The 1969 Rolling Stones song too difficult for Charlie Watts to handle: ‘He couldn’t play the groove’

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The 1969 Rolling Stones song too difficult for Charlie Watts to handle: ‘He couldn’t play the groove’

Far Out · 4 hours ago

The article says Charlie Watts struggled to record the groove for the Rolling Stones’ 1969 song ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’, so producer Jimmy Miller played drums on the studio version. It matters because the track became one of the band’s best-known songs despite being an unusual exception to Watts’ normally dependable contribution.

Mick Jagger said the recording was difficult because Watts could not play the groove, while Al Kooper recalled Miller offering to demonstrate it and Watts handing over his sticks. The song appeared on Let It Bleed and features a dense arrangement including choir, horns and orchestral touches; Watts later developed his own way to perform it live.

  • Jimmy Miller drummed on ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’.
  • Charlie Watts struggled with its unusual groove.
  • Watts later learned to play the song live.

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