Original Performance: The Rolling Stones
Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger
Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger
Versions:
Lyrics:
No Expectations [Version (a)]:
[From February 19, 2000 web broadcast with Beth Orton]
Take me to the station
Put me on a train
I got no expectations
To pass through here again
Once I was a rich man
Now I am so poor
Never in my sweet short life
I felt like this before
Your heart is a like a diamond
You throw your pearls at swine
And as I watch you leaving me
Pack my peace of mind
Your love is like the water
That splashes on a stone
Our love was like the music
It's here and then it's gone
So take me to the airport
Put me on a plane
I got no expectations
To pass through here again
Take me to the station
And put me on a train
I got no expectations
To pass through here again
[From February 19, 2000 web broadcast with Beth Orton]
Take me to the station
Put me on a train
I got no expectations
To pass through here again
Once I was a rich man
Now I am so poor
Never in my sweet short life
I felt like this before
Your heart is a like a diamond
You throw your pearls at swine
And as I watch you leaving me
Pack my peace of mind
Your love is like the water
That splashes on a stone
Our love was like the music
It's here and then it's gone
So take me to the airport
Put me on a plane
I got no expectations
To pass through here again
Take me to the station
And put me on a train
I got no expectations
To pass through here again
The Song:
"No Expectations" is a classic song by The Rolling Stones, from their 1968 album, Beggars Banquet.
Beck has covered it a number of times over the years, it is a classic and one of the songs he can easily go to.
The first time Beck played the song, I think, was from February 15 2000. This is circulating in excellent quality, as it was broadcast on the web. It was a duet with Beth Orton, and was recorded backstage before one of his shows. (Orton was opening his shows.) They began with some friendly disagreement about what key they should perform it in, before discussing how they'll sing the arrangement. It sounds like they're both playing acoustic guitar, and it is great to hear them duet.
"No Expectations" is a classic song by The Rolling Stones, from their 1968 album, Beggars Banquet.
Beck has covered it a number of times over the years, it is a classic and one of the songs he can easily go to.
The first time Beck played the song, I think, was from February 15 2000. This is circulating in excellent quality, as it was broadcast on the web. It was a duet with Beth Orton, and was recorded backstage before one of his shows. (Orton was opening his shows.) They began with some friendly disagreement about what key they should perform it in, before discussing how they'll sing the arrangement. It sounds like they're both playing acoustic guitar, and it is great to hear them duet.
Live:
Played live 19 times:
Earliest known live version: February 15, 2000
Latest known live version: June 30, 2015
2000 Vultures tour
"No Expectations" was never a part of the Vultures setlists, but Beck did do it twice with Beth Orton. First, backstage for a webcast (see above) and then a few weeks later in London, he came out during Orton's opening set and sang it with her.
2002-2003 Sea Change tour
Beck's solo acoustic tour in August 2002 was full of many cover songs, and he and Smokey Hormel did "No Expectations" at 4 of the 20 shows. The first version, on August 8, was much slower than the other one I have heard (August 14). Afterwards, Beck even commented on how slow it was.
Beck did the song once again with Beth Orton on November 23 2002 at a KCRW Benefict concert. I guess this is their song! This night, though, they're a little out-of-sync, both of them miss marks and stuff. Very loose.
Much tighter is a gorgeous acoustic duet with Smokey on March 31 2003 in Tokyo. Man, can Smokey play blues slide guitar or what? Just terrific.
2005-2006 Guero/The Info tours
Beck did "No Expectations" just 3 times in 2005, on the Guero shows. However, these weren't full versions, just singing a few lines here and there. One time it was during his extended slide guitar intro to "Hotwax," for instance. The other two times were in his sets in Toronto and Pennsylvania when he was opening for, yes, The Rolling Stones.
There were 7 more "No Expectations" in 2006, but again, most were just a few lines as intros to slide guitar songs ("Hotwax" and "Whiskeyclone" usually).
2015 in London
After 9 years away from the song, Beck dropped the song again at a very small club show in London.
Played live 19 times:
February 15, 2000
March 23, 2000
August 8, 2002
August 12, 2002
August 14, 2002
August 26, 2002
November 23, 2002
March 31, 2003
September 25, 2005
September 26, 2005
...and 9 more.
March 23, 2000
August 8, 2002
August 12, 2002
August 14, 2002
August 26, 2002
November 23, 2002
March 31, 2003
September 25, 2005
September 26, 2005
...and 9 more.
Earliest known live version: February 15, 2000
Latest known live version: June 30, 2015
2000 Vultures tour
"No Expectations" was never a part of the Vultures setlists, but Beck did do it twice with Beth Orton. First, backstage for a webcast (see above) and then a few weeks later in London, he came out during Orton's opening set and sang it with her.
2002-2003 Sea Change tour
Beck's solo acoustic tour in August 2002 was full of many cover songs, and he and Smokey Hormel did "No Expectations" at 4 of the 20 shows. The first version, on August 8, was much slower than the other one I have heard (August 14). Afterwards, Beck even commented on how slow it was.
Beck did the song once again with Beth Orton on November 23 2002 at a KCRW Benefict concert. I guess this is their song! This night, though, they're a little out-of-sync, both of them miss marks and stuff. Very loose.
Much tighter is a gorgeous acoustic duet with Smokey on March 31 2003 in Tokyo. Man, can Smokey play blues slide guitar or what? Just terrific.
2005-2006 Guero/The Info tours
Beck did "No Expectations" just 3 times in 2005, on the Guero shows. However, these weren't full versions, just singing a few lines here and there. One time it was during his extended slide guitar intro to "Hotwax," for instance. The other two times were in his sets in Toronto and Pennsylvania when he was opening for, yes, The Rolling Stones.
There were 7 more "No Expectations" in 2006, but again, most were just a few lines as intros to slide guitar songs ("Hotwax" and "Whiskeyclone" usually).
2015 in London
After 9 years away from the song, Beck dropped the song again at a very small club show in London.