From the haunting opening chords to the final fade out, “Gimme Shelter” is one of the Rolling Stones’ rawest tunes, all storms and war and bleak outlook on the world at large. And while the British boys did their thing, Merry Clayton’s powerful, piercing backing vocal truly made the song—and the story behind the recording is fantastic.
The Female Backing Vocal That Made “Gimme Shelter” A Haunting Classic (via Gizmodo)
I actually just watched “20 Feet From Stardom” for the first time a little while ago (I know, I know. What am I doing with my life?), and the entire film is so great–though I agree with Gizmodo, this is the standout scene. A pregnant lady running out in the middle of the night in her silk pajamas, curlers and a mink coat to record a last-minute vocal was what made a song incredible.