It's All Over Now

by

The Rolling Stones

Album: 12 x 5      Released: 1964

US Chart: 26     UK Chart: 1

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This was originally recorded by an American R&B band called The Valentinos. Like many songs by black artists The Stones covered, this had been overlooked by white audiences until they released their version. Bobby Womack co-wrote the song with his sister-in-law and sang lead on the original. (thanks, michael - Cleveland, OH)

New York disc jockey Murray the K gave The Stones a copy of The Valentinos' version and suggested they record it. Murray was important enough to have the ear of The Rolling Stones and even The Beatles: Even before the British Invasion, Murray had been at the top of the Rock station ratings for years. He survived and thrived on his ability to pick hits, and did so for artists like Dionne Warwick, Tony Orlando, Jay and the Americans, Little Anthony, The Lovin' Spoonful, Bobby Vinton, Wayne Newton and many others. (thanks to Peter at the Murray the K archives)

The Stones recorded this during their first US tour at Chess Studios in Chicago, where Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf, and Muddy Waters also recorded. During these sessions, they also recorded "Time Is On My Side."

Bobby Womack, who wrote the song, hated what the Stones did with it, but when he got his royalty checks, he lightened up and tried to get the Stones to do more of his songs. 20 years later, he was a guest musician on their Dirty Work album.

Keith Richards: "We cut that in Chess Studios the first time in Chicago. The year before we were playing bars in England, you know. And then we're walking into Chess Studios which was where all of these records that had been made that were so important to us. Now and again in life you get this feeling that you've died and gone to heaven. Luckily, neither was true. American studios at that time were so much more together than in England. I mean, they had some good stuff in England but they didn't have knowledge of how to record it. We were lucky. There were a couple of guys like Glyn Johns in England who had a rough idea of recording. But the way you'd get a sound in an American studio in those days was the difference between day and night, compared to working in England or Europe. I mean these cats, in America, they'd done it already. So to work in Chess was our first taste of American record." (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France)

The Stones were becoming very popular, especially in England, when this was recorded. In order to feed the hunger for more songs, this was put together very quickly. Since they were touring the US at the time, they worked on the arrangement during soundchecks. It was recorded and released very quickly. Only 3 weeks went by from when Murray the K played it for them to when they released their version.

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards sing the first chorus together.

This was the Stones' first #1 hit in England.

This was the first song Bruce Springsteen learned to play on guitar.

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Comments:

I love this guitar solo. It sounds so old-school and unlike most guitar solos.
- Scott, Boston, MA

I don't know about all of this, but it's one of their best recordings...!!!
- steve dotstar, los angeles, CA

Songfacts, I love your site that i just discovered. There's some work to be done here. Bobby Womack! J Geils band had a hit with his "I'm looking for a love." James Taylor, the Youngbloods, Chaka Khan, Neville Bros., Paul Young just to name a few that looked to "The Poet" for songs. The incomprable Pam Grier is singing along with his anthem, " Across 110th st." at the end of "Jackie Brown". An American Treasure!, Peace
- Bryant Urban, Seattle/born trenton,n.j., WA

Robert, You can get a DVD of the Stones performing early songs on Ebay. It includes, great songs: You Better Move On, Little Red Rooster, Satsifaction, Last Time and It's All Over Now. Songs are performed during British TV shows like Cathy McGowan or Ready Steady Go. Still today, it's a song that you listen at high volume; the solo part is great and gives you the feeling of a live version.
- R, Montreal, QC, Canada

The Valentinos' version is VASTLY superior. It can be found on the excellent two-disc set: Sam Cooke's SAR Records Story.
- michael, Cleveland, OH

In the spring of 1967 the Stones appeared on the popular British TV show "Sunday Night at the Palladium," televised live in the UK from that famous London theater. They performed their current hit release of the day, "Ruby Tuesday / Let's Spend the Night Together," along with (I think) "Connection" from the "Between the Buttons" LP, which had been released concurrently with "Ruby / Spend" (and which, per British custom of the time, were not included on the British version of the album), and a version of "It's All Over Now" that was completely different from their 1964 recording. Does anyone know if a CD recording, or a video/DVD of that performance have ever been made available?
- Robert, Huntington Beach , CA

The first time I ever heard this was on a Waylon Jennings album from about 1968 that my dad owned. Molly Hatchet did a hard-rockin' cover of it on their album Flirtin' With Disaster.
- Shell, Riverdale, GA

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