Author Topic: Songs that were banned, but now aren't! (Read 7681 times)

Cunobelin · « **on:** 16 November, 2011, 10:06:59 pm »

There are a number of songs that were banned at the time of release, yet are now perfectly acceptable.

For instance:

Je t'aime (Moi non plus) was banned or had an over 21 restriction for the original ,although the advert misses out Birkin's "orgasm"

The other one (for me) was Lou Reed's "Perfect Day, unacceptable and unplayable due to the drug references, yet became a BBC promotion

Can the panel list others that were "unplayable' yet now entirely accepted.......

(Mods - if this becomes unsuitable please feel free to move to NFSW)

clarion · « **Reply #1 on:** 16 November, 2011, 10:12:08 pm »

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/wveW9Tw2JKE&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/wveW9Tw2JKE&rel=1</a>

clarion · « **Reply #2 on:** 16 November, 2011, 10:14:57 pm »

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/QvNh40ZIRa0&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/QvNh40ZIRa0&rel=1</a>

Biff · « **Reply #3 on:** 16 November, 2011, 10:18:52 pm »

Pistols - GSTQ

clarion · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 November, 2011, 10:19:12 pm »

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/dG1W1h5W17Y&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/dG1W1h5W17Y&rel=1</a>

clarion · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 November, 2011, 10:20:19 pm »

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/fZcxnHDEmDw&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/fZcxnHDEmDw&rel=1</a>

clarion · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 November, 2011, 10:21:50 pm »

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/o-YCmncMCro&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/o-YCmncMCro&rel=1</a>

clarion · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 November, 2011, 10:24:36 pm »

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/48cTUnUtzx4&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/48cTUnUtzx4&rel=1</a>

clarion · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 November, 2011, 10:29:48 pm »

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/V5AztWseIdU&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/V5AztWseIdU&rel=1</a>

Biggsy · « **Reply #9 on:** 16 November, 2011, 10:30:43 pm »

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax. Still sounds blatantly rude today to me, but Radio One no longer has any problem with it.

Asterix, the former Gaul. · « **Reply #10 on:** 17 November, 2011, 09:41:06 am »

They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" is a 1966 novelty record by Jerry Samuels, recorded under the name Napoleon XIV.

Quote

They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! has the distinction of being the song to drop the furthest within the Top 40 in a single week. It charted for 5 weeks during 1966; in week 3 it peaked at #3, scored #5 in week 4, and fell to #37 in week 5. This was due to radio programmers removing the song from their playlists, fearing an adverse reaction from people who might consider the song as ridiculing the mentally ill.

Is it still banned? It seems more acceptable to have films about the mentally ill than songs..

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #11 on:** 17 November, 2011, 12:37:27 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 16 November, 2011, 10:14:57 pm

I wonder how those lyrics would be accepted now, in a post-Glitter world, with their references to kids crowding round his little stick of rock? I'm not suggesting that Formby meant them in any dodgy way, just that they might be taken that way now.

Also, I read this in his Wikipedia entry:

Quote

In 1946 Beryl and George toured South Africa shortly before formal racial apartheid was introduced, where they refused to play racially-segregated venues. According to Formby's biographer, when George was cheered by a black audience after embracing a small black girl who had presented his wife with a box of chocolates, National Party leader Daniel François Malan (who later introduced apartheid) phoned to complain; Beryl replied "Why don't you piss off you horrible little man?".

It's good to hear of public figures acting ahead of, or as it were, more thoughtfully/consciously/conscientiously, than their time.

Biggsy · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 November, 2011, 12:54:18 pm »

Frank Skinner did a great TV programme on Formby. Find it if you can.

red marley · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 November, 2011, 01:38:17 pm »

The Pogues' Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six, banned by Douglas Hurd and Mrs T for daring to suggest the innocent Birmingham Six and Guildford Four were indeed innocent.

There's often a lot of hyperbole spoken about freedom of speech and political censorship, but I still find this shocking 23 years later.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/RbcsOzmVmy0&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/RbcsOzmVmy0&rel=1</a>

hubner · « **Reply #14 on:** 17 November, 2011, 01:41:17 pm »

Quote

The other one (for me) was Lou Reed's "Perfect Day, unacceptable and unplayable due to the drug references, yet became a BBC promotion

Who says it was unacceptable and unplayable?

I don't see any drug references in "Oh, it's such a perfect day
I'm glad I spent it with you", unless you look for it.

It was an album track, so if it was not played much it would because of that.

The drugs thing seems to have come from its use in "Trainspotting". If that film had "Over the Rainbow" in it, then no doubt "Over the Rainbow" would be a druggy song now.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #15 on:** 17 November, 2011, 01:49:23 pm »

Well, it comes from an album that is about falling in love with a drug addict, goes through the whole stages of horror. Includes one of the most depressing songs I've ever heard, Lou Reed singing about the women losing her children with a backing track of children screaming.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #16 on:** 17 November, 2011, 02:16:19 pm »

Someone gave me (a taped copy of) the Transformer album when I was about 18 and I loved it. My favourite tracks were Perfect Day and Satellite of Love. I also liked New York Conversation, though it took me ages to work out just what the lyrics were. I don't remember any children screaming, which track was that on? And it never struck me that the album as a whole was particularly about anything - perhaps it would if I listened to it again now, perhaps I was a particularly naive teenager, or perhaps you really need to be grown up a bit to realise these things. There were a couple of dud tracks on the album as well, imo, though I can't remember their names now.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #17 on:** 17 November, 2011, 02:47:59 pm »

whoops, sorry, I'm confused.

I'm thinking of 'Berlin', not 'Transformers'.

tiermat · « **Reply #18 on:** 17 November, 2011, 03:46:14 pm »

Pretty much any of the output from the late sixties could be thought to have sexual or drug overtones (both, in some cases).

To back up I respectfully submit:
Pretty Flamingo
Flowers In The Rain
White Rabbit
The Needle and the Damage Done (though that is from '72)
Mother's Little Helper

jogler · « **Reply #19 on:** 17 November, 2011, 03:48:16 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 16 November, 2011, 10:29:48 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5AztWseIdU

Well,I never realised that that was banned.

Rhys W · « **Reply #20 on:** 17 November, 2011, 06:12:54 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 17 November, 2011, 02:16:19 pm

Someone gave me (a taped copy of) the Transformer album when I was about 18 and I loved it.

<tangent> There's an interesting story about the title of this album. One of the tracks, "Walk On The Wild Side" mentions an archetypal Warhol-era transgendered person (Candy Darling or maybe Holly Woodlawn?), and the inner sleeve features a photo of a man in drag. The album was co-produced by professional Yorkshireman Mick Ronson, who upon seeing the aforementioned trans-artwork, said "eh-up, it's one of them transformers".

I don't know if its true, but it's good story.

Domestique · « **Reply #21 on:** 17 November, 2011, 06:25:01 pm »

Quote from: Biff on 16 November, 2011, 10:18:52 pm

Pistols - GSTQ

Did the album get banned as well, or was it the displaying of?
I can still remember that day well, Parrot Records in Southend, with the window display full of NMTB album covers. What more could a teenager want

Exit Stage Left · « **Reply #22 on:** 17 November, 2011, 06:39:52 pm »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiJaNSXlYuQ&feature=related

Worth watching for the lead singer's hairstyle.

Quisling · « **Reply #23 on:** 17 November, 2011, 06:52:21 pm »

Apparently Split Enz's "Six months in a leaky boat" was banned as it was released just as the task force set off for the Falklands and it was deemed rather unpatriotic.

mattc · « **Reply #24 on:** 17 November, 2011, 06:58:11 pm »

Quote from: tiermat on 17 November, 2011, 03:46:14 pm

Pretty much any of the output from the late sixties could be thought to have sexual or drug overtones (both, in some cases).

...
The Needle and the Damage Done (though that is from '72)

What on earth could that be about? Some spectacularly poor darning?!?

Author Topic: Songs that were banned, but now aren't! (Read 7681 times)

red marley