Gimme Shelter - Cover Versions

Cover Versions

• Ruth Copeland on her first album Self Portrait, performed with George Clinton's Parliament, in 1969 (reissued on The Invictus Sessions in 2002)
• The original backing singer, Merry Clayton, recorded her own version in 1970 which entered the Billboard Hot 100.
• Grand Funk Railroad on the album Survival in 1971; a #61 U.S. hit as a single
• Unknown to many but probably the best and most soulful cover version appeared 1972 on the LP "Maxayn" by the group Maxayn, yet not released on CD until 2012
• Josefus for their album Dead Man.
• The Sisters of Mercy in 1983, on the B-side of their single "Temple of Love" (released on the album Some Girls Wander by Mistake in 1992).
• The Divine Horsemen, a Los Angeles post-punk band, included a note-perfect cover on their 1987 album Middle of the Night, with co-lead singer Julie Christensen doing a spooky take on Merry Clayton's wailing.
• The Goo Goo Dolls on their 1989 album Jed
• Metric pay tribute to the song in their track "Gimme Sympathy" on their 2009 album Fantasies*The Inspiral Carpets in 1990
• John Mellencamp covered the song during his 2001 Cuttin' Heads tour.
• Meat Loaf covered the song during live shows in the 1980s with the vocalist Leslie Aday (aka 'Leslie Loaf') duetting Merry Clayton's parts opposite her husband
• Holy Soldier, a 1980s Christian metal band from Los Angeles, California, on the album Last Train in 1992
• Hawkwind, studio album It Is the Business of the Future to Be Dangerous, 1993
• Michael Hedges, album Strings on Steel, 1993
• Thunder on their album Their Finest Hour (And A Bit) released in October 1995
• The Hellacopters released a cover in 1997 on their 7" "Like No Other Man" released 1998, also included in Cream Of The Crap Vol. 1, 2002
• Ashley Cleveland on her album You Are There, 1998
• Rio Reiser, a German singer, sometimes performed the song on stage; a recording was released only posthumously on the album Am Piano 2, 1999
• Rock band The Accident Experiment on the maxi-single "Mind Death Machine"
• Legião Urbana, on their album Música P/ Acampamentos
• Kathy Mattea covered the song on her 2005 album "Right Out of Nowhere."
• Turbonegro's cover was an unreleased song that ended up on their rarity collection Small Feces.
• The London Symphony Orchestra on the album Symphonic Music of The Rolling Stones. This version of the song is heard in the Children of Men (2006) trailer.
• Streetlab, techno remix, released 30 January 2007
• Patti Smith released the song as a single from her April 2007 covers album Twelve.
• Keith Urban and Alicia Keys at Live Earth at Giants Stadium on July 7, 2007
• Angélique Kidjo and Joss Stone covered the song for Kidjo's album Djin Djin and performed it live at the Live Earth concert in Jonnesburg, South Africa on July 7, 2007
• Stereophonics released a cover version as the B-side to "My Friends" in December 2007
• Sheryl Crow incorporated elements of "Gimme Shelter" into live performances of her song "Gasoline", which appeared in its original form on the album Detours.
• Paul Brady & The Forest Rangers covered the song for the final episode of season 2 of Sons of Anarchy. This version is available on the 5-song EP Sons of Anarchy: Shelter.
• U2 covered the song at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame benefit concert on October 30, 2009, with Mick Jagger sharing lead vocals with Bono and featuring The Black Eyed Peas members Fergie, singing Merry Clayton's vocal part, and will.i.am, playing piano and synthesizer.
• Zeds Dead released a Dubstep version on YouTube.
• Playing for Change made a music video rendition of "Gimme Shelter" which is dedicated to all the lost, homeless and forgotten people in this world.
• Puddle of Mudd covered the song on their 2011 cover album Re:(disc)overed.