Why the 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of 'Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!' Blows the Original Away

The original 1970 Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! only used songs from two shows – the Baltimore Civic Center and New York’s Madison Square Garden, both from November 1969. It was a lean 11-track snapshot of the Stones at their late-60s peak, but it left a ton of great performances on the cutting room floor.

The 2009 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition fixed that by pulling from six different shows on that same US tour, including gigs at the Forum in Inglewood and a second MSG night. The result is a much fuller picture of the tour’s energy and the band’s setlist variety. The deluxe set added eight previously unreleased tracks, some of which became instant highlights for fans.

Those extra tracks include a killer version of “Prodigal Son” (the Rev. Robert Wilkins cover from Beggars Banquet), a snarling “Stray Cat Blues,” and a rare live take of “You Gotta Move.” You also get “I’m Free,” “Midnight Rambler” with all its harmonica-and-chatter extended intro, a stomping “Little Queenie,” and the B.B. King cover “Rock Me Baby” – plus a soundcheck snippet of “Midnight Rambler” as a bonus disc extra. The improved mastering and expanded liner notes (including a Rolling Stone piece by the guy who actually named the album) make it the definitive way to hear the Stones’ 1969 live swagger.