The Late Great Nicky Hopkins adding Piano to Sympathy For The Devil

Nicky Hopkins with The Rolling Stones adding Piano.

[@BeTheLight624]

Nicky Hopkins was a genius musician whose musical contributions were noticed and added to music collaborations but never overpowered the other musicians. I also loved his own music, especially Waiting for the Band to come. You are greatly missed, Mr. Hopkins. Gone too early. RIP ❤️

[@jhn1987]

The great thing about Nicky Hopkins is that he had a knack for creating a keyboard part that ended up being essential to the song. Not only Sympathy, but Revolution, Angie, Jealous Guy, How Do You Sleep, She’s a Rainbow, Monkey Man among others.

[@hughtierneytierney3585]

Baby's House

[@robertcooney1938]

He's definitley a Beatle and Stone. Is Nicky Hopkins the King of Rock and Roll? Definitely, royalty.

[@ChuckWortman]

Mind blowing to think how he contributed to the greatest songs e er recorded. But they may not have been the greatest without him. Sympathy without his piano contribution wouldn't be as good.

[@robertcooney1938]

@@ChuckWortman Loving Cup, Shine a Light, actually most of Exile on Main Street he's the 6th Stone for sure.

[@grahamthompson2594]

Jealous Guy

[@stephensuddick1896]

Nicky was a one-off musician. His true greatness can not be overstated.

[@TomMcClean]

This guy was instrumental in so many different top bands!

[@paulallenMacca]

He sure was Tom,i always loved his electric piano on John Lennon's How Do You Sleep.

[@SuperNevile]

this isn't bad either: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIPNp4iIe66KjK8

[@FFing100]

Lennon & McCartney Fanatic Also beautiful piano on Lennon’s ‘Jealous Guy’

[@alexbowman7582]

Hopkins is basically playing the future solos to the song.

[@ub1953]

Always considered Nicky Hopkins one of the STONES.

[@ivanonwan3524]

agree, but they didn't

[@williardbillmore5713]

Nicky was a bigger part of the Stones than Brian Jones...That is for sure.

[@Theslavedrivers]

Shared with Ian Stewart, yes.

[@jimfritz2087]

@@ub1953 No. He was a hired gun . Never " a member" . His stellar contributions were bought and paid for .

[@hewitc]

He was underpaid. Gigs like this got him a few hundred pounds at best.

[@kevinjoseph517]

stones..beatles...airplane...joe cocker...where else

[@jimfritz2087]

Kinks , The WHO , Jeff Beck , Quicksilver Mssr. Service

[@chicojcf]

@@jimfritz2087 I saw Nicky with Quicksilver, fantastic performance.

[@jimfritz2087]

@@chicojcf Early 70s ? Where ?

[@hewitc]

Leon Russell played for Joe Cocker. Another rock legend

[@stevedavis8329]

i just listened to a mostly isolated track of him on sympathy for the devil on another channel, and it really blew me away. I knew he was good, but you can tell when it's just him on the track how percussive his attack is. You can see why bands wanted him, and only him.

[@paulallenMacca]

What channel did you hear the isolated track on,I have several John Lennon piano scores Professionally done including How Do You Sleep.

[@lafarrell3192]

@@paulallenMacca I saw this ^ too : kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3XLlYymitynaKc - just audio on that one, so it's cool to actually see him playing it here.

[@paulallenMacca]

@@lafarrell3192 He plays great piano on Loving Cup The Rolling Stones I’ve a score of it.

[@paulallenMacca]

Can you tell me where the isolated Track can be found on KZbin.

[@alexbowman7582]

As soon as the chords were laid down all the solos ever played were in Nicky’s head already.

[@deathbydeviceable]

I'm noticing Jagger makes noises probably before lyrics

[@bharatbash]

My God! That right hand is simply out of this world 🎹

[@paulallenMacca]

I just love it but just a pity the Quality isnt better.

[@bamtastic4297]

I jammed with him he was amazingly gifted

[@paulallenMacca]

That must have been a great feeling to Jam with him and meet him.

[@davis7099]

His was the glue , the musical tension, more than Jagger's squawking, that held this together. The modest, underpaid, under credited genius of Nicky Hopkins.

[@paulallenMacca]

Yes and he should have been better paid.

[@PolPotsPieHole]

@@paulallenMacca lol, maybe but i would have paid the Stones to play with them in the studio in 1967

[@edwardmclaughlin719]

free drugs?@@PolPotsPieHole

[@starangwonder2594]

@@PolPotsPieHole Yeah, that's because you suck. Nicki actually added something.

[@hewitc]

His biography has photos of the receipts. He got around $100 for a day's gig. The Stones wanted him to tour America with them but he suffered from Crone's disease so he declined.

[@UDX4570PalmSprings-yh1mv]

Nicky Hopkins did some work with Badfinger as well!

[@paulallenMacca]

I know he played with a lot of Groups but I myself am only into John Lennon and The Beatles but love his piano on this song and Loving Cup.

[@petesquire2954]

Salutations to and commemorations for Nicky Hopkins; a master of the keyboard.

[@jamesewanchook2276]

Brian showed up. Best years 64 to 72 ; Stones forever and Nicky and... Ian stewart!

[@RHR-221b]

*Ian: One of Scotland's finest.*

[@MFisher7346]

Before this he played with Screaming Lord Sutch's Savages and Cyril Davies' All-stars (which was virtually the same band).

[@thePronto]

I never knew Bill Wyman could move!

[@dancingtrout6719]

off camera hes a wild man Right ...lol

[@simonezanardi]

If UR talking about the bass player, he's Keith on this track...

[@dancingtrout6719]

@@simonezanardi keef turn your Amp Down

[@jetsamperes5762]

If you watch the video footage of the making of Hey Jude you'll hear Paul McCartney use this same piano riff. Sympathy was recorded in June '68 and Hey Jude was in late July. Amazing that both of these long classics have similar structures -slow starts to dramatic builds, each had a non word hook (na, na, na... to woo hoo, woo hoo), were recorded so close to each other and both were documented on film during the recording process.

[@guitarslim56]

Not the same riff. Same chord progression, but totally different voicings and rhythms. Not even close.

[@maxsno]

His collaborations were countless, the most sought after of the era . His efforts with the Jefferson Airplane my fave .🙏🌍🕊️☄️

[@paulallenMacca]

Yeah he is a Real Legend,I first seen his name on John Lennon’s Imagine Album in 1971 I was only 14 years old then.

[@williamobryan682]

Nicky , JEFF , rod the mod , micky waller , and ronny on bass . Talk about it .

[@mumbles215]

Keef played the bass on the final take.

[@Hananotaka]

I’m sitting here watching it, and I still can’t believe he played that part with just two hands.

[@highatruthart]

BEST ALLL AROUND KEY BOARD PLAYER EVER. HE SHOULD OF BEEN ADDED TO THE MEMBER BAND LIST.

[@pdiddley7597]

He was offered a permanent gig with the 'Stones. Matter of fact, the 'Stones used to open for Nicky, back in '62..

[@ericwood2466]

Higha Truth Yeah they fucked him over 💔😔💔 Rest In Peace ☮️ ✌️ NH 🙏❤️

[@highatruthart]

He should of definitely been classified as the 5th member of the Who !

[@dodojack1045]

Along with Billy Preston.

[@hewitc]

He declined because of chronic illness. He was afraid to tour.

[@kevinjoseph517]

Im reading keiths r book and he gives nicky maybe 3-5 sentences..doubt me..check the index..in a 500+ page book he gets maybe 100 or 200 words.

[@ChuckWortman]

I couldn't get through the book. Too much of him and not enough of people like Nicky.

[@rickandrewsschlegelvideoch2045]

keith on bass and taylor on guitar.. nicky was the best ever.

[@Magnetron33]

I think my favorite was Edward the Mad Shirt Grinder from Quicksilver Shady Grove

[@Viajealduende]

Greatest piano performance ever in rock history!

[@therealtruetwelfth798]

That’s absurd

[@Viajealduende]

@@therealtruetwelfth798That's my opinion!

[@badsign49]

Salt Of The Earth as well. Genius!

[@paulallenMacca]

Love that Piano

[@peterjg67]

Woo woo

[@laurenceporter9354]

... imagine that ... on the cusp between two worlds ... one where Sympathy for the Devil didn't exist ... and one where it did ...

[@paulallenMacca]

When I was 14 years old back in 1971 I used to think Nicky was an American and only found out in these Internet times he was actually born here in the UK.

[@jetsamperes5762]

That's an amazing concept - goes with art, novels, technology and music. A minute before and a lifetime after.

[@robbienow9074]

Wonderful!

[@paulallenMacca]

Thanks Robbie i love watching him play that piano.

[@sandroerickribeirorodrigue3306]

GRANDE MUSICO

[@benwilkins6208]

I wish they had filmed the full recording

[@paulallenMacca]

ben wilkins I just put up this part there is actual footage off the full film somewhere I think I recorded the whole film one time off tv.

[@pizzamatica]

See one plus one movie directed by J L Godard

[@garywilliams8585]

@@paulallenMacca I have this on DVD. It is the movie by JL Goodard, but the title is Sympathy for the devil, at least the reissue is called that. Very gritty movie. Not for the thin skinned in the politically correct Dept.

[@myradioon]

Most importantly, there is no footage of Keith's epic, masterful, stinging guitar solo being overdubbed in the movie- so no, there isn't "full footage" out there as of yet. There are people who think Keith is all rhythm" "no solos" and it's been falsely suggested Roy Buchanan or someone else played it. Listen to the phrasing and it's "All Keith - no doubt". Not as technical as others - just better.

[@janibeg3247]

i have the Quicksilver Messenger Service Shady Grove record

[@stephenperl4730]

Clever

[@paulallenMacca]

Thanks for your comment

[@stephenzanichkowsky4434]

Got to at least hear him, if not see him, on the STP tour in '72.

[@carl-cr7rp]

Keith on Bass!

[@myradioon]

Everyone knows the bass makes this song. And to top it Keith's guitar solo on this is pretty much one of the Best of All Time. Phrasing for days. No other electric/guitar (Mick Taylor/Jones) needed in the Stones at this point Keith handled most of the duties for two full albums. Still the Stones because Keith is the Stones.

[@anthonycook4297]

Oh, YEAH🙌🏽

[@Viajealduende]

That's my opinion!

[@sungjungro5444]

Interesting!

[@dagalfheim7056]

And now you know where freedom 90 came from

[@maxperez-stable6796]

1:03 Did Jagger just call Nicky a "show off?"

[@francescocatalano5855]

fantastic

[@paulallenMacca]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@thetinmanwasagreatdreamer7482]

there is no doubt that Nicky was too versatile when playing the piano.

[@nandokinks]

"Samba" 1:04

[@goodtime2683]

"Ça va" which means "It's Ok" in French

[@ladybird7845]

1:04 Just love the French Speaking Jagger !

[@ladybird7845]

Désolée ! He says « Ça va ! » Remember that Jean Luc Godard is around and Mick enjoys to speak in French.

[@charlesjenkins1225]

the one person who gave this a thumbs down must have been the Devil himself :)

[@paulallenMacca]

Yes you are right on that.

[@pdiddley7597]

Bullshit. The devil loves rock.

[@John_G153]

He hit the wrong button

[@ChuckWortman]

​@John_G153 it had to be that. No other logical explanation

[@mikaelsjoberg1894]

What about Stu?

[@paulallenMacca]

I’ve always been a fan of Nicky’s I first heard of him playing on John Lennon’s Album’s when I was only 14 years old back in 1971.

[@lafarrell3192]

check out the isolated piano: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3XLlYymitynaKc

[@williardbillmore5713]

Nicky added so much more to the Stones sound than Brian ever could. There were lots of geniuses in the Rolling Stones, but Brian was not among them... Nicky was.

[@paulallenMacca]

I’ve some professional piano scores of John Lennon played by Nicky.

[@Richard-wp6ep]

That's jagger summoning demons when he sold his soul to the devil for this gem.

[@kimsullivan5576]

Sealing his own fate.

[@cs-iz7th]

1:06 ça va😂😂

[@mentilly_all]

mock the devil.. Christ is Lord.

[@tonylehr8714]

Damn Jagger, quit that stupid screaming so we can hear the piano.

[@dancingtrout6719]

Be Great if the Hells Angels Walked Right in on this. maybe make a mock up video of it

[@dancingtrout6719]

piano is not suppose to be in Rock n Roll

[@paulallenMacca]

Why not the song wouldn’t be the same without Nicky’s Piano he is a Legend.

[@dancingtrout6719]

@@paulallenMacca If you listen too lyn nerd skynerd its nothing but piano omg.. little richard was all about piano he was the first rocker..... who carries a piano to a gig , maybe a keyboard .lol its just not suppose too be in there... the enlightening Piano sound

[@MrLuigiFercotti]

Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Fats Domino, and many more are laughing at you.

[@dancingtrout6719]

@@MrLuigiFercotti ted nugent said this he made a video of destroying a piano i wont say how.. i thought long on this ...years and hes Right .. the gay tone of the piano is too refined.. we need gut bucket Raunch...