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Rolling Stones songs: Let’s Spend the Night Together
You know I’m smiling, baby/ You need some guiding, baby…
Written by: Jagger/Richard Recorded: Olympic Sound Studios, London, England, Nov. 16-Dec. 6 1966 Guest musicians: Jack Nitzsche (piano) *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
More about Let’s Spend the Night Together by The Rolling Stones
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
Censors, Eye Rolls, and a Whole Lot of Trouble
When Let’s Spend the Night Togetherdropped in early 1967, The Rolling Stones weren’t just pushing musical boundaries—they were lighting a match under cultural taboos. The song’s bold invitation to “satisfy her every need” didn’t sit well with the more conservative corners of the media. Radio stations in the U.S. bleeped out the word night or refused to play the track entirely, opting instead for the more radio-friendly B-side, Ruby Tuesday. But the real showdown came on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Scheduled to perform the song on January 15, 1967, Mick Jagger was told to change the lyric to “let’s spend some time together” to avoid offending viewers. He reluctantly agreed—eye-roll and all. It was a rare compromise for the Stones, who were still climbing the U.S. charts. Ironically, this was also their last Sullivan performance with founding member Brian Jones, who passed away in 1969.
Pianos, Policemen, and Forbidden Songs
Musically, the song had its quirks. Instead of a trademark guitar riff, it was Jack Nitzsche’s piano that took center stage. And that odd tapping sound during the bridge? According to engineer Glyn Johns, two London cops unknowingly contributed it. Brought into the studio while drugs were hidden in plain sight, they were asked to record baton hits as “percussion” to keep them distracted—Stones-style improvisation at its finest.
The song stirred more trouble over time. It was banned in China in 2003, along with Brown Sugar, Honky Tonk Women, and Beast of Burden. Even Marianne Faithfull later claimed Jagger wrote the tune after their first night together. Whether scandalous, cheeky, or just ahead of its time, Let’s Spend the Night Togetherremains a perfect example of the Stones being… well, the Stones.
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