On This Day in 1964: The Rolling Stones Made Their First and “Last” Appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show

Typically, the rule of thumb is that first impressions are always the most important. Well, The Rolling Stones did not follow this rule whatsoever in their debut appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Matter of fact, it seems they went the extra mile to do the exact opposite. However, that was the way The Stones played the game. They were edgy, rebellious, aggressive, and everything The Beatles weren’t. Hence, when they went on the show that helped The Beatles receive international acclaim, they did something brash and unique.

Alongside other acts such as The Jackson 5 and The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones remain one of the most famous and long-lasting bands to appear on the show. Furthermore, they were also one of the bands to appear on the show the most amount of times with their six appearances. Although, this nearly was not the case given their unruly debut on October 25, 1964.

The Rolling Stones Brought a New British Taste

As mentioned, The Beatles were funny, easy to love, and uncontroversial. The Stones on the other hand were not any of those things. Thus, when they took the stage they knew they needed to do something that would set them apart. In hopes of promoting themselves, the appearance on the show came shortly after the release of their third album, 12 x 5.

During the show, The Stones most notably played Chuck Berry’s “Around & Around” and their original song, “Time Is on My Side.” Thanks to their music’s passionate aggression and Jagger’s provocative dance moves, the crowd roared and cheered in unprecedented fashion. So much so, that Sullivan had a difficult time finishing the show.

Following their performance, fans screamed through the band’s entire interview and during Sullivan’s announcement of next week’s guests. As a result, Ed Sullivan was furious and The Stones’ future appearances were in jeopardy.

Ed Sullivan’s Response

After The Rolling Stones left their mark on the show, Ed Sullivan said some pretty polarizing words that he would later have to eat. “I promise you they’ll never be back on our show” and “It took me 17 years to build this show and I’m not going to have it destroyed in a matter of weeks,” per The Ed Sullivan Show. However, The Stones and their manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, didn’t seem to care and they tried to get on the show once again.

Amidst their second attempt, Sullivan wrote the band a letter stating, “We were deluged with mail protesting the untidy appearance—clothes and hair of your Rolling Stones” and “Before even discussing the possibility of a contract, I would like to learn from you, whether your young men have reformed in the matter of dress and shampoo.” Well, long story short, they supposedly did. The Rolling Stones appeared on the show five more times in the following years.

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