Jagger didn't appreciate NFL's censorship of halftime concert

NEW YORK -- Nobody turns off the microphone on Mick Jagger without a fight.

Censorship of their songs during the Super Bowl halftime show was "absolutely ridiculous and completely unnecessary," the Rolling Stones said through a spokeswoman on Tuesday.

The NFL, which produced the show seen on ABC on Sunday night, silenced Jagger's microphone during sexually suggestive passages of two of the three songs the band performed before an audience of 90 million television viewers.

The NFL, still nervous over the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction two years ago at the Super Bowl, has said it wanted to ensure family entertainment at the game.

"The band was aware of our plan to simply lower Mick's mike at the appropriate moments," said NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy. "It was discussed with the group last week prior to the Super Bowl."

He declined further comment.

The band may have known about it, but that doesn't mean they liked it, spokeswoman Fran Curtis said. Jagger sang the full lyrics during his performance, she said.

In "Start Me Up," the show's editors silenced one word close to the song's end, a reference to a woman so sexy she could arouse a dead man. The lyrics for "Rough Justice" included a synonym for rooster that was removed.

The Stones also performed "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," but the lyric "I can't get no girlie action" made it through unscathed.