Tag Archives: Between the Buttons

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Song of the Day #4,118: ‘Let’s Spend the Night Together’ – The Rolling Stones

Between the Buttons, released in 1967, was the seventh Rolling Stones album and the second (following the previous year’s Aftermath) to feature only songs written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

As was the custom back then, a separate American version was released, swapping out two tracks for two songs released in England as a double-A single: ‘Let’s Spend the Night Together’ and ‘Ruby Tuesday.’ While I generally hate the concept of different UK and U.S. releases, there’s no question that the addition of those two songs make the American version of this album a bona fide masterpiece.

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Song of the Day #1,440: ‘Ruby Tuesday’ – The Rolling Stones

Best Albums of the 60s – #17
Between the Buttons – The Rolling Stones (1967)

This marks the first appearance by The Rolling Stones on this list, but not the last. This band has released close to 40 albums over their careers and I own five of them — all excellent. I can’t think of another band that’s so clearly begging for further exploration.

Granted, the Stones went through period where their releases were met with indifference by critics and audiences alike. They are not a model of consistency. But they have released a good dozen or so albums considered classics.

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Song of the Day #1,012: ‘She Smiled Sweetly’ – The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones’ Between the Buttons was released in 1967, a year after Aftermath. Again, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote every track.

As was customary in the 60s, different versions of the LP were released in the United Kingdom and the United States. The US version included hits ‘Let’s Spend the Night Together’ and ‘Ruby Tuesday,’ which had been released as singles in the UK.

Ordinarily I’m against this sort of repackaging (The Beatles albums were similarly bastardized and I feel fortunate that the UK releases became the official US CD releases eventually). But in the case of The Stones, I rather like having the more popular songs available alongside the lesser-known album tracks. Of course I don’t know what I’m missing in the two songs left off the US version.

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