I was going over a number of old charts the other day when I found a really amazing little list: It was of all the banned records that were trashed by radio stations over the years.
Now, if you remember we’re at the top-end of the 09, and these vinyls seem tame to what the FM dial’s regularly playing these days! Here … let me give ya some examples. Ready to laugh? Here we go:
Satisfaction — allegedly, sexually suggestive lyrics.
Double Shot of My Baby’s Love — The Swinging Medallions had to re-record it. The original was supposedly dirty!
Eve of Destruction – too “doomsdayish”.
How Would You Feel? — Hendrix’s hit was banned in many areas because it told of … the plight of African-Americans!
Gloria – (the Them version) too suggestive. The Shadows of Knight’s cover changed “she comes to my room just about midnight” to “she comes down here …”
Rhapsody In The Rain – too sexual.
A Day In The Life – stations thought The Beatles’ lyrics “I’d love to turn you on” were about drug use.
One novelty song that was banned from most airwaves during the late ’60s was Jerry Samuels’ They’re Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaaa! (aka the story of my last marriage). Recorded under the name Napoleon XIV, Samuels added a twist to the product by recording the same song on the flip side of the record – backward!
Anyway, many record execs thought it was demeaning to patients with mental disorders.
Brown-Eyed Girl was banned in some markets because the original dealt with teenaged pregnancy. So Van Morrison recorded an alternate version to please the stations.
Listen to this: In El Paso, a radio station stopped playing all records by Bob Dylan because … they couldn’t understand his lyrics! (hey … what’s so hard about understanding peace??)
Pictures of Lily by The Who was banned in most markets because execs said it referred to … er, “self-stimulation”? Funny … years later, those same execs freely played Imaginary Lover by the Atlanta Rhythm Section. What’s the diff?
Record mogul Mike Curb, who was president MGM records in 1970, cancelled the recording contracts of 18 of the label’s acts because he believed they promoted hard drugs in their songs. Among them: Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme! (sure … and I guess his hit, Don’t Be Afraid, Little Darlin’, was a tempting lure into the psychedelic world! L-O-L!!)
In the aftermath of the Kent State shootings in 1970, the Ohio governor banned Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s Ohio from being played. He was afraid it’d cause more violence (ummm … wasn’t it … the National … Guard … that brought on the shootings?).
Now, I’ll have more of these in another post. Until then, lemme ask you something: Why, after all the crazy censorship of the late ’60s and early ’70s, did the execs not say anything My Ding-A-Ling? (no … I meant the song! Chuck Berry recorded it!)
Wear My Ring (Around Your Neck) — Elvis’ song was panned and banned by many Catholics because — it promoted “going steady”!
D. O. A. Bloodrock’s 1971 (and only) hit was banned almost across-the-board, because it not only described the death of a teenaged girl in a crash (plane?), but, due to its music and tempo, gave many people nightmares! It was considered “too gory” for radio (however, Last Kiss was alright, right?).
ROCK MUSIC The BBC banned the whole genre from its airwaves until 1966 (partly. 1971, fully). Part of the reason: Promoters Jack Good and Larry Parnes promoted a stable of performers whose stage names were based on their … ahem! … sexual performance!
BAD BOY The Beatles’ rocker (from Beatles ‘65 here in the States) was banned from AOR stations because it promoted “juvenile de
linquency.”
As I said, we’ll continue this in another post soon. But, for now …
DIDJA KNOW?
As you know, the great Beatles classic, I Am The Walrus (which is copied and performed to perfection these days by Will Lee’s group, The Fab Faux), has lyrics in it that are pretty much … well, weird! It’s hard to figure out what they mean.
Well, that’s exactly what John Lennon wanted! He knew that so many fans were beginning to look for hidden meanings (for example, about Paul’s supposed “death”, drug references, etc.) that he purposely scrambled the lyrics, using the first words and idea-flights that came to mind!
And on Strawberry Fields Forever, you’re actually hearing two versions of the song in one! Producer George Martin took both takes of the song (one a tiny bit faster and at a different tempo) and mixed them together!
HAVE YOU BEEN FRAMED?
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Well, that’s it for now … but stay tuned for more in less than 24! Until next time,
keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music
… and I’ll see ya on the flip side …
Now, you’ve heard … er, read … me talk about the fab new UK band, The Fore, and many of you have become great fans of the foresome.
NOW … TO OTHER THINGS
Remember back-in-the-day, when baby-boomers were talkin’ about gettin’ one of our own to be Prez someday (sheesh … you’d think that, since Bush was a baby-boomer, we’d … naaaah; didn’t know him then)?
He would commission scientists to study the Rolling Stones to determine the cause of their longevity. By doing so, we may be able to extend life by 120 years …
This is just a friendly reminder to tune in to the ArtistFirst Radio Network today at 12 Noon EST (New York Time) for a full hour of music and live interviews with THE FORE!
The new album from Heaven And Hell has been given a title, tracklisting and release date (finally!).
