Why The Rolling Stones’ ‘Let’s Spend the Night Together’ Was Widely Banned
The Rolling Stones‘ “Let’s Spend the Night Together” was widely banned in the United States. Only certain kinds of stations were willing to play it. Subsequently, the bans paved the way for another Rolling Stones song to become popular in the U.S.
Keith Richards said all of The Rolling Stones were ‘stoned’ when they made a classic album
“Let’s Spend the Night Together” appeared on the American edition of the album Between the Buttons. During a 2012 interview with Guitar World, Richards discussed the making of the album. “Between the Buttons was the first record we made when we hadn’t been on the road and weren’t s***-hot from playing gigs every night,” he recalled. “Plus, everyone was stoned out of their brains.
“Between the Buttons was the first time we took a breath and distanced ourselves a little from the madness of touring and all,” he said. “So in a way, to us it felt like a bit of a new beginning.”
Why The Rolling Stones’ ‘Let’s Spend the Night Together’ was overshadowed by ‘Ruby Tuesday’ in the United States
According to the 2013 book 50 Licks: Myths and Stories from Half a Century of The Rolling Stones, “Let’s Spend the Night Together” was a single with “Ruby Tuesday” as its double A-side. “Let’s Spend the Night Together” was considered lewd by the standards of 1960s America.
The tune was widely banned on American radio stations. Only some new rock stations decided to play the song. Subsequently, “Ruby Tuesday” became a hit partly because radio stations were more willing to play the double A-side of “Let’s Spend the Night Together” than the song itself. Famously, Ed Sullivan didn’t allow Mick Jagger to perform the song with the original lyrics on The Ed Sullivan Show.
How ‘Let’s Spend the Night Together’ performed on the pop charts in the United States and the United Kingdom
“Let’s Spend the Night Together” was a minor hit in the United States. The tune hit No. 55 in the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the chart for eight weeks. Meanwhile, Between the Buttons peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 47 weeks.
The Official Charts Company reports “Let’s Spend the Night Together” was far more popular in the United Kingdom. It hit No. 3 in the U.K., lasting on the chart for a total of 10 weeks. The track didn’t appear on the U.K. edition of Between the Buttons but it appeared on the compilation album Hot Rocks 1964–1971. The compilation peaked at No. 3 and stayed on the chart for 59 weeks.
“Let’s Spend the Night Together” is a classic track even if it wasn’t a big hit in the U.S.
