Carla Olson & Mick Taylor - Sway

[jordangrunow]

killer soloing....

[jordangrunow]

the power of the slow groove, patience can be heavy...

[written12]

Thanks so much for this recording.

Certainly, Taylor's playing here is brilliant-even better than his playing on the Stones version.

When I first saw that the track was over 7 minutes long, I winced, fearing some self-indulgent soloing. But his solo is really melodic and passionate all the way through.

As for Olson's vocal, it's really strong. I never even heard of her until about-well, 7 minutes and change ago.

[LanceHelmut]

it took the stones 3 times to get a 2nd guitar player that didn't overshadow them with their overall musicianship..they wouldn't have been nearly as great with-out brian jones or mick taylor and they know it.

[kpzrocks]

the sound that comes from his guitar is freaky... I purchased the Rolling Stones issue with the top 100 guitarists. Keith Richards was 5. Mick Taylor was 37??????????????"? Really?????

[boocoodinkydau]

@kpzrocks Politics!



[kpzrocks]

He was better than Keith Richards.. That is for sure!!!! Who joins the Rolling Stones at 20 years of age?????? Are you kidding me? The slide guitar is amazing.......

[kpzrocks]

I have not seen Mick. What an amazing guitarist. My loss!!! I was 7 when he played with the Stones. What an amazing talent..

[noflintstone]

Saw Mick at Bearsville in Woodstock,NY 2009? then he cancelled tour. Hung with Max Middletons wife and my girlfriend saw Mick in the hallway very tall had a sore throat !. I also saw him with John Mayall Capitol Theater in Passaic NJ 1982 , we had 6th row seats you can see us holding a sign in video.He played the Les Paul he used to use through Marshall & Ampeg amps awesome !

[CARLOSMORA71]

celestial !!!!!!!

[BRUTUS2238]

Anyone who thinks Jagger and Richards wrote this without Taylor is a bit confused. Take Jagger and Richards out of the pic. and whats left? A tune they never came close to before or after Taylor! Taylor obviously wrote most of it but Jagger and Richards egos wouldnt let anyone else have credit.Lets pay attention folks.

[hassledguy]

saw him several times over a 20 year period and never saw him do this song...I am pretty sure he only did it with Carla Olsen

[buzzzinaful]

animal



[skipwaytube]

This is great! but the song is not Mick's; it's credited to Jagger/Richards. check out Carla's duets with Gene Clark. Their "So Rebellious a Lover" is one of the best folk records ever.

[cicadajet]

@skipwaytube Its credited to Jagger/Richards, but in reality it is Jagger/Taylor.

[skipwaytube]

@cicadajet interesting. I just downloaded a Herbie Mann album I once owned on vinyl called "Reggae" to get the extended riff he does on the great Temptations song "My Girl." (It also appeared on the pre-MT Stones album "Flowers.") Mick does a great guitar solo on the Mann track.

[tishhead]

@skipwaytube yes, outstanding. "every angel in heaven" and "del gato" still give me the chills. everything carla does in excellent. her voice is even more spectacular than her hair and that's pretty damn spectacular.

[rollingstonescorp]

amazing...genius ! Both

[rabudman]

this takes me away

[roseofcimarron]

Had the chance to see Mick Taylor on stage in France last year!

What a guitarist!!

I was just in front of the stage and while he was tuning his guitar, I asked "How do you do that? ", shy Mick Taylor answered "I don't know, it just come out like this..."

"Sway" is probably his greatest solo with the Stones. I've also loved his work on Bob Dylan's "Infidels" (1983) with Mark Knofer: especially the "Sweetheart Like You" solo! Check the video : it's Carla Olson who covers Mick Taylor.

[sgrroiii]

I'd love to hear any version of Sway featuring Taylor .

[sgrroiii]

Did Mick ever play Sway live until the Olsen record ? I saw him a few times in the 80's ; audiences would beg for Sway & other Exile \ Sticky Fingers stuff , to no avail.

[shidoobee]

@sgrroiii

Very interesting question. I don't know. But does that matter? Can't imagine there is a better version than this one...

[boocoodinkydau]

@shidoobee I don't think the Stones even played until not so long ago! I loved the original, then got hit by Alvin Youngblood Heart's superb cover, and now this. A-freaking-mazing. Taylor is just sooooo good!

[mecormany]

@sgrroiii Never had and to the best of my knowledge has never played it live since. But as shidoobee says, this is perfection. Why play it again? This isn't just a guitar solo, it's almost like a religion to some people, including me. Very few things in life are perfect; MT on this song achieves perfection.

[MrJerryw08]

It is so true Mick was the best for the Stones. Him and Keef together were a unstoppable train of rock. He came into the Stones when they really needed a great player and he did much more than a normal job. He may be the finest guitar player I have ever heard. There is an interview with Keef where he talks about how much he misses Taylor. Together Keef and Taylor were magic.

[GoobaTheGorilla]

Mick was just to pretty for the stones.

[kurtisj123]

Eric Clapton may be God, but I bet he wishes he was Mick Taylor.

[bazzfazz]

OK Mick Taylor quit the Stones, it was ages from now, so it's done... And this solo is one of the better i've ever heard, really, and Mick Taylor's time is my favourite Stones times... Just listen Brussel's affair... The best Rolling Stones concert recorded ever... So what ? It's done... Talking about it don't change things...

[mecormany]

Two years after my first post on this and it still gives me goosebumps. Mick Taylor, should you ever see this, you are the best who ever lived. Anybody who disagrees, kick 'em out of heaven.

Sirocco97 -- oh nevermind. Labluvver already told you -- you are beyond hope.

[Sirocco97]

@mecormany i agree mick taylor gives me goosebumps .listen to his work on the brussels affair boots unreal

[voodoos]

echt stark - oder kurz:

oberaffenschweinehühnerhasenge­il!

:-)

[EneriGiilaan]

Mediocre singer, excellent guitar player. The solo is superb but too short - at about 4:30 the pianist and drummer have gathered enough self confidence to start really connecting with Taylor. This is developing to a real jam when the solo comes to an end.

If you could find a decently filtered version of '73 Brussels concert bootleg ('Brussels Affair'), you can hear how great the man was as a part of a great band - almost constant solo work but it still stays all the time connected with the rest.

[labluvver]

Good singer....fine guitar player. Long and boring song. Next !

[Sirocco97]

@labluvver nick off fuck stain.it aint boring ..go listen to u2

[labluvver]

@Sirocco97 - didn't know Mick was your wannabee lover...LOL. Enjoy yourself....musically, that is.

[Sirocco97]

@labluvver lol.if this bores you your beyond help .but atleast you have a sense of humor

[labluvver]

@Sirocco97 he's a good guitarist - I'm a fan of Carla - but this particular song is slow, ponderous, and monotonous - a three chord repeatathon that goes on and on - the piano is simply annoying - at best. You're fortunate in that the simple things please you. You go, girl.

[luftenant]

@labluvver ????You should ask Carla what she thinks about being allowed to even sing on this "Classic Rock" song? And to say Mick is just a good guitarist shows your novice ear of his Wah pedal expertise...... Come on MAN !!! Carla sounds Great but without Mick Taylor this song doesnt happen......

[labluvver]

@luftenant - '"this song doesn't happen" - that wouldn't be a terrible thing...LOL

[spacepatrolman]

@luftenant Mick taylor quit the stones because he was a teenage vegeterian that didnt want to become a dope addict like keith richards ,he wasnt gettting credit for songs he wrote with them and was tired of playing honkytonk woman he wanted to play other styles of music so he started a jazz fusion group with jack bruce

[luftenant]

@labluvver ......Your Keef Richards or a Carla Olson stalker...no, no, no ..your just a loser!

[Glyde11209]

Mick Taylor is just stunning on this.......whewwwwwww..

[boisnowinthehouse]

Jesus this is just so far above anything the Stones could ever pull off. And it's not even close.

[Glasbrow]

@boisnowinthehouse Mick Taylor is a Rolling Stone and always will be but you are going to compare this girl who sounds like a bad club singer to Mick Jagger?

Now add in the Keith " The Human Riff" Richards, the great Charlie Watts and what do you have? The World`s Greatest Rock and Roll Band.

[MrCorbett26]

Absolutely awesome, thanks for posting it.

[shmutzydawg]

yes,,this is the greatest solo guitar of all time of any song of any band of any guitar player..if you listen and have any musical talent and ear. for music you wil get it...this solo sends chilss thru me...just listen to how it evolves...love you mick taylor..i once asked mick to give me guitar lessons wen i lived in nyc greenwich village...he balked at my offer...ive tred figuring this solo out but cant come to close to soul of this man

[bondurango]

Carla Olson, Gene Clark & Mick Taylor. That could have been an awesome band.

[TheMAR1958]

Mick Taylor was very talented, but blue's based guitarist are hard to tell apart, Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, etc

[DIEGGOBLUESMAN]

The best solo guitar , amazing Mick Taylor !!!!!!!

The Slide !! 

[Zzeak]

Daaaamn!

[occhioallallocco]

fab...!

[notoriodtc]

I actually found this in a great CD treasure store in connecticut along with some other rare or non circulated albums. Taylors lead on this cut is just such a greatone time only gem like clapton on while my guitar gently weeps when he toured with harrison in the early 90s or peter green letting us all know how to err never mind on rattlesnake shake or townshend opening leeds with a face melting riff and lead on heaven and hell...... its tracks like this that are truely 'timeless'

[hastfount]

One musical aspect of this performance that hasn't received any note is the quality of the piano work underneath the solo. Listen closely to the work of the pianist from 3:30 on. Provides excellent, understated riffing that compliments MT without calling attention to the piano. Captures the ghost of Nicky Hopkins nicely.

[EneriGiilaan]

@hastfount Thanks for pointing this out (about the piano)- for some reason I had not noticed it before (well it is understated as you said, but anyhow). What I would like to point out is how the drummer seems to start connecting from about 4:45 onwards.

[bazzfazz]

@hastfount Shure, and the drummuer is in too... These three men, guitar, piano, ,drums are really great ...!!

[kleermaker1000]

I listened to this, knowing Mick is ill and in the hospital. It's incredible. I think of Mick, he is the best guitarist I ever heard and a fine human being. I wish him the best of luck.

[Nielsanderspoulsen]

@kleermaker1000 Hey. Do you know if Mick is better now. I just read your comment now and it made me sad. He is the greatest guitarist, nice and humiliar person too. Hope he is better, he deserves so much respect.

[kleermaker1000]

@Nielsanderspoulsen

youtube. com/ watch?v=k-zVzGw01YQ&feature= player_embedded

Need I say more?! :-)

[Nielsanderspoulsen]

@kleermaker1000

Yeah.. did not find your point.. but now I have seen Mick T with Ronnie Wood, Charlie and Bill W from this summer.. and he looked well :). Thanks.

[kleermaker1000]

@Nielsanderspoulsen

Put 3 x w before the link I gave and you'll see a vid from Nov. 25 this year. Taylor playing in some club somewhere in California. Take also a good look at his hair. He even played Beast Of Burden there I read on the blog of one of the guys he played with. So I think he's okay and preparing for the great show next year ;-).

[Nielsanderspoulsen]

@kleermaker1000

I found it.. and 3 vids from that date. Also playing honky tonk woman.. I never heard him play that one solo before. Lets hope he will come around next year yes. And thanks.

[MrStevo1213]

There are not very many Rolling Stone cover songs that I like but this tops the list. Considering that Mick Taylor played the guitar on the original it's easy to understand why. This is clearly in another zone.

[4rainbowed]

Fabulous technical guitarist! Should've been up at the top of Rolling Stone's greatest guitarists ever like Richards was added. Rolling Stone even managed to miss Rory Gallagher somehow too.. tut tut!

[mikescruffy1]

O YEAH  THATS GOT ME IN ITS WAY

[stonerose49]

Only those worthy truly ascend to Musical Valhalla. Mick Taylor is already there and there is zero chance of him meeting RonieWood.

[hassledguy]

This is a lost gem. I saw Mick Taylor with Jack Bruce and another time with John Mayall in Kansas City in 81 (both sets). He showed up the next night as the stones just happened to be in town and it was the last real concert (except for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) that he appeared in with the Stones. I also got to see him years later in New Orleans. Very Lucky guy here.

[ironbuttermilk]

The vocals don't quite make it for me, especially the chorus vocals, but the guitars sound good. The solo is great, but I prefer the original without that wah. The long ending soloing is pretty damn great though! Hot stuff!!!

[Sirocco97]

im hearing what you say ,and id prefer jaggers vocals.but this was taylors song ,and its how it was meant to be played ,if you could drop jaggers voice from 71 onto this. id ,lose a load or two

[Sirocco97]

carla olson does a great job ,she sings the lyrics ,then gets out of the way,and lets mick taylor get to work ..huge stones fan .especially the taylor years but this is the best version of the song ive heard.takes me back to air guitaring to this song 30 years ago thinking it finished to early ,and it did! this is heaven

[hastfount]

@Sirocco97

Thoughtful observation ". . . thinking it finished to early . . . ." I dream about hearing a version of "Time Waits for No One" with a MT solo that has this intensity, quality and length. Thanks for the comment Sir..97!

[Sirocco97]

@hastfount oh absolutley time waits for no one would be awesome ,also winter from goats head soup

[bazzfazz]

Right ! This solo kicks my ass so hard, that i see myself straight in stratosfere!!

[thefunkyangel]

Taylor's solo take us out into the stratosphere and back. The best solo ever recorded!

[flintrox]

@thefunkyangel Youre right. I havent heard anyone who can come close to Mick Taylor.

[4rainbowed]

AMEN! Taylor in interviews is asked whether he wishes he'd remained with the Stones. He says he'll always have a love/hate relationship with the Stones, still plays with some members individually, but comments that after he left (without gaining credit for several songwriting contributions and having his royalties cut off from them within only a few years of leaving) notes that the music they made up to his joining and till he left was their best; and not much new has rose to that point!

[VincentBrunott]

Beautiful guitar version! But I miss Jagger singing...

[villepreux]

excellent ! Continues Mick !

[thimoun]

Quelle grace!

[oclero]

bon dieu ! ces solos!

[goonchistaw]

this has fuck all to do with keith, it's MT & fucking mindblowing , carla is the voice MT the guitar so wtf are you talking about keith ???

[goonchistaw]

this is a top version , carla olsen is a name to look out for, oh & the guitarist is ok too !!! thanx for posting TMM x handshake for mick

[zakclaxton]

Mick Taylor is pretty unbelievable. :)

[45spindle]

Christ Almighty! Just listen to that guitar. Sorry ya'll, Taylor indeed OWNS this hands down!!!!!

I'm counting the days till i see him live at Bearsville NY, July.

[aripahs]

so fucking amazing! sorry to all you die-hard keith fans, but mick taylor wrote this with jagger. anyways yea not takin away from keith but yea uh, taylors the BEST!

[bensalz]

not sure why keith needs to be denigrated as a musician to state that mick taylor was and is amazing. I'm with "clean 3". The music that Keith Richards and Mick Jagger wrote is what makes them one of a kind.

[oclero]

Oh la vache, ce solo!!!

[sciuto01]

The song writing credits to this song should go to Mick Jagger/Mick Taylor Keith was absent most of the time during the Sticky Fingers sessions also Billy Preston was more present

[spd13062]

This version does indeed rock.

[clean3]

I would beg to differ about Richards playing the star; he was and is the least egocentric guitar player around.....he doesnt need to try, Keith just IS a star.

This is certainly not a put-down aimed at Taylor, his time with the band is my favourite period of their music, but there are some rather curious remarks here which needed addressing.

[clean3]

KR a competent guitar player? Whilst listening to sympathy For The Devil you might like to listen out for the guitar break, one of the finest solos committed to record....Beggars Banquet and Let It Bleed are packed with examples of why Richards is so revered by many guitarists; frankly the remark I am replying to could only have been made by a non musician....when was the last time you wrote a song like Tumblin Dice?

[clean3]

There seems to be a little confusion over what roles Richards and Taylor had in that particular line-up. Keith is a songwriter, and his riffs are the basis from which much of their music is derived, Taylor is a wonderful guitar player whose solos grace those compositions yes, I know he played a big part in Sway and Moonlight Mile but as a rule that was the SP.

[1327Mark]

any way to get the words to this song?

[Sirocco97]

google rolling stones sway lyrics

[sealuiz]

Great song, great guitar player!

[Itruth09]

This is a very special song to me, as a 16 yr old with Realistic headphones on tripping on Acid under the covers,or as a 43 yr old guy typing o a laptop smoking a doob, just makes me Sway, and this is the man playing it right here

[melvyd2]

I Totally agree with the last 2 posts. While Keith was busy "Being A Star", Mick Taylor was perfecting his "Real Talent". Taylor doesn't show boat, he plays the damn hell out of the blues guitar. I can take or leave the Stones outside the Taylor years. Taylor was the secret ingredient to the Stones recipe for me.

[demonsbutterfly]

Totally Correct. Why else would the Stones Factory not Release all the 72-73 Live Material both Film & audio. It's because they know well musically they are a mere shell of what they were with Taylor playing. Thank God all the Bootlegs have been Remastered to now be great quality.

[cn854]

@demonsbutterfly

Guess the Stones kept reading all the post on YouTube. EXILE and L&G are coming out, now only if there was a full length film of the 73' Tour...

[EneriGiilaan]

@cn854 Officially released and produced CD version of the material on the '73 "Brussels Affair" bootleg would be a thing from heaven - I couldn't ask for more. There exists at least one decently filtered version of the bootleg - it is like the great "Ya Ya's" to the power of 2. Even with the somewhat murky sound it is still easily the best rock'n'roll record ever.

[schapman5]

Keith doesn't want any fancy guitar playing going on to make him look inferior. Why do you think they kept Taylor's soloing on the studio albums quiet and short and simple. There are a few songs they let him cut loose on because it so extraordinary but mostly he was heavily mixed out of songs because of Richard's Ego. Listen to the '73 tour and it is obvious to all. I am sure Wood is also muted to some extent.

[donedave]

No question the best Stones material was/ w/ Taylor because MJ & KR were at their song-writing apex & Taylor added the musical flair to great songs. Although, in Woody's defense, I must say he added a lot of grit & humor to the band, especially on Some Girls (a fine Stones record), but his playing pales in comparison to MT's. Keith is a competent but often lazy player, sometimes he outplays Ronnie (never outplayed Taylor). In the end maybe Taylor was too "flashy" for the Stones, maybe too good.

[creekdigger2007]

Yes indeed.. which brings us to woody...Listen to his work with faces....His playing changed when he joined the stones...I dont get it?....Playing way under keith...Just alot of bla....A far cry from his killer tone...and playing as faces guitarist!

[creekdigger2007]

Unless Mick n keith go thru some life change...And become humble for music sake...Will they ever let Mr taylor back!...They played there best tunes with him...But would never give this lad the credit he deserved!....Ty Mick taylor for your heart felt playing!...Peace..Creek

[rickster1957]

Creek, Yes... They (MJ & KR)are not humble because if Mick came back and played, it would rob attention from them even with Mick standing still like old times.

[schapman5]

The Stones can't play Sway without Taylor's guitar playing although they have tried. Wood gives it his best but no way he can come close.

[danumoish]

amazing! thank you so much for posting it. is this CD available anywhere for download?

[mick1971]

Try p2p. It's a bootleg. Live at something. It is a full concert and a very nice one. Search for Carla Olson & Mick Taylor. Cheers

[shidoobee]

This is NOT a bootleg! It's available at amazon et al. "Too Hot for Snakes" is the title, or "Live at the Roxy".

[mick1971]

Oh, O.K. I thought that "Too Hot..." was the official live album and Live at Roxy a bootleg. (Which is what I've downloaded years ago...) Thanx.

[melillo2]

taylor did guest with the stones in kansas city 1981 on a bunch of numbers, i have the boot

[titchk2003]

hey cicadajet, i cant ever see jagger and richards asking him to come and play even on a couple of numbers, even though i think this is the top wish of stones fans. think of the numbers they could play, time waits for no one that would be a great one, but alas as ive said i doubt that it will ever happen, but keep your fingers crossed. cheers tk

[cicadajet]

Wow..so great. When are Mick J & Keith ever going to get around to inviting him back for an album & few concerts? Can't hurt.

[Osmanowitsch]

ist wirklich einzigartig.

[mechslave]

This is simply amazing! I could listen to this all day long...

[dsljc68]

SWAY is such an underrated song by the stones. They rarely play it live. Taylor plays great on sticky fingers but on this version you can see that he is allowed to play it his way.

[114175]

Awesome post. The solo is especially sweet.

[mcdee15]

WOW!!! Fantastic - it's go that feeling...

[blues140555]

fantastic FEELING chorus of MT

[thrushcross]

Thanks for posting this gem. Great song! Who wrote this? :0 Mick's slide and tone stone rock-

[camper88]

Jagger and Richards get the royalties. The story is that Jagger wrote it; it's on the Stones album Sticky Fingers

[mecormany]

I've listened to this song and solo about 500 times and it still gives me chills. Carla rocks for giving MT the chance to show how this song should be played live. Glimmer Twins cut his outro solo on the LP just as he was taking off and then never played it live while he was in the band. Understandable though when you hear this. By '73 Mick commanded more attention in concerts just standing and playing than the other 2 did with all their swagger and posing.Taylor is an artist for the ages.

[alsegober]

Amen

[mcddtlc]

Hey I was there!!! we nearly fell out our seats when Carla said we're playing an old

Stones number... Taylor fingers where

"flying" on that guitar neck!!

MLC

[nooze7]

Lovely. As good as the original and solo is better

Long live Mick Taylor!!

[shaggisthrum]

Greaaaaaaat tone from Mick. The best lead player the Stones ever had. His stuff on Sticky Finger is the best... killer

[tjt929]

Ahhh -- the sweet vibrato maestro himself, Mick Taylor. Nobody does it better! What a TONE!!! Thanks for posting.