Little Queenie

The '69 US Tour brought us two Chuck Berry covers. Little Queenie unlike Carol, did not start life as a studio track.

A. Structure:

Jagger faint in the left channel during the instrumental intro:

"I love New York" at :01 in the left channel.

Jagger:

"I'm talkin'"(Marker #1)

Verse #1

Line 1: I got the lumps in my throat

Line 2: When I saw her coming down the aisle

Line 3: I gets the wiggles in my knees.

Feedback during the "in" on Line 3 at :32(Marker #2)

Line 4: When she looked at me and sweetly smiled

Line 5: There she is again standing over by the record machine

Line 6: She's lookin' like a model on the cover of a magazine

Line 7: Why...she's too cute to be a minute over seventeen

Turnaround #1

Line 8: Meanwhile...I was thinkin'

Line 9: She's in the mood...no need to break it

Line 10: I got the chance..I'wa gonna take it

Line 11: She can dance...we can make it...come on Queenie let's shake it

Chorus #1

Line 12: Go...Go...Go...Little Queenie

Line 13: Go...Go...Go...Little Queenie

Line 14: Go...Go...Go...Little Queenie

Line 15: "Aww"(Marker #3)

Verse #2

Line 16: Won't ya tell me who's the queen

Line 17: Standing over by the record machine

Line 18: Why she's lookin' like a model on the cover of a magazine

Line 19: And she's too cute to be a minute over seventeen

Line 20: "Take-off your shoes"(Marker #4)

Instrumental Break #1: Keith Richards doin' his best double stops and string bends in the right channel.

Turnaround #2

Line 21: Meanwhile I was still thinkin'

Line 22: If it's a slow song...we'll omit it

Line 23: If it's a rocker...that'll get it

Line 24: And if it's good...she'll admit it

Line 25: Come on Queenie...let's get with it

Chorus #2

Line 26: Go...Go...Go...Little Queenie

Line 27: Go...Go...Go...Little Queenie

Line 28: Go...Go...Go...Little Queenie

Instrumental Break #2: KR and Wyman build up to a crescendo ending

B. Reference Recordings, Markers and Conclusions:

1. Compared to MSG November 27, 1969 audience source

No Marker #1: "Let's have a look at ya" during the instrumental intro.

Line 1: No "I got the"...

Line 3: Is "got" instead of get...No Marker #2

Line 6: "Whoa" instead of She's...

Line 7: Does not start with "Why"...

Line 11: Starts with "And" she....

Line 13: Starts with "A"...

Line 15: No Marker #3

Line 19: Does not start with "And"...

Line 19: Ends with "all right boy"

Line 20: No Marker #4

A "whoo" leads-of the closing instrumental

2. Compared to MSG November 28, 1969 2nd audience source

No Marker #1: "Yeah get it on" during the instrumental intro.

Line 3: No Marker #2

Line 5: Starts with "Yeah"...

Line 6: Starts with "Why"...

Line 15: No Marker #3

Line 18: Starts with "Well"...

Line 19: Ends with "hey",

Line 20: No Marker #4

Line 26: No "Go...Go...Go..."....

3. Compared to Black and White Video

There is a video performance of this song from 1969, in circulation. There is lettering that appears during Instrumental Break #1 in the video that simply says "Little Queenie The Rolling Stones". The letters "POD" also appear in the upper right corner with some kind of logo in the upper left. This may have been intended to be used as a promo film for GYYYO from residual "Gimme Shelter" footage. It looks to have ended-up on late night TV in Kuala Lumpur at 3:00 AM. It is a very significant piece of film though.

No words during the instrumental introduction.

No Marker #1

Line 3: Is "got" instead of gets. Marker #2 is Present! Feedback on Line 3.

Line 5: Starts with "Yeah"...

Line 6: Starts with "Why"...

Line 7: Does not start with "Why"...

Line 11: Starts with "If"...

Line 15: No Marker #3

Line 18: Does not start with "Why"...

Line 19: Ends with "all right"

Line 20: No Marker #4

Instrumental Break #1: This is the same solo as "Ya-Ya's"

Line 25: Ends with a "whoo"

Conclusion:

The musical tracks for GYYYO and the video are 11/28/69 1st by process of elimination. Musical Marker #2 provides a strong enough correlation in my opinion to conclude that the vocal on "Ya-Ya's" has been overdubbed. The video "documents" the original vocal from 11/28/69 1st show! Boston, Palm Beach, and Altamont were also checked...no match.

Back To "Ya-Ya's

Back To Home Page