ROCKS OFF - The Rolling Stones Message Board

[THE WET PAGE] [IORR NEWS] [SETLISTS 1962-2003] [THE A/V ROOM] [THE ART GALLERY] [MICK JAGGER] [KEITHFUCIUS] [CHARLIE WATTS ] [RON WOOD] [BRIAN JONES] [MICK TAYLOR] [BILL WYMAN] [IAN STEWART ] [NICKY HOPKINS] [MERRY CLAYTON] [IAN 'MAC' McLAGAN] [BERNARD FOWLER] [LISA FISCHER] [DARRYL JONES] [BOBBY KEYS] [JAMES PHELGE] [CHUCK LEAVELL] [LINKS] [PHOTOS] [MAGAZINE COVERS] [MUSIC COVERS ] [JIMI HENDRIX] [BOOTLEGS] [TEMPLE] [GUESTBOOK] [ADMIN]

[CHAT ROOM aka THE FUN HOUSE] [RESTROOMS]

NEW: SEARCH ZONE:
Search for goods, you'll find the impossible collector's item!!!
Enter artist an start searching using "Power Search" (RECOMMENDED) inside.
Search for information in the wet page, the archives and this board:

PicoSearch
ROCKS OFF - The Rolling Stones Message Board
Register | Update Profile | F.A.Q. | Admin Control Panel

Topic: How to do of this a Stones subject? Return to archive
December 16th, 2004 11:34 AM
Jair Did the Stones record a song named "Can I Get a Witness",
written by (i think) Al Green?
If so, was in Toronto, about 1994?

Ok, thanks, but now my major interest

What means the expression "Can I Get a Witness"?
I've heard that in other songs, but i don't understand the meaning. Can you gimme a similar expression, please?

Thank y'all again.

Wild honey + Prozac + Viagra + Aspirin Baby + Ritalin - lots of + Redbull. I'm almost ok.



[Edited by Jair]
December 16th, 2004 11:38 AM
Bloozehound check their first album

you know you can grind that Ritalin up and snort it

they call it kiddie cocaine
December 16th, 2004 12:12 PM
Gazza
quote:
Jair wrote:
Did the Stones record a song named "Can I Get a Witness",
written by (i think) Al Green?
If so, was in Toronto, about 1994?

Ok, thanks, but now my major interest

What means the expression "Can I Get a Witness"?
I've heard that in other songs, but i don't understand the meaning. Can you gimme a similar expression, please?

Thank y'all again.

Wild honey + Prozac + Viagra + Aspirin Baby + Ritalin - lots of + Redbull. I'm almost ok.



[Edited by Jair]



Can I get a Witness was recorded by the Stones in 1964. Its an old Motown classic, written by Holland-Dozier-Holland and is best known as a hit for Marvin Gaye.

You're getting it mixed up with another Motown classic, "I Can't get next to you" which was covered by the Stones at the Toronto club show in July 1994. It was a hit for the Temptations and was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. Al Green also recorded it, but the Stones' arrangement is more similar to his version than that of the Temptations.

as for the meaning - hard to explain properly, but "Can I Get a Witness" would be an expression you'd hear in gospel. You'd hear a preacher saying it.
December 16th, 2004 12:32 PM
Saint Sway
quote:
Jair wrote:

What means the expression "Can I Get a Witness"?
I've heard that in other songs, but i don't understand the meaning. Can you gimme a similar expression, please?




the answer to this - as well as the answer to the most important Stones questions - is best summed up by the immortal words of Michelle13:

"idk y if u know tel me cuz doogie a.k.a charlie you dont looka t him like that do u"
December 16th, 2004 01:45 PM
Jair
quote:
Bloozehound wrote:
check their first album

you know you can grind that Ritalin up and snort it

they call it kiddie cocaine




Yes, I know about grind the magic pills.

Thanks anyway.
December 16th, 2004 02:44 PM
Fiji Joe Yet another candidate to replace Raging Goat
December 16th, 2004 08:34 PM
Soldatti Stupid track, the only song that I hate form the first album.
December 17th, 2004 06:18 AM
Jair
quote:
Gazza wrote:
(...)

You're getting it mixed up with another Motown classic, "I Can't get next to you" which was covered by the Stones at the Toronto club show in July 1994. It was a hit for the Temptations and was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. Al Green also recorded it, but the Stones' arrangement is more similar to his version than that of the Temptations.

As for the meaning - hard to explain properly, but "Can I Get a Witness" would be an expression you'd hear in gospel. You'd hear a preacher saying it.




Yes, thank you, Gazza, I made a big confusion about those two songs. What a jerk!
Anyway, I still don't know the meaning of that expression even listening the Stones song, watching in movies, etc...

Anyway, other song where it appears is "Some Kind of Wonderful" sung by Josh Stone in her first album. What a vocal performance! It seems the girl was having an orgasm while singing. It's fantastic. I strongly recommend that record.


December 18th, 2004 11:22 AM
quackenbush Can I Get a Witness?

Do You Know What I Mean?

[Edited by quackenbush]
December 18th, 2004 03:23 PM
Make It Funky Hey Dude,

No, the Stones performed "Cant Get Next To You" at Exhibition Stadium, August 19th (or 20th) on the Voodoo Lounge Tour. I believe they played the song infrequently on the tour. It was originally recorded by The Temptations (Aint Too Proud To Beg etc..) but the Stones covered the tune, in the same arrangement that Al Green did on his second record in '71. (which I HIGHLY recommend!!!) If I find it, I'll repost here ASAP. He does "Drivin' Wheel" "Take me To the River" (ofcourse before Talking Heads did it in late 70s).

FYI: I think Jimi Hendrix ripped of "Cant Get Next to You" in "voodoo chile (slight return)", for the analogies and metaphors are almost identical - but the groove is different.

Cheers!
December 19th, 2004 12:56 PM
Jair
quote:
quackenbush wrote:
Can I Get a Witness?

Do You Know What I Mean?

[Edited by quackenbush]




Are you saying both mean the same?
Thank you!
December 19th, 2004 02:25 PM
Gazza
quote:
Make It Funky wrote:
Hey Dude,

No, the Stones performed "Cant Get Next To You" at Exhibition Stadium, August 19th (or 20th) on the Voodoo Lounge Tour. I believe they played the song infrequently on the tour.



They did indeed.

First performance : RPM Club, Toronto 19.7.94
Last performance : Paradiso, Amsterdam 27.5.95

They played it at the 2nd of those two Toronto stadium shows you mention. After the RPM Club debut, it was played at about seven of the shows in the first month of the tour (August 1994), then only in Memphis (27/9), the first Vegas show (14/10), Pontiac (1/12) and finally at the second of the two Paradiso shows (27/5/95)
December 19th, 2004 03:41 PM
Nasty Habits it's more like:

Does anyone believe what I'm saying is correct?
Do you feel like I do?
Do you hear the righteousness of my words?
Does what I am saying resonate solidly with your point of view about the world?


It's definitely an American gospel/religious term -- people are often called upon to "witness" -- it's like another term for testifying. Usually they talk about their own conversion.

Obviously Marvin Gaye's version and defintely the Stones version secularizes it, but that's what it's all about.

I love the Stones' version. I think it's hilarious. Jagger's vox reach whole new vistas of nasality.

I wouldn't worry about not knowing what it means, Jair -- it's pretty obvious from Jag's reading of the lyrics that he has no clue what he's talkin' about either!

Can I get a witness?!?!

December 20th, 2004 07:50 AM
Jair
quote:
Fiji Joe wrote:
Yet another candidate to replace Raging Goat




What it's Raging Goat???
Rolling Stones Forum - Rolling Stones Message Board - Mick Jagger - Keith Richards - Brian Jones - Charlie Watts - Ian Stewart - Stu - Bill Wyman - Mick Taylor - Ronnie Wood - Ron Wood