Lacking the confidence of The Beatles as songwriters, the early output of the Stones was characterised by cover versions of American blues/R&B recordings. Like this one; 'It's All Over Now' was original recorded by The Valentinos mere months previous and as played by them the tune stresses the rhythm over the blues. Its boneless body flexes and bounces with a frog hopping bassline and a percussive rhythm played from the wrist that gives the tune a seriously organic groove. The Stones' version is a far stiffer affair with Jones and Richards trading snappy licks that keep the track moving, albeit a motion akin to running on the spot through the endless recycling of a single theme and a one note tambourine beat. It falls to Jagger to raise this above the standard of pub cover band by providing a vocal that doesn't try to emulate Bobby Womack's original swagger but instead rings out with a sneering, south London 'couldn't give a fuck that she's gone'-ness that seethes with a pure indifference. The arrogance of youth maybe, but it works, both in the context of the song and through providing the bad cop to the mop tops' good cop. Acts like The Rolling Stones are frequently accused of hijacking the music of the black man and sanitising it for the white man's palate. There's truth in this, but at the same time a good tune is a good tune and the fact that the Stones serve this one up with the sheen of a freshly stropped razor is all to the good.
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