The Rolling Stones’ Wild Horses performance praised by fans as ‘simply incredible’ moment

A “simply incredible” moment was captured on camera during The Rolling Stones‘ performance of Wild Horses.

A gig from the L.A. Forum on July 11, 1975, was hailed by fans as one of the greatest moments from the Mick Jagger-fronted group. Some were thoroughly impressed by the band’s ability to play the song as well as it sounded in the studio, while others were stunned by the visual quality of the recording. Jagger and the band can be seen cutting across the stage during the performance of their Sticky Fingers single. It’s one of many stunning moments from the band on stage, with their longevity offering more than a few brilliant performances. But fans were particularly taken by this Wild Horses showcase, with many suggesting it’s one of The Rolling Stones’ peak moments.

One comment left by a fan on a YouTube upload of the performance reads: “Simply incredible! One of the best performances I’ve ever seen, I didn’t think they’d be able to play it live as good, if not better than, the studio cut.” Another hailed the Wild Horses rendition, adding: “Wonderful, just awesome! The best of the best. You feel the music.”

A third added: “Wild Horses bears even some progressive rock influences here.” Some were left wondering why this quality of music was, apparently, no longer being produced. One user asked: “Why isn’t great music being produced anymore? I sometimes wish I grew up in the ’60s when great music and talent were appreciated.”

Their comment was met with derision by a few, who observed the problem was not a lack of quality, but of not replicating the period. They wrote: “Everyone says, ‘Why isn’t this kind of music/sound around anymore?’ Sadly, The Rolling Stones don’t even produce this sound anymore. A lot of lights, glitz, etc. This is the best. Unpolished, sloppy, raw, drugged-out rock and roll.”

Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards have since spoken fondly of Wild Horses, with the frontman rubbishing rumours the song is written about Marianne Faithfull. Jagger and Faithfull had an on-again-off-again relationship between 1966 and 1970, fuelling rumours the song was inspired by the end of their dating.

But Jagger, in the liner notes released for the album in 1993, shares: “I remember we sat around originally doing this with Gram Parsons, and I think his version came out slightly before ours. Everyone always says this was written about Marianne, but I don’t think it was; that was all well over by then. But I was definitely very inside this piece emotionally.

Richards also hailed the song and suggests it was written like another classic song from The Rolling Stones. He said: “If there is a classic way of Mick and me working together, this is it.

“I had the riff and chorus line, Mick got stuck into the verses. Just like (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, Wild Horses was about the usual thing of not wanting to be on the road, being a million miles from where you want to be.”