Censorship on the radio.

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PapaMouse
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Censorship on the radio.

Post by PapaMouse »

I was listening to the radio at work the other day, and heard something that sounded odd. The song was Van Morrison's "Brown-eyed Girl", and the line that sounded odd was "Sometimes I'm overcome thinking about Runnin' and a-jumpin', hey hey Behind the stadium with you...". They censored out "Makin' love in the green grass"? Like we don't know that's what the line was??

Back in the 70s, another radio station censored "the crap" out of Paul Simon's "Kodachrome". Literally. "When I think back on all ... I learned in high school..." In all fairness, it was well-done, and if you hadn't heard the song elsewhere, you wouldn't notice. But "the crap"?

And when The Kinks' "Lola" first came to the US, some record company exec thought they'd get into some kind of trouble if they included the line "Where you drink champagne and it tastes just like Coca-cola." (Were they afraid Coke would object to free advertizing?) So they had to re-record the line, changing it to "cherry cola". (Well, that one wasn't censored by the radio, but for the radio. Because on the LP version, it's still "Coca-cola".)


Any other examples you can think of? Is this sort of censorship necessarily bad? Or are the stations justified by concerns with their listeners' desire not to hear something "objectionable"?
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fiona
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Re: Censorship on the radio.

Post by fiona »

PapaMouse wrote:I was listening to the radio at work the other day, and heard something that sounded odd. The song was Van Morrison's "Brown-eyed Girl", and the line that sounded odd was "Sometimes I'm overcome thinking about Runnin' and a-jumpin', hey hey Behind the stadium with you...". They censored out "Makin' love in the green grass"? Like we don't know that's what the line was??
Why on earth censor that out? There are far more objectionable lyrics than that flying around.

I think they have to really sit back now and think what is truly objectionable and what is just petty. The PC brigade has always got a lot to answer for and if they think "makin' love in the green grass" is the worst thing that people are likely to hear then they better start telling people not to watch the news or read the papers.

In the UK our examples are a lot more extreme in that rather than censor lines, which I'm not sure I've ever known them do, they just ban the song from being broadcast. One of Donna Summers was banned I think. "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood was banned too, as were many others. Nowadays I don't think it's as bad as it was, which in some ways isn't maybe as good for the artists who "step over the line", as if they were banned from airplay then you could pretty much guarantee they were going to No. 1 on the chart as everyone would go out and buy a copy to see what it was all about.

Personally if I heard something on the radio that I thought was truly "objectionable" I would just turn to another station. Simple as that!
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jodlyn
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Re: Censorship on the radio.

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As Fiona stated, "why would they censor that?" It's so innocent really especially with everything else being said today. I've been watching this show called "Deadwood" and eventually had to stop. Every second word was the "F" word, and it made me cringe to hear it. And look at rap songs. They're not censored.

I don't want to hear bad words in a song, but I can't make everyone like or dislike music just because I say so. I'm with Fee. If you don't like words in a song, change the station.

Personally, Pat..I think sometimes censorship goes too far.
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PapaMouse
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And what makes it even funnier is...

Post by PapaMouse »

...the other night I was listening to the same station, and they played Billy Joel's "Piano Man". Now ordinarily, I wouldn't think of that song when the idea of censorship is in my head. But because of what they did with "Brown-eyed Girl", I listened to the first verse, and they did not censor the bit about the "old man sittin' next to me, makin' love to his tonic and gin." I guess it's OK to make love to a drink, but not to a girl?

Really, though, I like this station ("Bob 104.9") because they play the kind of music I like. And the only 2 times I recall noticing any censorship is the Van Morrison song and "Hand In My Pocket", where they have her singing "I'm brave but I'm chicken sh.." (And most radio stations censor that one.) At least they leave "the crap" in "Kodachrome". :lol:
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tmac396
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Censorship on the radio.

Post by tmac396 »

It IS funny what does and does not get censored, isn't it? I've always chuckled at the censoring of that innocent line in "Brown Eyed Girl" myself. Steve Miller got censored in the late 70's on "Jet Airliner" when "funky sh.." was changed to "funky kicks."

BUT...HERE'S one for you. In 1958 "Rumble" by Link Wray was banned from many radio stations for "sounding" too menacing. This song is an instrumental, mind you. I believe it is the only instrumental record to have such a distinction! You be the judge...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP0aRKnyzpc
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jodlyn
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Re: Kodachrome just wouldn't be the same without the "c

Post by jodlyn »

:)

Well, as long as you like the station, then it'll be okay. I listen to a classic rock station here in my area and luckily they don't censor anything. But then, with these classic oldies, I don't think they have to. Radio stations should concentrate on the songs today which advocate violence.

You'll have to keep us up to date on censoring so I can start listening to those songs here. Maybe I just haven't noticed the censoring. :) :wave:
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PapaMouse
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Re: Censorship on the radio.

Post by PapaMouse »

jodlyn wrote:And look at rap songs. They're not censored.
I used to work in a "casual dining" restaurant (somewhere between fast-food and fancy restaurant). The manager was a black man, and sometimes, when we were getting ready to open, he'd listen to music on his iPod. A lot of it was rap, and it seemed every other line had "the N-word" in it. So one day, I asked him "Doesn't it bother you, as a black man, to hear that word in so many songs?"

He stopped for a second, and said "I hate it." I said "Then why do you listen to it?"

He said that it was an old playlist, and that he really ought to change it. I don't know that he ever did change it, but at least I knew that not all black people think it's OK to use the word, as long as you're not white.
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jodlyn
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Re: None of my friends like it..

Post by jodlyn »

PapaMouse wrote: but at least I knew that not all black people think it's OK to use the word, as long as you're not white.
My black friends as well as my children's black friends hate the word. They think it's so derogatory and were raised not to accept it. They also think it's awful how their peers are now using it so much but yet are hypocritical when it comes to people of other races using it. In my area, it's a gang slur the Asian gang members use to insult the black gang members. When you hear it coming from a group of Asian young hoods, you better run because something bad is going to happen.

That's so sad too. Isn't it amazing how people can find ways to hurt others even with words!! As if we don't have enough to worry about in this crazy world!!! :9461:
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PapaMouse
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For tmac...

Post by PapaMouse »

The station I usually listen to at work always plays the version of "Jet Airliner" that says "funky kicks". But the other night, that station broadcast a local high school football game, so I switched to another one. This one plays "classic rock". They played the other version of "Jet Airliner", "funky sh!t" and all. :)
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PapaMouse
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Heard one last night that didn't surprise me at all when ...

Post by PapaMouse »

...they censored it.

"You Oughta Know", by Alanis Morissette. The line in question was played as
Are you thinking of me when you ___ her?
I'd have been really surprised to hear that word on the air.
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jodlyn
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One who really censored songs was Ed Sullivan...

Post by jodlyn »

I've been reading a biography about the famous man and has learned about his censorship of some bands and comedians.

One such episode was when the Rolling Stones wanted to sing "Let's Spend the Night Together." Ed wanted Mick Jagger to sing "Let's spend some time together!" Mick did it but he rolled his eyes and made funny faces every time he sang the sentence. After they sang, the group apparently came back to the studio dressed in Nazi uniforms with swastikas to protest the censorship. Mr. Sullivan ordered them to go change but they left the studio instead. He banned them from ever performing again but had a change of heart later and let them on the show one final time in 1969. However, Mick and Ed never spoke again after that last performance.
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PapaMouse
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In regards to Ed Sullivan and censoring:...

Post by PapaMouse »

I've heard another story about The Doors, and Ed asking them to change the line in "Light My Fire" that says "Girl, we couldn't get much higher". (Seems he thought it had something to do with drugs.) Jim Morrison said "No problem", but sang it the way he always did. When they went offstage, they were told that they'd never play the Sullivan show again! To which Mr Morrison said "Hey, man. We just did the Sullivan show."
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Re: In regards to Ed Sullivan and censoring:...

Post by jodlyn »

I read the same thing and Morrison was right. They DID just play the Sullivan show..Lol!

It seems Ed Sullivan was known for his nice ways with people and for promoting new acts but he was also known for his temper when he was crossed. From what I've read, you didn't cross Ed Sullivan and walk away unscathed. :shock:

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