WATCH: The Rolling Stones perform 'Time is on My Side' for the first time in 25 years

The Rolling Stones gave fans a surprise at the New Orleans Jazz Festival, May 2, by performing their cover of Jerry Ragovoy's Time Is On My Side for the first time in 25 years (and second times since 1982), and the timing couldn't have been better.

Their set just happened to take place exactly 50 years after recording the cover, and they brought out Irma Thomas (who also recorded a cover of the song) to sing it with them.

 “In 1964, which is a very long time ago, we heard this great song on the radio by this amazing singer,” Mick Jagger told the crowd while introducing Thomas to the stage. “We recorded it and it became our first kind of hit in America. The lady that did the song first, she’s the Soul Queen of New Orleans! I’d like to bring out on stage now to sing the song with us.”

The Rolling Stones kicked off their Hackney Diamonds tour earlier this week. Check out fan-shot footage of their Time Is On My Side performance below.

This article was first published by iHeartRadio and is republished here with edits and permission.