On This Day in 1967, a Radio Ban Imposed on a Raunchy Rolling Stones Song Helped Catapult Its B-Side to No. 1

On this day in 1967, The Rolling Stones earned a No. 1 hit with “Ruby Tuesday.” The success of this song was unlikely, mostly because it was never meant to be an A-side single in the first place. This song got propped up to the top of the charts, thanks to another Stones song that didn’t fare quite as well. There was one song in the iconic band’s discography that wasn’t a hit with the BBC and other U.S. radio stations. This song was ultimately banned from airplay, which flipped the single in “Ruby Tuesday’s” favor. Learn more about this surprise Stones hit below.

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The Banned Rolling Stones Song That Helped “Ruby Tuesday” Go No. 1

“Ruby Tuesday” likely would’ve been a hit on its own. It’s an earworm track with no shortage of radio appeal. Keith Richards penned this song as an ode to his former girlfriend, Linda Keith. He and Brian Jones imbued this song with heartbreak, delivering a psychedelia-tinged hit.

“The thing about being a songwriter is, even if you’ve been f***ed over, you can find consolation in writing about it, and pour it out,” Richards once said of this song. “Basically, Linda is ‘Ruby Tuesday.’”

This song was a strong effort from the band, but it wasn’t initially deemed as an A-side. Instead, it was stuck on the back of another Stones favorite, “Let’s Spend The Night Together.” However, when that song was deemed too raunchy for radio play, the single was flipped, giving “Ruby Tuesday” a chance to shine on the charts.

“Let’s Spend The Night Together”

While fans love “Let’s Spend The Night Together,” the BBC and some American stations weren’t too keen on it. The suggestive lyrics got it banned or heavily censored on the air, which is not a good setup for an A-side single.

“Let’s spend the night together / Now I need you more than ever,” the band sings in the chorus, being pretty obvious about what this song is exploring. By late 60s standards, this song was far too scandalous for widespread play. However, in banning this track, the powers that be likely only made it more enticing for Stones listeners who wanted a taste of danger.

Though the band didn’t get to keep the single they wanted to promote, everything ended well with a No. 1 from an unlikely B-side, which remains one of the band’s most beloved efforts to date. Sometimes, happy accidents come about in the industry, with these two Stones hits being a strong example of that.

(Photo by Paul Natkin/WireImage)