instrument is a marked departure from that of Stones bassist Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1992. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings...
. (To get a sense of how Richards' playing differs from that of Wyman, listen to his contribution to "Yer Blues" as performed by The Dirty Mac
The Dirty Mac
The Dirty Mac were a one-time English supergroup consisting of John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Mitch Mitchell that Lennon put together for The Rolling Stones' TV special entitled The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus...
on the Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus and to "Casino Boogie
Casino Boogie
"Casino Boogie" is a song by the British band The Rolling Stones, featuring on their 1972 album, Exile on Main St. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the song was recorded at Villa Nellcote, Richards' home in the South of France. The song is based around a straightforward blues rhythm which...
" on Exile on Main Street.) (c) It marks the first time the Rolling Stones would record with tenor saxophonist Bobby Keys
Bobby Keys
Bobby Keys is an American saxophone player, and has performed with other musicians as a member of one of the notable horn sections of the 1970s. He appears on albums by The Rolling Stones, The Who, Harry Nilsson, Delaney Bramlett, George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, Eric Clapton and Joe...
, who would contribute notable solos to other Stones songs, including their 1971 hit, "Brown Sugar
Brown Sugar (song)
"Brown Sugar" is a song by The Rolling Stones. It is the opening track and lead single from the English rock band's 1971 album Sticky Fingers...
". (d) It marks the only time Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
would play with the Stones; Russell and Nicky Hopkins
Nicky Hopkins
Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins was an English pianist and organist.He recorded and performed on noted British and American popular music recordings of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a session musician....
both contributed piano to the piece.
Written by Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
and Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
, "Live with Me" was recorded on 24 May 1969. Since Taylor joined the band some weeks later, his guitar part was presumably dubbed over the basic track.
It is said that the song's rather lewd lyrics were the reason why the London Bach Choir asked not to be credited for their contribution to "You Can't Always Get What You Want
You Can't Always Get What You Want
"You Can't Always Get What You Want" is a song by The Rolling Stones released on their 1969 album Let It Bleed. Written primarily by Mick Jagger with assistance from Keith Richards, it was named as the 100th greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone in its 2004 list of "500 Greatest Songs of All...
". Jagger asks for "a woman's touch" to improve the conditions in his squalid apartment. The poet X.J. Kennedy has suggested that the lyrics are part of a tradition of responses -- beginning with John Donne
John Donne
John Donne 31 March 1631), English poet, satirist, lawyer, and priest, is now considered the preeminent representative of the metaphysical poets. His works are notable for their strong and sensual style and include sonnets, love poetry, religious poems, Latin translations, epigrams, elegies, songs,...
and Sir Walter Raleigh and continuing through C. Day Lewis -- to Christopher Marlowe's "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love
The Passionate Shepherd to His Love
"The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" is a poem written by the English poet Christopher Marlowe and published in 1599 . In addition to being one of the most well-known love poems in the English language, it is considered one of the earliest examples of the pastoral style of British poetry in the...
". Marlowe's poem begins "Come live with me and be my love". Read as a variation on Marlowe's theme, Jagger's lyrics ("They queue up for the bathroom / round about 7:35 / Don't you think we need a woman's touch / to make it come alive?") come off as quite witty indeed -- especially in the context of Richards and Taylor's raunchy, Chuck Berry-infused playing.
Although it was never released as a single, it is a popular live staple, appearing on the live albums Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! and No Security
No Security
No Security is a live album by The Rolling Stones and was released in 1998. Recorded over the course of the lengthy 1997–1998 worldwide Bridges to Babylon Tour, it is the band's sixth official full-length live release....
. The song was performed live with Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
for the shooting of the documentary Shine a Light
Shine a Light (film)
Shine a Light is a 2008 documentary film directed by Martin Scorsese documenting The Rolling Stones' 2006 Beacon Theatre performance on their A Bigger Bang Tour. The Scorsese film also includes archive footage from the band's career and marked the first utilisation by Scorsese of digital...
. A cover version was recorded by Girlschool
Girlschool
Girlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
.
Rhett Forrester
Rhett Forrester
Rhett Forrester was an American musician, the lead singer of New York-based band Riot from 1981 until 1984....
covered the song on his 1984 album Gone With the Wind.