On October 25, 1964, the Rolling Stones made their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. On the show, they first performed Chuck Berry’s “Around and Around.” And then they closed the show with their own “Time Is On My Side.”
At the time, the Stones were still finding their footing in the U.S., following the release of their second U.S. album 12 x 5. Meanwhile, “Time Is On My Side” was climbing the U.S. charts. The performance on The Ed Sullivan Show would help take them to another level.
“Time Is On My Side” & Irma Thomas
The formulation of “Time Is On My Side” that we all recognize was written by Jerry Ragovoy and Jimmy Norman and recorded by Irma Thomas in early 1964. The song would go on to be a hit, but not for Thomas.
Months after Thomas’s recording, the Rolling Stones recorded their version of the tune. They added a guitar lick but otherwise changed very little from Thomas’s version. For the Rolling Stones, it would be their first U.S. top ten hit, and they would perform the song on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Although Irma Thomas did not match the success of the Rolling Stones with the song, she continues to perform and is especially loved in her hometown of New Orleans.
Prior to “Time Is On My Side,” Thomas had a Top 20 hit with “Wish Someone Would Care.” But she never got anything near the paycheck that the Stones got for their version of “Time Is On My Side.”
In The Heart of Rock & Soul, critic Dave Marsh notes that Thomas was “ripped off not just once but twice, and by two of the best.” Otis Redding also took her “Ruler of My Heart” and changed it to “Pain In My Heart,” altering and improving on her version more than the Stones did with “Time Is On My Side.”
It is unfortunate that Thomas never saw the success that the Rolling Stones had, as it was their time. They were the bigger stars, but they also had the unfair advantage of being a white rock and roll band in the market at that time.
Yet, it is great that Irma Thomas’s music is still out there for us to hear. Below is a video from 2014 of Thomas performing “Time Is On My Side.”
The Rolling Stones on the Ed Sullivan Show
On October 25, 1964, the Rolling Stones brought “Time Is On My Side” to a wide audience on The Ed Sullivan Show. About halfway through the show, the band appeared to play “Around and Around.” Then, they returned to close the show with “Time Is On My Side.”
After the performance, Sullivan encouraged the screaming audience, saying “Come on, let them hear it!” But then the screams were so loud that viewers at home could not hear Sullivan’s short conversation with Mick Jagger.
The performance brought a great deal of attention to the Rolling Stones. It helped boost ticket sales for their fall concert tour. At the same time, the performance and their unkempt appearance also drew criticism from some more conservative viewers.
Here are the Rolling Stones performing “Time Is On My Side” in 1964 on The Ed Sullivan Show.
The Rolling Stones returned to The Ed Sullivan Show the following spring. They ultimately would make six appearances on the show, performing many of their songs that would become classics.
What do you think about the versions of “Time Is On My Side”? Leave a comment.
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