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Rolling Stones songs: Sing This All Together
And if we close all our eyes together/ Then we will see where we all come from…
Original titles: All Together ; God Bless You Written by: Jagger/Richard Recorded: Olympic Sound Studios, London, England, July 7-22 1967 Guest musicians: Nicky Hopkins (piano), John Lennon and Paul McCartney (percussion) *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
More about ‘Sing This All Together’ by The Rolling Stones
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
The Genesis of ‘Sing This All Together’
In September 1967, NME journalist Keith Altham visited London’s Olympic Sound Studios during the creation of Their Satanic Majesties Request. At Brian Jones’s invitation, Altham experienced a sprawling fifteen-minute instrumental session, which would later be divided into Sing This All Together and its reprise (See What Happens). Initially an instrumental piece, Mick Jagger subsequently overlaid it with evocative lyrics in the studio. The opening lines, “Why don’t we sing this song all together / Open our heads, let the pictures come” reflect a newfound embrace of the flower power ethos, marking a departure from the band’s earlier, more detached stance. This shift aligned the Stones with contemporaries like The Beatles and Jefferson Airplane, who were also exploring themes of unity and collective consciousness in their music.
A Sonic Mosaic: The Rolling Stones’ Psychedelic Foray
Sing This All Together opens Their Satanic Majesties Request with a vivid plunge into their unique brand of psychedelia. The track begins with Nicky Hopkins’ heavily compressed piano, soon joined by Brian Jones’ Mellotron, emulating horn sounds. Keith Richards likely contributes bass lines with his Fender Precision, played with a pick. The song’s mix is dense, possibly obscuring other bass elements. Vocals emerge with an inviting melody, dominated by Mick Jagger’s voice, though somewhat recessed in the mix. An instrumental bridge showcases a rich tapestry of percussion—güiro, congas, maracas, tambourine, vibes, xylophone, and marimba—anchored by Charlie Watts’ bass drum and cymbal work. Richards provides rhythm and distorted lead guitar, while Jones punctuates the piece with Mellotron-generated horns and flutes, as well as real saxophone. This composition, initially titled God Bless You or simply All Together, encapsulates the Stones’ experimental spirit during a transformative era in music.
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