Let's Spend the Night Together explained

Let's Spend the Night Together
Cover:Rolling Stones LSTNT.jpg
Caption:German single picture sleeve
Type:single
Artist:the Rolling Stones
Album:Between the Buttons (US release)
A-Side:"Ruby Tuesday" (double A-side)
Released:13 January 1967
Recorded:August 1966
Studio:RCA Victor (Hollywood, California)
Genre:Rock
Length:3:29
Label:
Producer:Andrew Loog Oldham
Chronology:The Rolling Stones
Prev Title:Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?
Prev Year:1966
Title2:Ruby Tuesday
Next Title:We Love You
Next Year:1967

"Let's Spend the Night Together" is a song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and originally released by the Rolling Stones as a double A-sided single together with "Ruby Tuesday" in January 1967. It also appears as the opening track on the American version of their album Between the Buttons. The song has been covered by various artists, including David Bowie in 1973.[1]

Recording

The song was recorded in August 1966 at the RCA Studios in Hollywood, California, where the group recorded most of their 1965–1966 hits.[2] Recording engineer Glyn Johns recounts that while mixing "Let's Spend the Night Together", Oldham was trying to get a certain sound by clicking his fingers.[3] Two policemen showed up, stating that the front door was open and that they were checking to see if everything was all right. At first, Oldham asked them to hold his earphones while he snapped his fingers but then Johns said they needed a more wooden sound. The policemen suggested their truncheons and Oldham took the truncheons into the studio to record the claves-like sound that can be heard during the quiet break at one minute 40 seconds into the song.

Original release

Released in the United Kingdom as a single on 13 January 1967, "Let's Spend the Night Together" reached number three on the UK Singles Chart as a double A-side with "Ruby Tuesday". In the United States, the single was released in January[2] and became the opening track of the American edition of the Stones' album Between the Buttons. Both songs entered the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on 21 January.[4] However, by 4 March, "Ruby Tuesday" reached number one, while "Let's Spend the Night Together" stalled at number 55.[5] Due to the sexually charged nature of the lyrics, "Let's Spend the Night Together" received less airplay in the US.[1] In the Cash Box chart, which was based on sales only, the song reached number 28.[6] In other countries worldwide, both sides of the single charted separately. In Ireland for example, "Ruby Tuesday" peaked at number six, while "Let's Spend The Night Together" charted separately at number 14, as Ireland's national broadcaster, RTÉ, considered "Ruby Tuesday" to be more suitable for radio airplay.

The song features piano by Rolling Stones contributor Jack Nitzsche,[2] organ by Brian Jones, drums by Charlie Watts, piano, electric guitar and bass by Richards, lead vocals by Jagger and backing vocals from both Jagger and Richards. Usual bassist Bill Wyman does not appear on the recording.

Cash Box said the single is a "strong, thumping, rock venture marked by groovey harmonies.."[7]

On their The Ed Sullivan Show appearance of 15 January 1967, the band was initially refused permission to perform the number. Sullivan himself even told Jagger, "Either the song goes or you go".[8] 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, as did bassist Bill Wyman and pianist Brian Jones. As a result of this incident, Sullivan announced that the Rolling Stones would be banned from performing on his show again.[9] However, the Stones did appear on the show again and performed three songs on 23 November 1969.[10]

In April 2006, for their first-ever performance in China, authorities prohibited the group from performing the song due to its "suggestive lyrics".[11]

Charts

Chart (1967)Peak
position
Finland (Soumen Virallinen)[12] 14
Italy (Musica e dischi)[13] 8
Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[14] 6
Sweden (Tio i Topp)[15] 4
US Cash Box Top 100[16] 28

Sales

Other releases

"Let's Spend the Night Together" was released on the US edition of the Stones' 1967 studio album Between the Buttons and on the following compilation albums:

Personnel

According to authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon, except where noted:

The Rolling Stones

Additional personnel and production

David Bowie version

Let's Spend the Night Together
Type:single
Cover:Bowie letsspendthenight.jpg
Artist:David Bowie
Album:Aladdin Sane
B-Side:Lady Grinning Soul
Recorded:December 1972 or January 1973
Studio:RCA, New York City, or Trident, London
Genre:Glam rock[18]
Label:RCA
Producer:
Prev Title:Time
Prev Year:1973
Next Title:Life on Mars?
Next Year:1973

David Bowie recorded a glam rock version of "Let's Spend the Night Together" for his Aladdin Sane album, released in April 1973. It was also issued as a single by RCA Records in the US, Japan, Brazil, New Zealand and Europe including the Netherlands, Italy, France, Greece and Sweden.[19] It was a Dutch Single Top 100 hit, peaking at number 19.[20] The song also peaked at number 21 on the Dutch Top 40.[21]

Bowie's rendition featured pulsating synthesiser effects. The singer added his own words as part of the finale:

Author Nicholas Pegg describes the recording as "faster and raunchier" than the Stones' performance with "a fresh, futuristic sheen",[22] while NME editors Roy Carr and Charles Shaar Murray considered Bowie to have performed "the unprecedented feat of beating the Stones on one of their own songs", remarking on the track's "polymorphous perversity" and "furious, coked-up drive". However, Rolling Stones contemporary review found the Bowie version "campy, butch, brittle and unsatisfying".[23]

Other releases

In addition to its appearance on Aladdin Sane, Bowie's version of "Let's Spend the Night Together" was included on the following compilations:

Personnel

According to biographer Chris O'Leary:

Production

See also

References

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Unterberger . Richie . Richie Unterberger . 'Let's Spend the Night Together' – The Rolling Stones . . 24 April 2022.
  2. . The Rolling Stones. Bruce. Eder. Boxed set booklet. 1989. New York City. ABKCO Records. 1218-2. 71.
  3. . Recording the Stones . Wilmer . Valerie . December 1968 . 9–11 . . 16 July 2012.
  4. Billboard. 21 January 1967. Hot 100. Billboard. 79. 3. 0006-2510. 25.
  5. Billboard. 4 March 1967. Hot 100. Billboard. 79. 9. 0006-2510. 24.
  6. Book: Whitburn, Joel . 2015 . The Comparison Book . Menonomee Falls, Wisconsin . Record Research Inc. . 299 . 978-0-89820-213-7.
  7. CashBox Record Reviews . January 14, 1967 . 18 . 2022-01-12 . Cash Box.
  8. Christopher Sandford (1993, 1999). Mick Jagger: Primitive Cool: p.97
  9. Book: Dick Clark's 25 Years of Rock and Roll. 1981.
  10. Web site: . 6 Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Rolling Stones . November 2011 . 30 May 2012.
  11. News: . Stones tracks censored in China . 7 April 2006 . 19 January 2008.
  12. Book: Nyman, Jake . Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja . Tammi . 2005 . 951-31-2503-3 . 1st . Helsinki . 240. fi.
  13. Web site: Top Annuale Singoli 1967 . Hit Parade Italia.
  14. Book: Hallberg, Eric. Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P 3: Sveriges radios topplista över veckans 20 mest sålda skivor 10. 7. 1962 - 19. 8. 1975. Drift Musik. 1993. 243. 9163021404.
  15. Book: Hallberg, Eric . Eric Hallberg, Ulf Henningsson presenterar Tio i topp med de utslagna på försök: 1961 - 74 . Henningsson . Ulf . Premium Publishing . 1998 . 919727125X . 313.
  16. Web site: Cash Box Top 100 Singles, February 18, 1967 . 13 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181128200211/http://www.tropicalglen.com/Archives/60s_files/19670218.html . 28 November 2018 . dead .
  17. Italy - 1967 in Review. Cash Box. 144. 22 March 2003. 25 November 2021.
  18. Book: Thompson, Dave. Hallo Spaceboy: The Rebirth of David Bowie. 2010. ECW Press. 978-1-55490-271-2. 26.
  19. Web site: Let's Spend the Night Together. Bowie-singles.com.
  20. Web site: David Bowie - Let's Spend The Night Together. Steffen. Hung. Hitparade.ch. 6 June 2021.
  21. Web site: David Bowie - Let's Spend the NIght Together . Dutch Top 40 . October 7, 2023 . Dutch.
  22. [Nicholas Pegg]
  23. Ben . Gerson . Aladdin Sane . . 19 July 1973 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071014231027/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/davidbowie/albums/album/283449/review/6067692 . dead . 14 October 2007 . 19 January 2008.
  24. Web site: Erlewine . Stephen Thomas . The Best of David Bowie 1974/1979 – David Bowie . AllMusic . 12 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211006124441/https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-of-david-bowie-1974-1979-mw0000041367 . 6 October 2021 . live .
  25. Web site: Viglione . Joe . Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture . AllMusic . 10 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190424115511/https://www.allmusic.com/album/ziggy-stardust-and-the-spiders-from-mars-the-motion-picture-soundtrack-mw0000691870 . 24 April 2019 . live.