It’s a Rolling Stones double-shot!
Yesterday, we took a look at “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” a song Bruce covered three times in unusual circumstances. Today, we take a look at the Stones’ first U.K. #1 hit–a song Bruce covered twice as many times, in circumstances just as varied.
“It’s All Over Now” was actually a cover when The Stones covered it in 1964. The Valentinos (featuring the song’s co-author Bobby Womack) first recorded and released it the year prior.
The Stones’ arrangement quickly became the definitive version of the song when it topped the U.K. charts the year of its release. (It only reached #26 in the U.S.)
Bruce covered “It’s All Over Now” quite early, first performing it at The Stone Pony with house band Cats on a Smooth Surface in 1983. No one thought to capture that debut performance for posterity, however.
Its next appearance came more than sixteen years later at a private concert for the high bidders of a charity auction. Bruce performed “It’s All Over Now” that night with Patti Scialfa, Southside Johnny, and Jon Bon Jovi, but if someone recorded it, it stays safely locked away to date.
The third time was the charm, though. At a Nils Lofgren concert at the Stone Pony during the summer of 2001, Bruce joined Nils on stage for a duet treatment of the Stones’ early classic. This time, it was captured on tape.
The Stone Pony was the scene of Bruce’s next captured performance, too–this time with lead vocals by Soozie Tyrell, the guest of honor at her White Lines record release party at in May 2003.
But it wasn’t until the very end of the Magic Tour in 2008 that Bruce performed “It’s All Over Now” in concert properly–and even then, it was a team-up. Bruce almost never cedes the vocal spotlight to one of his band members, but that night he shared the spotlight with Soozie for a reprise of their Stone Pony performance five years earlier.
This time their performance was a true duet in a country swing arrangement, one of the highlights of a fun and unpredictable evening. (Bruce was apparently feeling magnanimous that night–Max also got a turn at lead vocals on “Boys.”)
That duet was the last time “It’s All Over Now” has appeared on a Springsteen set list to date, but since it has a habit of popping up in the strangest of places and circumstances, it’ll almost certainly surface again someday. Let’s just hope someone captures it when it does.
It’s All Over Now
First performed: November 6, 1983 (Asbury Park, NJ)
Last performed: August 24, 2008 (Kansas City, MO)
