Rolling Stones Get Yer Ya Yas Apple Acetate

An important piece of the "Rosetta Stone" necessary to further decipher the mysteries trapped within the grooves of Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! has surfaced. It is none other than the infamous "Apple Acetate" otherwise known as the early test pressing of the Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! album. Differences heard in the acetate unearth further clues about the evolution of this timeless recording.

The very rare "Broadway" LP is the first glimpse given to fans of the alternate mixes, in-between Jagger chatter, and missing verses contained on the released version of "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!". The disc was made by the same people who put out the rare "Happy Birthday, Mick!! " on "Wizardo" as evidenced by the same fonts and artwork being used for both covers. This recording is from a different acetate than those used on both CD versions. There are differences in the edits made on the in-between words. Information on the songs is the same. Also note that this recording is in mono where recently surfaced CD versions are in stereo.

Side A:

No introductions:

Jumpin' Jack Flash (Contains the lost Richards solo overdubs)

Carol

Stray Cat Blues

Love In Vain

Midnight Rambler (Part 1: Fades at 7:26)

Side B:

Midnight Rambler (Part 2)

Sympathy for the Devil (Verses #2 & #3 edited out. Add lost verse #4)

Live With Me

Little Queenie

Honky Tonk Women

Street Fighting Man (Fades early at 3:01)

Intro 0:55/Jumpin' Jack Flash 3:17/Carol 3:41/Stray Cat Blues 3:49/Love In Vain 5:50/Midnight Rambler 8:38/Live With Me 3:07/Little Queenie 4:52/Honky Tonk Women 3:21/Sympathy For The Devil 6:06/Street Fighting Man 4:04
Bonus Tracks: From the "Original Reels"
Intro 0:27/Jumpin' Jack Flash 3:33/Carol 3:45/Stray Cat Blues 3:47/Love In Vain 5:10/Midnight Rambler 8:43

I was very skeptical about the bonus tracks from the original reels claim especially since "Reels" is mis-spelled as "Reers" on the CD inlay. I did an A-B sound comparison using an original Decca LP as a reference. The sound on these CD tracks is incredibly clear and distinct. The best quality sound source for "side one" of "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!" in existence.

Note: The running order of with Live With Me starting at the equivalent of "Side 2" differs from "Ya-Ya's". This is possibly an experiment in the running order of the side. Ultimately, a strong opener is needed for the "side" of any LP, and this may have been the reason why Sympathy for the Devil ended-up leading off side 2 of "Ya-Ya's".

This title like many VGP titles is taken from an old vinyl bootleg release, that was a 7" disc consisting of a two part version of the 18 minute take of Sympathy for the Devil from Hyde Park on July 5, 1969. The black and white stage shot cover artwork of this CD is from the "Gimme Shelter" movie stills #3 (GS-3). The acetate source is a copy of the "GET YOUR YA-YAS OUT" CD using the same acetate recording with the running order changed to match the "Ya-Ya's" album. Very clean splicing was done to accomplish this. Spliced at track 5 at 9:28 and track 6 at 5:42. The sound has more treble boost than the "GET YOUR YA-YAS OUT" CD. Note that some of the inlay notes on the song sources are incorrect. Additional tracks are:

All taken from the well known "Gimme Shelter" movie soundtrack, but in the best wide stereo sound quality possible. The quality exceeds Swingin' Pig's "There's No Angel Born in Hell . . .". Possibly taken from a laser disc.

There is a lot of surface noise particularly in the early part of the recording, which is not unusual for vinyl lacquer acetates.

The disc opens with crowd noise that comes before Sympathy for the Devil on the released version of "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!":

The Sam Cutler opening collage as heard on "Ya-Ya's" with comments as applicable to the test pressing:

Lines with common symbols (+,-,*) are doubled and tripled, that is at some point all sets of lines are being said at once.

+ We'll they've done the West Coast and they've done all sorts of other places in America and now they're in New York: (November 27, 1969)

+ For the next band..stand-up and sound as if you are ready, come on..Let's really hear it for the next band

- For the first time in three years..The Rolling Stones..The Rolling Stones: (November 27, 1969)

- We'll they've done the West Coast and they've done all sorts of other places in America and now they're in New York: (November 27, 1969)

* For the first time in three years: (November 27, 1969 or November 28, 1969 1st show)

All "Ya-Ya's" vocal overdubs present in music that was recorded live at MSG on November 27, 1969.

At 1:23 a Keith Richards solo begins and continues until Jagger starts Line 9 of the song!

At 2:39 a Keith Richards solo begins and continues until the final rhythm notes are played!

Richards' guitar was overdubbed at a later date in time as evidenced by the lack of these solos on the audience source recording. It was erased from the track before the release of the record. This is the first indication of the possibility of an instrumental overdub.

These lines are not present on the acetate at this point. No words are spoken between JJF and Carol.

This source of Carol is MSG 11/28/69 1st show as is GYYYO with a live vocal (not overdubbed). The mixes vary:

A clapping track is mixed in the right channel in the closing seconds of the song

Taylor's guitar is absent from the track. Either mixed down, left off the track, or possibly overdubbed at a later date. Note that the rhythm section placement was not altered between the two sources.

The spoken words "Thank you" spliced between Carol and Stray Cat Blues on GYYYO are from MSG 11/27/69 just before Honky Tonk Women. This particular "Thank you" is distinguishable by it's nasal and accentuated intonation by Jagger.

These words are not present on the acetate. No words are spoken between Carol and Stray Cat Blues.

The acetate like GYYYO uses the musical source from Baltimore 11/26/69, with an overdubbed vocal.

Richards - Rhythm/lead guitar: Middle left channel & pans to "hard" left at 2:42

Well, maybe no revelations on this one except that the guitar channels are switched and the there is experimenting going on with the mix. The track ends-up as clear sounding wide guitar mix.

The "well all right" between Stray Cat Blues and Love In Vain on GYYYO is a splice. The "well all rights" usually came before Honky Tonk Women, but this one is not the same as those that precede HTW (side 2) on "Ya-Ya's" from 11/28/69 1st show. The spoken "well all right" is probably from 11/28/69 2nd show. These words are also present on the acetate. There are additional spoken words from Jagger that are the result of a rough splice:

Lines 1 through 8 are edited out. Jagger's way of saying that he wasn't too happy with the crowd reception, alluding that they may prefer the more subdued blues of Robert Johnson. Remember, that there were screaming girls filling the audience on the prior tour (1966) of the States. The crowd was sitting down and listening to the music this time around . . . and did they have something to listen to.

The acetate like GYYYO uses the Love In Vain source from Baltimore 11/26/69. There are no detectable overdubs on this one.

The guitar channels are switched, which is also consistent with the crystal clear outtake version found on the "A Shot of Salvation: Old Masters 2" CD on Scorpio.

On GYYYO the spoken words between Love In Vain and Midnight Rambler are from MSG 11/28/69 2nd show as follows:

Note: The studio version of MR from "Let It Bleed" was released in the US on December 5, 1969, so songs from this LP were completely unknown to those who had not attended previous shows. Even Honky Tonk Women released on July 3, 1969 would be a completely different version on the album. They basically toured on the strength of this classic single, and put it all on the line by playing "unreleased" songs for audiences that were carefully listening to the music. For a one week period the 1997 leg of the "Bridges To Babylon Tour" also previewed (to a lessor extent) previously unheard songs. On another historical note, Brown Sugar was first played at Altamont and regularly on the 1970 European Tour prior to it's 1971 release.

The harp intro. is musically the same as MSG 11/28/69 2nd show, but there is an edit in the spoken words by Jagger in Line 4. "Which you haven't received yet" is replaced with "Which we hope you can dig it". The original spoken words would have been dated by a reference to "Let It Bleed" not being released by the time "Ya-Ya's" was issued nearly a year later. The question is; where did these words come from? Jagger spoke these words at MSG Nov. 27, 1969:

Baltimore Nov. 26, Boston Nov. 29, Palm Beach Nov. 30, and Altamont Dec. 6th also checked, but none of these introductions come close. This line may have been spliced in from words spoken on Nov. 28 1st show by process of elimination, or by an overdub placed on the vocal track.

The acetate like GYYYO uses the source from MSG November 28, 1969 2nd show. There are no detectable overdubs!

The guitar channels are not switched this time. The main differences are the added intro. words from Nov. 28, and edit to line 4 of the spoken words.

There are no words spoken by Jagger prior to Live With Me on the acetate. Only an audience fade-in on side two of the disc.

The acetate like GYYYO uses the instrumental tracks from 11/28/69 2nd, with the vocal overdubbed.

Richards - Lead/rhythm guitar: Right channel (down in the mix except for the solo)

The acetate mix favors Taylor's guitar in the left channel. Unlike "digitally mastered" CD's the drum sound is clear and resonant.

These same lines are found in the opening words by Jagger in the "Gimme Shelter" movie just before Jumpin' Jack Flash. These spoken are from 11/28/69 1st show.

Note: Jagger faintly saying "I love New York" in the first seconds of the song on GYYYO!

The acetate like GYYYO, and a video that circulates of this song are 11/28/69 1st show by process of elimination. There is unique evidence that the vocal on "Ya-Ya's" has been overdubbed. The video "documents" the original vocal from 11/28/69 1st show!

Jagger - Vocal: Middle left. There is a more prominent (studio) reverb present on the vocal.

Lines 5 & 6 can also be heard in the Gimme Shelter movie in the Jagger chatter after Jumpin' Jack Flash. These words probably precede Honky Tonk Women on either 11/28/69 1st or 2nd show.

The acetate like GYYYO is the instrumental track from MSG 11/27/69. The vocal is overdubbed, and the "Paris Verse" replaces the "New York Verse" that was originally recorded live.

We are out of sequence in the track list at this point to make a direct comparison to "Ya-Ya's", but "Ya-Ya's" will be referenced here in order to completely document the differences between the two recordings:

The "woman in the crowd" was in attendance at the MSG 11/28/69 2nd show performance.

These words are not present at this point on the acetate. Reference the opening prior to Jumpin' Jack Flash on the acetate.

These words precede Street Fighting Man on "Ya-Ya's", and were probably spoken on 11/28/69 1st or 2nd, but are most likely an overdub.

The acetate like GYYYO uses the Sympathy for the Devil source from MSG 11/28/69 1st show.

(3:19) "Slow it down, slow it down, slow it down, slow it down, slow it down...whoo...yeah" (very faint during the solo - also present on "Ya-Ya's")

Jagger's vocal is mixed down to barely audible at this point, and for the remainder of the song, leaving the focus of the listening on Mick Taylor's magnificent guitar playing:

Crowd track comes-up in the mix in the right channel during the closing seconds of the song.

If you splice in Verse #4 onward your GYYYO CD/LP, you will have the entire song as it was played on November 28, 1969 1st Show!

The spoken words that precede SFM on the acetate are taken from the Jagger chatter between Sympathy for the Devil and Live With Me on "Ya-Ya's":

The acetate like GYYYO uses the Street Fighting Man source from MSG 11/28/69 1st show with an overdubbed vocal. The "A Shot of Salvation" CD on Scorpio contains the original vocal take (Note: Minus Richards back-up vocals).

"Get Yer Alternate Ya-Ya's Out 1969"

(IMP-N-020)

Idol Mind Productions

MSG, New York November 27 & 28, 1969 1st-2nd shows and Baltimore, November 26, 1969.

Sound Quality: Excellent Soundboard

Opening 0:59/Jumpin' Jack Flash 3:18/Carol 3:41/Stray Cat Blues 3:50/Love In Vain 4:58/Midnight Rambler 9:45/Sympathy For The Devil 5:57/Live With Me 3:09/Little Queenie 4:43/Honky Tonk Women 3:25/Street Fighting Man 4:07

Channels Reversed - Acetate versions as above.

Stray Cat Blues 3:53/Love In Vain 5:06/Sympathy For The Devil 5:58

Comment: This all comes down to whether this a cleaner acetate than the one that has already been released since the musical takes and mixes are all the same as previously released versions. And the answer is: Yes, overall this is a cleaner disc although not perfect. You're gonna hear a little surface noise and crackles in places, but hey, as acetates go this is cleaner than the previous disc. And as far as the Glyn Johns mix goes you get more guitar and more Keith back-up vocals. Previously released as "Get Your Ya-Yas Out" (RS 1 Sapromo) and "F**k Your Ya Ya's Out!" VGP-160 released with two editions and cover versions, but both of these titles are from a different acetate than this one used for this release.

"Broadway"

(TCI-1264 DAC-91-1/TCI-1265 DAC-92-2/TCI-1266 DAC-92-3)

Dog n Cat

Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, November 27, 1969

Sound Quality: Good Audience

CD 1: Jumpin' Jack Flash 4:28/Carol 3:34/Sympathy For The Devil 7:50/Stray Cat Blues 4:04/Love In Vain 5:08/Prodigal Son 3:06/You Gotta Move 2:11/Under My Thumb - I'm Free 6:38/Midnight Rambler 9:27/Live With Me 3:10/Little Queenie 4:07/(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction 6:03/Honky Tonk Women 3:20/Street Fighting Man 4:29

Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, November 28, 1969 2nd Show

Sound Quality: Good Audience

CD 2: Jumpin' Jack Flash 3:38/Carol 3:34/Sympathy For The Devil 8:05/Stray Cat Blues 3:26/Love In Vain 5:35/Prodigal Son 3:34/You Gotta Move 2:27/Under My Thumb 3:48/Midnight Rambler 9:22/Live With Me 2:59/Little Quennie 4:12/Satisfaction 6:29/Honky Tonk Women 3:04/Street Fighting Man 3:42

Ya-Ya's "Upgraded" Acetate

Sound Quality: Very Good to Excellent Soundboard

CD 3: Jumpin' Jack Flash 4:16/Carol 3:40/Stray Cat Blues 3:49/Love In Vain 4:54/Midnight Rambler 9:34/Sympathy For The Devil 6:07/Live With Me 3:08/Little Queenie 4:40/Honky Tonk Women 3:23/Street Fighting Man 3:57

Comment: These shows and acetate upgrade previously released as "Live In New York 1969" Idol Mind & "Get Yer Alternate Yer Ya-Ya's Out 1969" (New) Idol Mind, but in case you missed them here they are again.

The acetate has both guitars "up" in the mix. The rawness and brilliance of Richards rhythm playing is masked by a guitar mix that has both guitar players buried in pile of distorted mud on the "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!" album. You can clearly hear the guitars, and the incredible timing of Richards strumming of the guitar strings on the acetate. It's time for Mr. Jagger to buy the Decca catalog back from Allen Klein and remaster this and other classics from the original multi-tracks (not the masters) to restore the sound quality and add to the content. Maybe this is his motivation for working so hard at his age!

One final piece of the "Rosetta Stone" still remains missing. The audience source for November 28, 1969 1st show is the elusive culprit. This source is necessary to conclusively complete the research. If you have this one on your shelf please send email to chrism42@aol.com!