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get yer ya ya’s out
Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out photo shoot with Charlie Watts
June 7, 1970: Charlie does the photo shoot for the cover of the Stones’ next live album GET YER YA-YA’S OUT! Although the two photography sessions for the cover featuring Charlie and a donkey are depicted in the documentary film Gimme Shelter, showing Watts and Mick on a section of the M6 motorway adjacent to Bescot Rail Depot in Birmingham, England, posing with a donkey, the actual cover photo was taken in early February 1970 in London, and does not originate from the 1969 session. Legendary photographer David Bailey took care of the photoshoot, featuring Charlie with guitars and bass drums hanging from the neck of a donkey, inspired by a line in Bob Dylan’s song ‘Visions of Johanna’ (“Jewels and binoculars hang from the head of the mule”). The band would later say “we originally wanted an elephant but settled for a donkey”
Charlie explained it in a 2017 interview: “It was David, who we worked with a lot in those days. I went to this place near where I used to live which was Hendon. It had a plane runway, an aerodrome. They brought the donkey along, put a drum on it. I was in my stage clothes and borrowed Mick’s hat in one of them. David was up a ladder shutting down, then on the floor shooting up. That’s about it”.
The iconic cover of the Rolling Stones’ live album “Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!” holds a fascinating backstory, primarily revolving around the unconventional photo shoot featuring drummer Charlie Watts.
On June 7, 1970, the band gathered for the photo shoot of their upcoming live album, with Charlie Watts taking the spotlight. Although the documentary film Gimme Shelter captured two photography sessions for the cover, displaying Watts and Mick Jagger by the M6 motorway in England posing with a donkey, the actual cover photo was taken in early February 1970 in London, marking a distinct departure from the 1969 session.
Renowned photographer David Bailey orchestrated the striking images, incorporating the concept of Charlie Watts accompanied by guitars and bass drums dangling from the neck of a donkey. This creative direction stemmed from a line in Bob Dylan’s song ‘Visions of Johanna’ (“Jewels and binoculars hang from the head of the mule”). Despite the band’s initial desire for an elephant, they ultimately settled for a donkey, resulting in a visually captivating album cover. The images captured by Bailey emphasize the band’s whimsical yet rebellious spirit, embodying the essence of the era’s rock’n’roll ethos.
The album cover, immortalized in the annals of music history, serves as a testament to the Rolling Stones’ unparalleled artistry and the innovative collaborations that defined their legacy.
