Original Release
Released in the United Kingdom as a single in January 1967, "Let's Spend the Night Together" reached #3 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was included on the American version of the Stones' album Between the Buttons, and was also released there as a single. However, due to the then-controversial nature of the lyrics (with its suggestion of casual sex) most radio stations opted to play the flip side "Ruby Tuesday" instead. The two songs charted separately on the US Billboard Hot 100, "Let's Spend the Night Together" stalling at #55 while "Ruby Tuesday" became a #1 hit. "Let's Spend the Night Together" features piano by both Brian Jones and Keith Richards, organ by Jones, Drums from Charlie Watts, electric guitar by Richards and bass by either Jones or Richards, lead vocals by Mick Jagger and backing vocals from both Jagger and Richards. Bassist Bill Wyman does not appear on this track.
On The Ed Sullivan Show, the band was initially refused permission to perform the number. Sullivan himself told Jagger, "Either the song goes or you go". A compromise was reached to substitute the words "let's spend some time together" in place of "let's spend the night together"; Jagger agreed to change the lyrics but ostentatiously rolled his eyes at the TV camera while singing them. When the Rolling Stones, following their performance of the song, returned back on stage, they were all dressed up in Nazi uniforms with swastikas, which caused Ed Sullivan to angrily order them to return to their dressing rooms to change back into their performance clothes, however, they left the studio altogether. (Source: "Dick Clark's 25 years of Rock and Roll") (1981). As a result of this incident, Ed Sullivan announced that the Rolling Stones would be banned from performing on his show again. However, the Stones did appear on the show again and performed three songs on 23 November 1969. Ironically, the group's "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" had been performed uncensored in 1966. In April 2006, for their first-ever performance in China, authorities prohibited the group from performing the song due to its "suggestive lyrics".
Read more about this topic: Let's Spend The Night Together
Famous quotes containing the words original and/or release:
“Such is oftenest the young man’s introduction to the forest, and the most original part of himself. He goes thither at first as a hunter and fisher, until at last, if he has the seeds of a better life in him, he distinguishes his proper objects, as a poet or naturalist it may be, and leaves the gun and fish-pole behind. The mass of men are still and always young in this respect.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“An inquiry about the attitude towards the release of so-called political prisoners. I should be very sorry to see the United States holding anyone in confinement on account of any opinion that that person might hold. It is a fundamental tenet of our institutions that people have a right to believe what they want to believe and hold such opinions as they want to hold without having to answer to anyone for their private opinion.”
—Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933)