Five Horizons: November 1997 Song X - Rolling Stones' cover songs

Pearl Jam Cover The Rolling Stones:
"Angie" 4/3/94
"Beast of Burden" 7/14/93
"Sympathy for the Devil" 3/4/92

In honor of PJ's upcoming performances opening for the Rolling Stones next week, Five Horizons brings you not one, not two, but THREE Songs of the Month this month: all Rolling Stones covers. =) We also discuss what our predictions are for PJ and what we think we'll see next weekend.
When this rumor first started and was later confirmed, we here in 5h International Headquarters were a little puzzled at the vehemence of the reaction of many fans. It seemed as though people just did not understand how truly important the Rolling Stones are, or how much their music meant to the guys in PJ. Perhaps it's generational, or maybe people can't understand how guys who let the Ramones open for them and idolize Ian Mackaye from Fugazi can adore the Rolling Stones too.
But, the signs were all there from early on, if you knew what you were looking for. Here's a short, woefully incomplete list of Stones songs Pearl Jam has covered over the years:

Angie
done on 07/17/93 and about three zillion other times, thank you Mike McCready

Beast of Burden
covered (in an improv) on 05/13/93 (leading into Hard To Imagine), 07/14/93, and (notes also played) on 12/31/92

Ruby Tuesday
done on 02/28/92 and 07/17/93

Street Fightin' Man
done on 03/25/94

Sympathy For the Devil
done on 02/25/92, 03/04/92, 05/15/92, 07/03/93, and 09/16/96 (riffs)

Can't You Hear Me Knocking
done on 11/4/95 [hey, I was there!]
[Note: not all of these were full songs; in most cases they were just references, tags or riffs]

...and there are others that we just haven't discovered yet. But, you get the basic idea; aside from the Who, I don't know that PJ has made live reference to another band as much as they have the Stones.
it's only rock and roll
The sound clips chosen this month were chosen because we had an especially good copy, because the song referenced was clearly discernible, and in most cases, because Jean could find the damn thing on the tape (when you're looking for three notes, it can be *hard*). Some notes about the tracks chosen:
Sympathy for the Devil
"This is the waterpouring song," says Eddie. This version, from 3/4/92, is amazing quality, the whole band pulling together on this one, not just Mike. Eddie, however, hums along and adds his own improvised lyrics. Here's a taste of the real ones:

Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man's soul and faith

And I was 'round when Jesus Christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game
Jean says, "'Sympathy For The Devil'" was one of the 1st Stones songs I really loved because I thought it was just so wicked. I got my taste of it from Get Your Ya Yas Out which was one of the first 12" vinyl records I ever had." We noticed the reference to "Pilate" in the lyrics & there has been a lot of chat amongst PJ fans about the rumoured new song titled "Pilate." Apparently, a number of fans don't know who Pilate is, so there has been a lot of discussion about how Pilate sentenced Jesus to death & then washed his hands of the guilt. So, we thought this soundbyte timely & very ironic? Of course, who knows what songs will actually make it onto the new album and what they'll be called....
From the Stones album "Beggar's Banquet" released in 1968.
Angie
From the Atlanta radio broadcast, this is just one example of the riff McCready works in whenever he has a chance. Take a listen and tell us if you haven't heard this before and just didn't recognize it. From the Stones album "Goats Head Soup," released in 1973. Mike's about my age, and this song was a BIG DEAL when I was younger, on the radio constantly -- it was the Stones' first big radio breakthrough hit. I even remember singing it at girl scout camp -- it was that popular. I wouldn't be surprised if this was one of the first things Mike learned to play on the guitar.... or at least tried to.
Beast of Burden
From 7/14/93. Probably the best-known of all the Stones covers PJ do, from its inclusion on various (shudder!) bootleg cds. While it's funny to listen to, the lyrics of this song do not suit Ed at all:
I'll never be your beast of burden
My back is broad but it's a hurting
All I want is for you to make love to me
I'll never be your beast of burden
I've walked for miles my feet are hurting
All I want is for you to make love to me...
...You get the idea. In this cover, Ed drunkenly recites the lyrics in a deadpan, angry fashion, and when he gets to the "all I want is for you to make love to me" line, and the woogirls in the audience scream, he qualifies it with, "I don't mean it, it's just in the song." This cover we have segues into "Suck You Dry" by Mudhoney. From the Stones album "Some Girls," released in 1978.
I wanna hear the songs NOW

Oakland!
What can we expect to see from the boys next week? Jeff discusses a little of what we can hear in this article.
Our predictions:

Lotsa rockers: Oakland Coliseum is fuckin' ENORMOUS, and the Stones stage set comes close to rivaling U2's current set. Quiet, slow numbers will be lost on an audience who are a zillion miles away and waiting to see the Stones. PJ need to make as much noise as possible, and we bet they will be so wound up and nervous that they won't be able to stay still (at least Mike won't be). Remember what happened when they opened for Keith Richards in 1992? They did a version of "Wash" that we've NEVER heard before or since (see our April Song X if you don't know what I'm talking about).

Short set: Stone has already been quoted as saying that PJ will get one hour to play, and don't expect an encore. Other opening acts only got 45 minutes, so be grateful.

A few new songs: Yes, there will be PJ fans in the audience, but the Stones sold out four nights at Oakland Coliseum on their last tour without PJ, and are doing very nicely selling out shows this tour as well. But, it will be pointless for PJ to attempt to challenge the audience with a set consisting largely of new, unfamiliar material. Also, we all know that the bootleggers will be out in force -- CD boots of the first Stones shows from September are already in circulation. It would be stupid for PJ to play a set of entirely new material, or even half new material, so the bootleggers can beat them to the album release.

The Setlist: Think about it, gang, they are probably rehearsing somewhere RIGHT NOW! Based on the above, these are the songs 5h thinks we can expect to see:
Hail Hail
Go
Animal
State of Love & Trust
Corduroy
Alive
Once
Deep
2-3 new songs ("Brain of JFK" definitely if it is indeed on the new album)
Even Flow
Satan's Bed (can't you just see Ed screaming, 'i never sucked satan's dick!" to this audience!! =) )
Leaving Here
What we'd like to see but don't think realistic:
Breath, Present Tense, My Generation, Naked Eye.

In any event, it's going to be an amazing fucking show (I'm trying not to gush too hard since Jean couldn't make it!). If you're going to be there, you know. If you're not, don't worry, we'll be featuring full reports each night, as soon as we possibly can get them up (I'm going to try bringing the laptop with the wireless modem to the Tuesday show, and I've got a cell phone for the other nights.) And the tapes will make it out there, slowly, so be patient!
Be sure to check out our Oakland Survival Guide if you're going next weekend!

the songs
Our three song selections this month, all in mp3 format, are:

"Sympathy for the Devil" from Tivoli, Utrecht 3/4/92 [mp3 - 1,846K]
"Angie" from the Fox Theater, Atlanta 4/3/94 [mp3 - 259K]
"Beast of Burden" from the Brixton Academy, London 7/14/93 [mp3 - 2,330K]
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Enjoy!