Gimme Shelter

Recorded at Olympic Studios in London in early 1969, the track received vocal overdubs in Los Angeles later that year under producer Jimmy Miller and engineer Glyn Johns. Merry Clayton supplied guest vocals, Nicky Hopkins played piano, and Keith Richards played the guitars. Opening Let It Bleed, its portrayal of war and violence reflected the tensions of the late 1960s. Contemporary reviewer Greil Marcus praised it as the finest recording the Stones had made. The song became a concert staple and gave its name to the band's 1970 documentary. Its use in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas, Casino and The Departed extended its cinematic reach.