The Rolling Stones Concert Dates and Music: Which of Their Hits Was Banned From China Show?

The Rolling Stones recently put on quite the show in Shanghai, China, but a notable song didn't make it into the band's live performance. The song in question, "Honky Tonk Women," has been a staple in the band's numerous concerts throughout the years. It's one of the Stones' most memorable songs (which is saying something).

So what was the impetus behind banning "Honky Tonk Women" at the 11th hour? It turns out that references to overt sexual acts like oral sex were much too salty for government censors. To go into more detail, Mick Jagger, the Stones' lead singer, croons about meeting a "bar-room girl" that "tried to take him upstairs for a ride."

In America and Western Europe this type of sexual innuendo is very commonplace in the media today. Most people hardly bat an eye at sexualized songs. But Chinese decency standards are a lot different.

Jagger addressed the controversy head on during concert this past Wednesday:

"About now we'd usually play something like Honky Tonk Women... but it's been vetoed."

Among those in attendance was Andrew Chin, an arts reporter for a local newspaper. He said that Jagger briefly spoke about the omission.

"He didn't play it for shock," Chin remakerd. "People were just excited to see the Stones."

It's likely that Jagger wasn't all that surprised that he and the band had to amend the set list. Several years ago another one of their songs, "Brown Sugar," was nixed in Shanghai as well.

The Rolling Stones aren't being unfairly targeted, however. Many other artists have run amok of stringent censorship laws in China, as well as other Asian nations. Lady Gaga had to cancel her Indonesian show scheduled for June 3, 2012 due to hardline Islamic backlash. We can only hope that in the future, every artist, whether they be on a major label or not, has the opportunity to present their vision in an unfiltered manner.

Do you find it offensive that a legendary band whose music changed pop culture forever has to cater to China's sensibilities? Let us know in the comments section below.