How 'Let's Spend the Night Together' (1967) Encodes a Hidden Defiance Against Censorship

The key takeaway: the Stones didn’t just cave to The Ed Sullivan Show’s demand to change the lyric—they weaponized the compromise. For the January 15, 1967 performance, Sullivan insisted they swap “night” for “time.” Mick Jagger agreed, then proceeded to sing “Let’s spend some time together” with deliberate, theatrical eye-rolling and an exaggerated grimace, practically mugging for the camera. It was a performance