It's All Over Now by The Rolling Stones

Album: 12 x 5 (1964)

Charted: 1 26

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Songfacts®:

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. >>>
Suggestion credit:
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 & the Americans, Little Anthony, The Lovin' Spoonful, Bobby Vinton, Wayne Newton and many others.
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." >>>
Suggestion credit:
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.

Comments: 17

Dominick from United StatesI know others do not agree but I love the live version they did when they were young enough to have Brian Jones playing. I could run this on a loop; I think it showcases their talent and the electricity they were able to generate. Classic
Charlie Gregory from San Diego The first recording was by the group Valentino’s and went to number 94 before being bumped from the charts by the Stones who had a number one with the song. The Valentino’s were all from the Womack family. The song was of course written by Bobby and a female member of the family. Their version was produced by Sam Cooke.
Dan from South Of FranceThe Stones never reproduced this song/sound live. Their live version was total garbage. I reckon it was American session muscians on the original studio track.
Darla from Salinas, CaliforniaTo Jennifer , Re: the way you hurt someone's eyes open . when you are in love you tend to see no wrong in that person you love. But when someone hurts you so bad that you can see past that love blindness, You are finally able to see the truth. There for your eyes will be open.
Jennifur Sun from RamonaCan anyone tell me how You can HURT someone's eyes open? Usually when you are hurt you cry, which includes closing your eyes.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn September 11th 1964, at the Greenwich Town Hall in Greenwich, England a Mick Jagger look-a-like competition was held; a 16 year-old Laurie Yarham, who looked like Mick and seem to know his every move, was declared the winner...
The audience's delight turned sharply when it was revealed that Mr. Yarham was actually Mick's younger brother, Chris Jagger...
At the time the Stones' "It's All Over Now" was at #20 on the United Kingdom's Singles chart; and across the pond in the U.S.A., the song was at #27 on Billboard's Hot Top 100...
{See 2nd post below}.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 15th 1973, Bobby Womack performed "It's All Over Now" on the NBC-TV program 'The Midnight Special'...
{See next post below}...
Sadly, Robert Dwayne Womack passed away a year ago on June 27th, 2014 at the age of 70...
May he R.I.P.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn July 19th 1964, "It's All Over Now" by the Rolling Stones entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #100; and September 13th, 1964 it peaked at #26 (for 1 week) and spent 10 weeks on the Top 100...
And on July 16th, 1964 it reached #1 (for 1 week) on the United Kingdom's Record Retailer chart (it also peaked at #1 in the Netherlands)...
The same week it entered the Top 100 the Stones had two other records on the chart, "Tell Me" (at #49) and "Not Fade Away" (at #58)...
Earlier in 1964 the Valentinos' original version of the song made the Top 100, it stayed for two weeks, peaking at #94 (the lead singer for the Valentinos was Bobby Womack, and he was the song's co-composer).
Tom from Freiburg, GermanyThis song features what must have been some sort of secret weapon of the Stones, a baritone guitar. Strangely enough, this instrument is never mentioned, although it appears on other Stones' songs like "Heart Of Stone". I have yet to see a picture or footage with a baritone guitar equipped Brian Jones or Keith Richards, so the make of this instruments remains unidentified.
Dill from Alexandria, VaThey got such a great sound on this record, that echo-reverb and twang and blues. As the years go by this and Honky Tonk Women have risen to the top as my two most-favorite Stones tunes.
Scott from Boston, MaI love this guitar solo. It sounds so old-school and unlike most guitar solos.
Steve Dotstar from Los Angeles, CaI don't know about all of this, but it's one of their best recordings...!!!
Bryant Urban from Seattle/born Trenton,n.j., WaSongfacts, 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
R from Montreal, Qc, CanadaRobert,

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.
Michael from Cleveland, OhThe Valentinos' version is VASTLY superior. It can be found on the excellent two-disc set: Sam Cooke's SAR Records Story.
Robert from Huntington Beach , CaIn 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?
Shell from Riverdale, GaThe 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.

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