Under the Nazi regime, all music produced had to fit within certain standards defined as "good" German music. Suppression of specific artists and their works was common, yet musicians were permitted limited artistic freedom. The Nazis attempted to create a balance between censorship and creativity in music to appease the German people.
This blend of art and politics led to a three-prong policy regarding musicians and artists:
Loyal Nazi members who were talented musicians were guaranteed a job.
Loyal Nazi members who were not talented musicians were not guaranteed a job.
Any non-Jewish person who demonstrated a "genius" for music and was a member of the Reichsmusikkammer (Reich Music Chamber) was permitted employment. This exception in policy permitted musicians like conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler and composer Richard Strauss to continue working.
According to Hitler and Goebbels (Hitler's second in command), the three master composers that represented good German music were Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner, and Anton Bruckner. All three composers lived prior to the 20th century.
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) believed that "strength is the morality of the man who stands out from the rest." Hitler identified himself with Beethoven as possessing that heroic German spirit. Beethoven was so loved by the German people that his legacy of music was unrivaled by any other composer.
The music of Gustav Mahler and Felix Mendelssohn was banned as they were both Jews. Jazz was also banned. The Nazis banned jazz music because it was invented by Black people. They thought that the "Black race" was inferior. In their eyes the "Aryan" race was superior, better than all other "races."
Chopin's music was banned, not so much because he was Polish, but because his music represented Polish themes and a desire for independence. After the invasion of Poland the Nazis even blew up a statue of him in Warsaw. This was part of their attempt to destroy the concept of Polishness.
An example of censorship of music on the radio is from the 1940s. George Formby's "When I'm Cleaning Windows" was banned from BBC radio due to the "smutty lyrics", though Formby's wife Beryl managed to change BBC's opinion. The ostensibly offending lyrics were:
The blushing bride she looks divine
The bridegroom he is doing fine
I'd rather have his job than mine
When I'm cleaning windows
Another example of censorship is when, in 1956, ABC radio refused to play Billie Holiday's "Love for Sale" because the lyrics are about prostitution, but "Love For Sale" would be on the radio again. ABC also made Cole Porter change the lyric of "I Get A Kick Out Of You", which was a hit for Frank Sinatra. Porter's original stated "I get no kick from cocaine". The cleaned-up version was "I get perfume from Spain".
Another example is when the Rolling Stones went on the Ed Sullivan Show. Sullivan asked them to sing their hit song “Let’s Spend the Night Together”, but he asked them to change the lyrics to “Let’s Spend Some Time Together” so it would be considered more appropriate.
BBC Radio has a policy of not playing songs that contain product placement; Ray Davies of the British rock band The Kinks was forced to travel back to the United Kingdom during an American tour in order to change references to Coca-Cola to "cherry cola" from their hit song "Lola" in order to allow it to be given airplay in the country.
BBC Radio was also involved in a controversy surrounding their play of the Sex Pistols single "God Save the Queen" released by Virgin Records on 27 May 1977 to coincide with the Queen's silver jubilee celebrations. Sales of the single were not prohibited, but BBC's Radio 1 banned it from airplay. It had reached number two in the BBC's own charts, but the public service broadcaster — at that time the BBCs most popular radio channel — pulled it because of its lyrics. In fact, the single reached number one on the chart. The band was harassed by police when it (loudly) performed the song from a boat on the Thames. (See the entry for Sid Vicious and God Save the Queen on the Sex Pistols page.)
Arnold Layne, the first single from Pink Floyd was banned from radio initially because of the cross dressing themes included in the song. This was at the beginning of the psychedelic movement and even bands like The Beatles has songs banned at this time for drug references. Despite being banned, the band was popular with the young, hip crowd and the music still made airplay on college and independent radio stations.
In addition, numbers were 'fudged' at some of the shops that supplied sales figures to the music industry. Instead of taking the average of a wide area, sales were taken from a few shops around where the band was playing and sales were high, and extrapolated over a wide area. Practically speaking, this meant that it was 'maneuvered' into the charts, and ultimately peaked in the UK charts at number 20
1954
Rock and Roll had just been born when Michigan congresswoman Ruth Thompson introduced a bill in the House that would prohibit mailing any pornographic recording. The offence would be punishable by five years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine. Just who would decide what is pornographic, is unclear.
Britain's BBC bans the song "Such a Night" by Johnny Ray after listeners complain about its 'suggestiveness'.
Memphis police prohibit The Drifters' "Honey Love" from being loaded into jukeboxes, due to what they considered "suggestive lyrics."
1955
Police in Bridgeport, Connecticut cancel a dance at the Ritz ballroom featuring Fats Domino. Authorities say the cancellation is because they discovered that "rock and roll dances might be featured" and justify their action by citing "a recent near riot at the New Haven Arena," where rock & roll dances were featured.
Mobile, Ala. radio station WABB received over 15,000 letters of complaint about the playing of "dirty records". The station's response was a promise that they would censor all controversial music, especially Rhythm and Blues.
An unsuccessful bid to change copyright laws that would prohibit white artists from singing R&B cover tunes was proposed to U.S. Congress by singer, LaVern Baker. Lucky for Pat Boone and other crooners that this effort failed.
The Juvenile Delinquency and Crime Commission of Houston, Texas banned more than 30 songs it considered obscene. Almost all of the artists on the Commission's list were black.
1956
ABC radio decides not to play Billie Holiday's "Love For Sale" because the lyrics are about prostitution. They were also successful in getting Cole Porter to change the lyric of "I Get A Kick Out Of You", a hit for Frank Sinatra. Porter's original words were "I'd get no kick from cocaine". The cleaned up version was "Some go for perfume from Spain".
Mitch Miller, who was then the music director of Columbia Records, hosts a program on CBS TV with two psychiatrists to point out the "potentially negative effects of rock 'n' roll on teenagers".
Rock ‘n’ Roll fans in Cleveland, Ohio who were under 18, were banned from dancing in public, unless accompanied by an adult, after Ohio Police start enforcing a law dating back to 1931.
"Digging My Potatoes", Lonnie Donegan's follow-up to his hit "Rock Island Line", was banned in the UK and the US because of its vague sexual references which included the lyrics "I didn't find a crew top, caught the fool in my bed. You know, he diggin' my potatoes, crampin' on my farm.
1957
Ed Sullivan's producers decide that their cameras would only shoot Elvis Presley from the waist up, as they considered his hip swinging to be too suggestive.
Cardinal Stritch of the Catholic archdiocese in Chicago, prohibits all rock and roll music from their schools, fearing that "its rhythms encourage young people to behave in a hedonistic manner".
Disc Jockey Al Priddy of KEX, Portland, Oregon is fired for violating the radio station's ban against playing Elvis Presley's rendition of "White Christmas".
Radio stations in Boston refused to play The Everly Brothers "Wake Up Little Susie" because of its supposedly suggestive lyrics which tell the tale of two teenagers who fall asleep at a drive-in movie. Stations in other parts of the country feel differently and the song rises to #1 on the Billboard Pop and Country charts as well as the Cash Box Best Selling Record chart.
After hearing reports that many U.S. radio stations had banned Elvis' Christmas album because of their shock over "the Pelvis" singing religious songs, DJ Allen Brooks of CKWS in Kingston, Ontario, plays the entire album and invites listeners to call in their opinion. Of 800 callers, only 56 disapprove of Presley's sacred music.
Capitol Records received a number of complaints about a picture on the front cover of The Five Keys album "On Stage". To some imaginitive folks, the finger of lead singer Rudy West appeared to be a penis and subsequent issues of the L.P. were airbrushed.
Egyptian government officials announce that Rock 'n' Roll music can no longer be played in public, calling it an "imperialist plot." They also prohibit Rock 'n' Roll movies.
Jimmy Dee and The Offbeats, most often remembered for their song "Henrietta", were banned from giving a concert at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey city by commissioner Lawrence Whipple who said "these programs are not for the good of the community and that's why I ordered them banned."
1958
The management of St. Louis radio station KWK, had all Rock 'n' Roll music banned from its play list. The disc jockeys gave every rock and roll record in the station library a "farewell spin" before smashing it to pieces. The station manager, Robert Convey, called the action "a simple weeding out of undesirable music."
A Minneapolis based Catholic youth magazine, Contacts, launches a campaign for "clean lyrics in pop songs." Songs they target include Elvis Presley's "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck" because it promotes going steady.
1959
Even though it has no lyrics what so ever, the guitar instrumental "Rumble", by Link Wray was banned by many U.S. radio stations, who feared the title would promote teen violence. Despite the boycott, the song would still sell over a million copies and Link would follow it with a tune called "Jack The Ripper".
The BBC in England refuses to play The Coasters' stateside hit, "Charlie Brown" because of its reference to "throwin' spitballs". Two weeks later, they give in to public demand and play the song.
Following the stabbing deaths of two teenagers by a 17 year old and other similar incidents of violence in New York City, WCBS radio in the Big Apple bans Bobby Darin's hit "Mack the Knife".
1960
Ray Peterson's, "Tell Laura I Love Her" is banned from many radio stations who objected to the "death theme" of the song. In spite of spotty air play, the song is still a huge hit for RCA, reaching #7 on the national record charts in August, 1960. On the other side of the Atlantic however, England's Decca Records destroyed thousands of copies of the record, claiming it was "in bad taste". A rival record company felt differently and recorded a cover version by a singer named Ricky Valance, which went to #1 on the British chart.
1961
Britains' BBC Radio bans the song "100 Pounds of Clay" by Gene McDaniels because it has a reference to women being created from building materials, which the network considered to be blasphemous.
1962
After refusing to sign an oath that says they have never been members of the Communist party, the popular folk group The Weavers are removed from the line-up of NBC-TV's Jack Parr Show.
Catholic school students in New York are forbidden to dance to Chubby Checker's "The Twist", by Bishop Burke, who considers it and other dance craze songs to be "un-Christian". The rest of the country however, thought different, as "The Twist" went on to be the only record in Rock and Roll history to be a number one hit on two separate occasions. The first time in the spring of 1961 and again in 1962, spending an amazing total of nine months on the U.S. best seller charts.
Britain's BBC bans Bobby "Boris" Pickett's Halloween song, "Monster Mash".
Dickey Lee's "Patches" was banned by a number of US radio stations because of its teen suicide theme. The song tells the story of two teenage lovers from different social classes whose parents forbid them from seeing each other. The girl drowns herself and the boy sings about joining her. Despite limited air-play, the record still managed to reach #6 on the Billboard chart.
1963
Bob Dylan cancels a booking on the Ed Sullivan Show in February after he is told by the show's producers that he cannot sing "Talking John Birch Paranoid Blues."
1964
The Kingsmen's version of "Louie, Louie" is the subject of much controversy and was banned from sales and airplay in Indiana because of its indecipherable lyrics, which were rumored to contain some naughty words. The Kingsmen have always maintained they sang nothing lewd, despite an off-mic shout after a mistake at the end of the instrumental, where Jack Ely started to sing the last verse one bar too soon.
England's The Pretty Things saw their second release "Don't Bring Me Down" become a top ten hit in Britain but it was banned in America for its "objectionable lyrics": I met this chick the other day; And then to me, she said she'll stay; I get this pad, just like a cave; And then we'll have, our living made; And then I'll lead her on the ground; My head is spinning round
Several dance halls in the UK ban the playing of The Dave Clark Five's "Bits and Pieces" over fears that teens stomping to the beat would damage wooden dance floors.
Capitol Records released a song called "Letter To The Beatles" by The Four Preps. The lyrics describe a boy lamenting the fact that he's lost his girlfriend to The Fab Four. On its first day, the record shot to #85 on the Billboard Hot 100 and it looked like The Preps were going to have another hit on their hands. Unfortunately they had included a few bars from "I Want To Hold Your Hand" without permission and The Preps were threatened with a lawsuit by Beatles' manager Brian Epstein. Capitol was forced to withdraw the single and employees were enlisted to smash copies of the single with sledgehammers.
1965
The Shangri-Las' "Leader of the Pack" was banned by ABC-TV and Rediffusion-TV in the UK because it glorified motorcycle gangs. Despite the ban, the song still reached #1 in the US and charted four times in the UK between 1965 and 1976, peaking at number 3 in 1972 (by which time the BBC ban had been lifted).
The Rolling Stones early hit, "I Can't Get No Satisfaction", is taken off of many radio station's play lists, after they receive complaints about the "sexually suggestive lyrics".
Former New Christie Minstrel, Barry McGuire has his first solo hit "Eve of Destruction" taken off of retail store shelves and many radio stations play lists, because of its "end of the world" theme and anti-government lyrics.
Jimi Hendrix's single "How Would You Feel" is given little airplay on radio because of the song deals with the plight of blacks in America.
After Frank Zappa refuses to change it, MGM Records electronically alters the recording of his song, "Money", because it contains a sexual reference.
The BBC refused to play The Who's "My Generation", saying they did not want to offend people who stuttered. When the song became a huge hit, the broadcaster relented and added it to their play list.
A Dayton, Ohio band called Sonny Flaharty and The Mark V released a hard-driving, organ-filled single called "Hey Conductor", which sold thousands locally and was soon picked up by Phillips for national distribution. Although the song sounds as if it's about getting on a train, DJs began to notice vague drug references in the lyrics, like "Hey conductor, take me on a better trip" and "life looks much better when I'm off the ground." Radio stations across the country refused to play the record and its momentum soon died. In the meantime Mike Losekamp (aka Haywood Lovelace), who played the distinctive organ on the record left to join the Cyrkle in time to appear on their second album.
1966
Some retailers refused to stock The Mamas and Papas album "If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears" because photo on the front cover showed the group laying together in a bath tub with a toilet in the corner. The picture was quickly altered to include a printed banner covering the toilet which says "Includes California Dreaming".
Singer P.J. Proby has his scheduled appearance on ABC's dance show, "Shindig" cancelled after he split his pants during a London England concert. It seems he had used the "pants splitting routine" to gain attention once to often.
Sixties doo-wop group, The Swinging Medallions are forced to re-record a cleaned up version of a song that would prove to be their only hit record, "Double Shot Of My Baby's Love", after many radio stations refuse to play the original. The live recording of the second edition became a rock and roll classic.
The first of many controversies that John Lennon would be involved in started in March of 1966, when he told a reporter that "the way (some fans) carry on, it's like we're more popular than Jesus Christ". Thousands of Beatle records are smashed and burned at rallies across America and some radio stations refuse to play their music. Lennon would later apologize, claiming that he was mis-quoted.
Van Morrison's group, "Them" had their song "Gloria" banned by Chicago radio station WLS for objectionable lyrics. The song was covered by Chicago's "The Shadows Of Knight", who took the song into the national Top Ten after changing the words slightly, from "she comes to my room, just about midnight" to "she comes around here, just about midnight."
When calls for censorship of Lou Christie's "Rhapsody in the Rain," started, the singer agreed to change the lyrics and the song went on to be another in a long series of hits for him.
A recording engineer named Jerry Samuels, who billed himself as Napoleon XIV, hit the top of the Billboard chart with a novelty song called "They're Coming to Take me Away, Ha-Haaa!" The song was banned by many US radio stations because it seemed to make fun of the insane.
The Byrds' "Eight Miles High" was banned by many US radio stations because programers thought the word "high" was a drug reference. The band claimed it was inspired by an airplane flight where singer Gene Clark asked guitarist Roger McGuinn how high up they were. McGuinn told him 6 miles. Clark later said that when he wrote the song, he changed the 6 to 8 because the Beatles had "Eight Days A Week" on the charts.
Peter and Gordon's song "Lady Godiva" was banned by the mayor of Coventry, England, who said that the song was obscene. Coventry is the home town of the real Lady Godiva, who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets to protest oppressive taxation under her husband's rule.
1967
Australian radio officials decided that the word "bloody" in The Royal Guardsmen's "Snoopy Vs The Red Baron" was offensive to its listeners and blanked it out. The record was number one down under for five weeks in February.
The BBC bans the Beatles' "A Day In The Life" from its airwaves, claiming it contained explicit drug references.
Because of its vague reference to masturbation, many radio stations ban The Who's single "Pictures of Lily".
The Rolling Stones appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was in jeopardy until Mick Jaggar promised to change the words of "Let's Spend The Night Together" to "Let's spend some time together." When the line came up during the performance, Mick mumbled the words.
Sonny & Cher are barred from Pasadena, California's Tournament of Roses Parade for supporting some Sunset Strip rioters.
Radio programmers refuse to air Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" because the lyrics refer to premarital sex and teenage pregnancy. Morrison records an alternative version with more acceptable lyrics and the song becomes his first solo hit in the U.S.
When The Doors' are booked to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show, producers insist that Jim Morrison change the lyrics to "Light My Fire". Morrison agreed to alter the lyric "Girl we couldn't get much higher" but during the live performance, Morrison sings the original lyric.
Sponsors go into an uproar and threaten to pull support after a television program shows interracial "touching." During the taping of a duet between Petula Clark and Harry Belafonte, Clark lays her hand on Belafonte's arm (Clark is white and Belafonte is black).
"Society's Child" by Janis Ian is banned by some US radio stations because the lyrics referred to interracial dating. Many other stations felt differently and the song rose to #14 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Beatles' "I Am The Walrus" was banned by the BBC, for suggestive lyrics, for the line "Boy you've been a naughty girl and let your knickers down."
Fresh off the world-wide success of "Friday On My Mind", The Easybeats had a follow-up single called "Heaven And Hell" banned from US radio because of the title and a mild sexual reference in the song. (Hell is knowing that your face has gone red, Discovering someone else in your bed.)
Pearls Before Swine's song "Miss Morse" was banned in New York when it was discovered that lead singer Tom Rapp was singing F-U-C-K in Morse code. After disc jockey Murray The K played the record on the air, local Boy Scouts correctly interpreted the chorus and phoned in a complaint.
A Denver band called The Rainy Daze saw their song "That Acapulco Gold" catch on locally. The newly formed UNI label bought the national distribution rights and before long, the single had climbed to #70 on the Hot 100 chart. Programmers soon caught on to the song's pro-marijuana theme and the 45 was quickly pulled from radio station play lists across the country.
1968
An El Paso, Texas radio station deletes all records by Bob Dylan from its play list, because it is too difficult to understand the lyrics. They do however continue to play other artists covering Dylan's material.
Chicago mayor Richard Daley ordered local radio stations to not play the Rolling Stones' single "Street Fighting Man" during the National Democratic Convention in anticipation of the rioting that did occur during the convention. The ban gave the song huge publicity, air play and sales.
After the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4th, 1968, many Top-40 radio stations in the US refuse to play Gordon Lightfoot's "Black Day In July", a song about the 1967 race riots in Detroit, saying they fear the lyrics will ignite violence.
In November, the UK book and record chain W.H. Smiths refused to display The Jimi Hendrix Experience album "Electric Ladyland" due to the naked girls featured on the sleeve. The album was later made available as two albums with changed artwork.
"Give a Damn" by Spanky And Our Gang was released as a single in the Summer of 1968, and in spite of being banned in several states because of the profanity in its title, still managed to reach #43 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also performed 'live' on an episode of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, resulting in CBS' Standards and Practices division receiving numerous complaints about the song's title being used during "family viewing hours". One such complaint reportedly came from Richard Nixon.
The Doors' single ""Unknown Soldier"" is banned from airplay at many radio stations because of its anti-war theme
1969
The Doors Jim Morrison is arrested for indecent exposure after he asks the audience, "Do you wanna see my cock?" and gives them the full Monty, during a Miami concert.
30,000 copies of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's album, "Two Virgins" are seized by Newark police when the records arrive at the airport. The vice squad shuts down a retailer carrying the album, which shows the couple naked on the cover.
Detroit's MC5 are forced to replace a live version the song, "Kick Out the Jams" from the album of the same name because it contains explicit lyrics (the song's introduction contained the phrase "Kick out the jams, motherf*ckers!").
Concern over political and drug references in songs by the Jefferson Airplane cause their record label to delay release of their Volunteers album. The band solves the dilemma by leaving the record label and forming their own.
Despite its status as the number one selling single in the country, many U.S. radio stations refuse to play "The Ballad of John and Yoko", because the song's lyrics contain references to Christ and the Crucifixion. ("Christ, you know it ain't easy")
Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Ric Grech and Ginger Baker saw their debut album, "Blind Faith" banned by several retailers because the cover showed a naked 11 year old girl. Atco Records was forced to issue two different covers, although the 'clean' version doesn't sell nearly as well.
A song called "Try It" by The Standells was banned by Texan radio chain mogul Gordon McLendon, a Christian fundamentalist, who considered the song's lyrics to be obscene. Actually the lyrics by today's standards were pretty tame. Even though the record was the number one seller in many markets, including Los Angeles, most of the radio stations followed McLendon's lead and refused to play it. The group even debated the Texan on Art Linkletter's Let's Talk TV show, and by most accounts defeated him handily by pointing out his hypocrisy. But it was all to no avail. The song died and so did the group's popularity and hopes of another hit record.
For a time, "Come Together" by The Beatles was banned by the BBC, as they believed the song's reference to "shoot[ing] Coca-Cola" could be construed as a cocaine reference.
1970
The BBC threatened to ban Free's newly released single "All Right Now" unless engineer Roger Beale provided them with a tape of the solo vocal track. They thought that the lyric "Let's move before they raise the parking rate" was "Let's move before they raise the fucking rate"!
Fearing more violence following the shooting deaths of students at Kent State University, Ohio Governor James Rhodes orders radio stations to ban the song "Ohio" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. The ban made the record more popular than ever and sales grew stronger. No further violence was reported.
MGM records, under the leadership of President and future lieutenant governor of California, Mike Curb, cancels the recording contracts of 18 of their acts because they believe the performers promote hard drugs in their songs. Among those who were dropped were night club performers Steve and Eydie. Interestingly, they kept Eric Burdon and War, who made drug references in almost all their songs.
Jefferson Airplane is fined $1,000 for onstage profanity in Oklahoma City.
Joe McDonald of Country Joe and the Fish is fined $500 for uttering an obscenity during a performance of his song "I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Rag".
Janis Joplin is convicted of violating local obscenity laws during a performance in Tampa, Florida. She was fined $200.
President Richard Nixon tells radio broadcasters that rock music lyrics should be screened for content. He further suggests that any music containing drug references be banned outright.
Two days after Jimi Hendrix played his feedback filled version of "The Star Spangled Banner" at the Atlanta Pop Festival, Georgia Governor Lester Maddox says he will seek legislation to ban all rock festivals in the state.
The BBC refuses to play The Kinks' "Lola" because the lyrics contain a reference to "Coca-Cola" and was in violation of their advertising policy. Ray Davies quickly re-recorded the piece to say "cherry cola" and the ban was lifted.
Three Dog Night caused a stir with the original cover of their album "It Ain't Easy", which showed all seven members of the band naked, with their private parts covered up. Following issues of the L.P. showed singers Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron and Cory Wells sitting in front of a piano.
When The Funkadelic tried to tour England in support of their album "Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow" they were turned away from London's Royal Albert Hall, whose management said "their style of music would not be accepted by patrons..." Promoters then tried to book the band into Strand Lyceum, but were told "We run a concert hall for music and musicians. We don't run a circus." Problems for the band began over their musical version of The Lord's Prayer and rumors that they ended their shows by appearing only in jock straps. Back home in America, "Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow" peaked at #11 on the R&B album chart and #92 on the Pop album chart.
1971
Frank Zappa's January concert at London's Royal Albert Hall is cancelled because of obscene lyrics in the score of "200 Motels".
Officials in Illinois release a list of popular music that contain drug references. The list includes the popular children's song "Puff The Magic Dragon" by Peter, Paul and Mary, as well as The Beatles' "Yellow Submarine".
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) sends all U.S. radio stations a telegram, threatening to revoke their licenses if they play Rock music that glorifies the use of drugs.
New York radio station WNBC banned the song "One Toke Over the Line" by Brewer and Shipley because of its alleged drug references. Other stations around the country follow suit. The composer of the tune, Tom Shipley, responds, "In this electronic age, pulling a record because of its lyrics is like the burning of books in the Thirties." Brewer & Shipley would also claim that "toke" meant "token", thus the line about "sittin' downtown at a railway station..."
In March, many US radio stations and high schools ban "D.O.A." by the Texas band, Bloodrock. The song told the story of a dying teen involved in car crash (some say a plane crash). Despite a lack of air-play, the single still reached #36 on the Billboard chart.
The cover of Alice Cooper's album "Love It To Death", which showed a picture of the group with a stray thumb that some thought resembled a penis, is recalled and the offending digit is air brushed away.
Songwriter Rupert Holmes set out to write a song that would get banned from radio airplay and thus gain attention for a group he wanted to promote, The Buoys. The result was "Timothy", a tune about three boys trapped in a mine, one of whom was cannibalized. The song received limited airplay until program directors started listening to the lyrics. Some removed it from their playlists, while others added it. As the record started to gain notoriety, it shot up the Billboard Hot 100 and reached #17. Holmes plan had worked to perfection.
1972
Radio stations across the country ban John Denver's hit song "Rocky Mountain High," fearing that the song's "high" refers to drugs.
In early February, Chuck Berry achieved his first UK #1 single with a live recording of "My Ding-a-Ling", a song that morality campaigner Mary Whitehouse had unsuccessfully attempted to have banned.
On February 19th, Paul McCartney releases "Give Ireland Back to the Irish," his commentary about the Britain-Ireland conflict. The song is immediately banned by the BBC, but the notoriety the song receives from the banning only increases its popularity in England, and it soars into the Top Twenty.
In mid-April, one of John Lennon's most controversial singles, "Woman Is the Nigger Of The World" is released. The song actually reaches #57 on Billboard's Hot 100, despite virtually every radio station in the country refusing to play it.
In November, Paul McCartney's Wings release "Hi, Hi, Hi" which is banned from the BBC because of its "unsuitable lyrics." The song still managed to be a hit, reaching #5 in the UK and #10 in the US early the next year.
1973
BBC Radio refused to play Dr. Hook's "The Cover Of Rolling Stone" because it contained the name of a commercial publication (Rolling Stone magazine), and could therefore be considered advertising. A new version with the words "Rolling Stone" replaced with "Radio Times" was done, not by the group, but by various producers and executives at London's branch of CBS Records, who merely sang over the single master. Radio Times was the name of the weekly TV and Radio Guide published by the BBC.
While Curtis Mayfield is lip-synching a performance of his hit "Pusherman" for television's Soul Train, he learns that the show's producers have edited the song to delete drug references.
The Rolling Stones single "Star Star", from the "Goat's Head Soup" album, was banned from airplay on England's BBC because it contained the word "Star-fucker" in the chorus. It's not just sung once, but the word is repeated a dozen times.
In March, the BBC banned all teenybopper acts appearing on the UK TV show, Top Of The Pops, after a riot following a David Cassidy performance.
1974
Three Dog Night tried pushing the envelope again with the cover of their L.P. "Hard Labor", which showed a female creature giving birth to a record album. To keep retailers happy, the center of the picture was later covered by a large file folder.
1975
Loretta Lynn's country song, "The Pill" is banned by radio stations across the United States because of its references to birth control.
Reverend Charles Boykin of Tallahassee, Florida, conducts his own survey of 1,000 unwed mothers and determines that 984 became pregnant while listening to Rock music. The rest apparently were having sex.
A song called "Cortez the Killer" by Neil Young and Crazy Horse is banned in Spain. The tune is about Hern‡n Cortez, the Spanish conqueror of the Aztec Empire who is regarded as a hero in Spain.
1976
Rod Stewart's hit "Tonight's The Night" is removed from RKO radio play lists until the lyric "spread your wings and let me come inside" is edited from the song.
Following a series of arrests and incidents in the U.K., the Sex Pistols have trouble obtaining work permits to tour in the United States, because officials thought the band's music lacked artistic value. The group was eventually allowed to briefly tour the U.S.
1977
According to the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Disco music promotes promiscuity and drug use and he calls for its removal from U.S. radio stations. This is the same Jesse Jackson who admitted in January, 2001 that he fathered a child out of wedlock, behind the back of his wife of 38 years and their five children.
Jefferson Starship was prevented from staging a free concert in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, because of a city by-law against the use of electronic instruments. The ban was lifted two years later.
Two weeks after signing the Sex Pistols, Virgin Records releases "God Save the Queen" to coincide with Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee celebration in June. The tune is banned from British airplay because of its "treasonous sentiments." Nonetheless, it becomes Number One in the U.K., listed in some reports with a blank line where the title should be.
Lou Reed was banned from appearing at The London Palladium because of his punk image.
A Cincinnati band called Ram Jam released a single called "Black Betty", which had civil rights groups, the N.A.A.C.P. and C.O.R.E., calling for a boycott of the song because it insulted black women. Despite the controversy, the song still reached number 18 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in September.
1978
The staff at England's EMI record pressing plant refused to press copies of The Buzzcocks forthcoming release "What Do I Get" because of the title of the B-side track, "Oh Shit".
1979
The New Wave band, Blondie was forced to replace some of the words to their number one hit "Heart Of Glass" to gain air-play on US Top 40 radio. The words "Once I had a love and it was a gas / Soon found out, I had a heart of glass" were inserted over top of the original words "Once I had a love and it was a gas / Soon turned out to be a pain in the ass" .
1980
A group of Des Moines, Iowa teenagers are lead by Minister Art Diaz in a record burning rally at the First Assembly Church of God. The burnt offerings included albums by the Beatles, Ravi Shankar, Peter Frampton, and even the soundtrack to the movie Grease. A few months later in Keoku, Iowa, a similar burning takes place when a church group burns the work of The Carpenters, John Denver, and Perry Como.
Pink Floyd's hit single "Another Brick In The Wall (Part II)", with its chorus of kids chanting "We Don't Need No Education". is banned by the South African government. Black children, upset about inferior education, adopt the song as their anthem. The government says the song is "prejudicial to the safety of the state."
1981
Olivia Newton John's hit "Physical" is banned from radio stations in Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah because its sexual innuendoes were found unsuitable for their Mormon audiences.
1983
A Baptist youth minister from Emporia, Virginia, named Roger Wilcher, petitions city council to remove MTV from the local cable system.
1984
Bruce Springsteen's monster hit album, "Born In The U.S.A." comes under fire from critics, after some say that the cover depicts "the Boss" urinating on Old Glory.
BBC Radio 1 announced a ban on "Relax", by Frankie Goes To Hollywood after DJ Mike Read called it 'obscene', a BBC-TV ban also followed. The song went on become a #1 and spent a total of 48 weeks on the UK chart.
1985
The most prominent group in the history of music censorship, the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center), was formed in Washington, DC by Tipper Gore (wife of then-senator Al Gore) and Susan Baker. The PRMC's primary focus was getting record companies to monitor and rate their artists' releases with a system similar to the MPAA system for movies. Their efforts sparked a renewed interest by a variety of groups to censor music and lyrics that lasted for more than five years.
On March 26th, radio stations in South Africa banned all of Stevie Wonder's records after he dedicated the Oscar he had won the night before at The Academy Awards to Nelson Mandela.
An ultra-conservative group lead by the since disgraced Reverend Jimmy Swaggert, persuades Wal-Mart to discontinue selling rock and roll magazines such as Rolling Stone, Hard Rock, Spin, and Tiger Beat.
A Mormon bishop and apartment complex owner, Leo Weidner, bans MTV from his tenant's apartments in Provo, Utah. Although he later admits that he has never seen a music video, Weidner claimed that they are "pornographic" and says they are harmful to his tenants.
Record company presidents and CEOs are contacted by The PMRC, requesting a rating system for music lyrics and imagery. The letter specifically targets music by AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Cyndi Lauper, Def Leppard, Judas Priest, Madonna, Mary Jane Girls, Mercyful Fate, Motley Crüe, Prince, Sheena Easton, Twisted Sister, Vanity, Venom, and W.A.S.P.
1986
Frank Zappa's album, "Jazz from Hell" has an "explicit lyrics" warning sticker put on it by Meyer Music Markets, even though the album is entirely instrumental.
1987
In Callaway, Florida, a record clerk is arrested for selling a copy of 2 Live Crew's album, "2 Live Is What We Are" to a fourteen year old boy.
George Michael's single "I Want Your Sex" is removed from the play lists of radio stations in Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Denver, and New York, because of its explicit sexual content. It is also banned in Britain by the BBC.
Heavy metal icon Ozzy Ozbourne is unsuccessfully sued by the parents of a 19 year old boy who claimed their son committed suicide after listening to Ozbourne's song "Suicide Solution".
The Beastie Boys become the first act censored on American Bandstand.
Jello Biafra, leader of the punk group 'the Dead Kennedys' is acquitted of distributing pornography. The case involved the artwork by H.R. Giger, featured on the band's "Frankenchrist" album. Biafra was prosecuted after an attorney's daughter bought a copy of the record for her brother as a Christmas present. Copies of the album were seized and destroyed.
An Alternative Rock band from Scotland called Jesus and Mary Chain are banned by CBS executives from appearing on the US version of Top Of The Pops for refusing to be billed as JAMC.
1988
Prince's album, "Love Sexy" is removed from store shelves because the record's cover contains a nude, yet unrevealing, photograph of Prince.
In July, MTV bans Neil Young's video "This Note Is For You", which parodied corporate rock by showing a Michael Jackson look-alike whose hair catches fire. The ban would soon be lifted and the video was put into heavy rotation, resulting in it eventually winning the MTV Video Music Award for Best Video of the Year in 1989.
1989
Religious groups are offended by the new Pepsi commercial set to Madonna's song "Like A Prayer". The ad campaign is quickly dropped.
Los Angeles radio station KDAY in Los Angeles, pulls "Truly Yours" by Kool G. Rap and D.J. Polo, from rotation after protests from the gay community.
In New Iberia, Louisiana, the City Council passed an emergency ordinance saying that records falling under the state's definition of obscenity be removed from the view of unmarried people under the age of 17. Violation carries a penalty of 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.
After the singer/songwriter formerly known as Cat Stevens endorses an Iranian death threat on writer Salman Rushdie, many radio station remove his songs from their playlists. KFI talk host Tom Leykis holds a Cat Stevens record smashing party.
Also that year, Missouri adopts legislature prohibiting the sale of records with questionable content that do not have parental warning labels and the lyrics printed on the album cover. Similar legislation is considered in Maryland, Delaware, Florida and Kansas.
1990
Twenty-one U.S. states introduce bills that prohibit the sale of records containing "lyrics that are violent, sexually explicit or perverse".
Four hundred Trans World retail stores announce that they will require proof of age before selling records with warning stickers, to minors. Disc Jockey, another record store chain says that it simply will not carry any record that has the warning sticker.
A Tennessee judge rules that 2 Live Crew's "Nasty As They Wanna Be" and N.W.A.'s "Straight Outta Compton" are obscene under state law. Conviction for selling these records could bring fines from $10,000 to $100,000, depending upon the involvement of minors in the offence.
A Nebraska radio station starts a boycott of k.d. lang records because of her anti-meat beliefs. Their action is largely symbolic, since the station rarely if ever played the Canadian singer's records.
In one of the most famous cases of music censorship, police in Dade County, Florida set up a sting to arrest three retailers selling copies of a record by 2 Live Crew to children under the age of 18. Objections to 2 Live Crew started with the break-thru of their hit "Me So Horny". Similar prosecutions regarding 2 Live Crew record sales happen in Alabama and Tennessee. No prosecutions result in standing convictions. Members of 2 Live Crew were also prosecuted for performing the material live in concert.
Members of the rap group N.W.A. receive a letter from the F.B.I. saying the agency did not appreciate the song "F*ck The Police". Law enforcement groups all over the country agree.
A Florida grand jury determines that four rap albums (including "Freedom of Speech" by Ice-T) are legally obscene. Area retailers quickly pull the records from the shelves to avoid prosecution.
Metal band Judas Priest is sued by the family of two young men. The families contend that "hidden" messages in the band's "Stained Class" record prompted them to beat and choke one of their mothers, walk around town exposing themselves, and steal money.
Representatives of the Italian Catholic Church announce they'll attempt to put a stop to Madonna's concerts in Rome because of her alleged inappropriate use of crucifixes and sacred symbols. The group was successful in halting the shows.
1991
House Speaker Newt Gingrich tells Broadcasting and Cable magazine that he strongly encourages advertisers to pull all advertisements on radio stations that broadcast rap music.
1994
Police in Jacksonville, Florida, arrest singer Marilyn Manson for violating the "Adult Entertainment Code." Police believed that Manson was inserting a dildo into his anus while urinating on the audience.
The Smashing Pumpkins were banned from appearing on BBC TV's Top Of The Pops because of the lyrics of their current hit single "Disarm".
In July 1994 when Gulbodin Hekmatyar entered the city of Kabul as Prime Minister of Rabani a total ban on music in radio, television, restaurants, shops etc. was ordered and cinema theatres were closed.
In July 1994 when Gulbodin Hekmatyar entered the city of Kabul as Prime Minister of Rabani a total ban on music in radio, television, restaurants, shops etc. was ordered and cinema theatres were closed.
1995
Michael Jackson changes the lyrics to his song "They Don't Care About Us", following protests that the record is anti-Semitic.
When the Taliban religious militia took overthey did not only ban music but also executed TV sets by hanging them from electric poles in major intersections. They started searching vehicles to confiscate and destroy music cassettes.
When the Taliban religious militia took overthey did not only ban music but also executed TV sets by hanging them from electric poles in major intersections. They started searching vehicles to confiscate and destroy music cassettes.
1996
Sheryl Crow's self-titled second album is dropped from Wal-Mart shelves because one of the songs contains an unflattering comment about the giant retailer's gun sales policy.
1997
Florida legislator John Grant pushes through an initiative to withhold $104,000 in Florida Department of Education funding for public radio station WMNF. Grant's objection to the station noted that the station frequently aired programming he felt was inappropriate for a publicly supported station. Objectionable material included on-air praise for Kurt Cobain, and heavy air play of a social-protest song "Wasteland" by singer Iris DeMent (containing the lyric "We got CEOs makin' 200 times the workers' pay, but they'll fight like hell against raisin' the minimum wage").
Because he was wearing a Marilyn Manson tee shirt, 18-year-old John Schroder is arrested in a New Braunfels, Texas, grocery store and charged with making an obscene display.
Oklahoma City Council is urged by group calling themselves the "Oklahomans for Children and Families", to cancel a lease with a concert promoter who is planning a Marilyn Manson concert at the State Fairgrounds.
In Oxford, Mississippi, the three owners of Lyric Hall are arrested and sentenced to six months in jail for booking a performance by 2 Live Crew.
A band called "The Crucifucks" and their label, Alternative Tentacles, are sued by the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police, for featuring a photo of a dead policeman on the cover of the band's album, "Our Will Be Done".
A Marilyn Manson concert is cancelled by city officials in Richmond, Virginia, because they feel the his songs promote rape, murder, and self-mutilation.
"The Great Milenko" by Insane Clown Posse, is removed from store shelves because of the album's lyrical content, just hours after it was issued. The group is quickly released from their recording contract and the band's label, Hollywood Records, is dumped by their parent company, Disney, even though company officials had known of the album's content for nearly a year.
Texas lawmakers pass a law prohibiting state-employee pension funds from investing any money in record companies whose music "explicitly describes, glamorizes or advocates" violence, bestiality, gang activity or the denigration of females. The Employees Retirement System of Texas currently has $7.2 million (of its $15.2 billion portfolio) invested in Seagram, the owner of Universal Music Group, home of Interscope Records.)
Officials at Giant Stadium in New Jersey refuse to host the Ozzfest, because one of the performing acts was the controversial band Marilyn Manson. The courts disagree, saying the public facility had to be available on a "content neutral" basis.
Techno band Prodigy found their new single, "Smack My Bitch Up" resulted in their album being pulled from K-Mart and Wal-Mart store shelves. The album had been out for almost six months before the single was released. Chain stores that banned the record had themselves sold more than 150,000 copies of the record without receiving a single customer complaint.
A UK group called Denim had their single "Summer Smash" pulled from record store shelves in Great Britain by EMI after the August 31st car crash that killed Princes Diana.
1998
Eric Van Hoven, an 18-year-old from Zeeland High School in Holland, Michigan, is suspended for wearing a tee shirt promoting the band Korn, even though the shirt contains no images or words except the band's name.
At a conference sponsored by Crime Prevention Resource Center in Fort Worth, Texas, representatives of several local police departments advocate the forced hospitalization of Marilyn Manson fans, and recommend the classification of "Goth rock" fans as street gangs.
At Fort Zumwalt North High School in St. Louis, the school band is forbidden from playing the Jefferson Airplane hit "White Rabbit" because of drug references in the song's lyrics, even though the band's version of the song is entirely instrumental.
1999
The school library at Kettle Moraine High School in Wales, Wisconsin, requires all students to show ID in order to view Rolling Stone magazine. Even though a child of any age could purchase it at local stores, the school board decides that students must be 18 years of age to view the magazine's contents.
A Portsmouth, New Hampshire school superintendent, forbids students from wearing Marilyn Manson tee shirts or any other "Goth" attire.
Ministry's "Dark Side of the Spoon", is removed from K-Mart shelves because of objections to the album's cover, which shows an nude, overweight woman, wearing a dunce hat and facing a chalkboard.
Musical artists who support a new trial for death-row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal are targeted by the national Fraternal Order of Police in a mass boycott. Rage Against The Machine and the Beastie Boys are specific targets, but the association also planed to keep an updated list on its website.
The song, "Slow Motion" by Third Eye Blind, was removed from the band's second album, "Blue". The group agreed to the removal song, which contained multiple references to violence, drugs and youth murders similar to the Columbine shootings earlier in the year.
Eminem's song "My Name Is" was dropped by The National Football League for a series of four commercials because they felt the song was too controversial, even though the made for TV versions contained none of the original lyrics.
2000
14-year-old Daniel Shellhammer is ordered by police officers in Northwood, Ohio, to remove his shirt, which features slogans for the rap group Insane Clown Posse. The officers inform Shellhammer that Insane Clown Posse clothing is "banned" in Ohio and that they will rip the shirt off his back and arrest him if he does not comply.
A roller skating rink in New Iberia, Louisiana, is closed down by police, and more than 60 CDs are seized, after a fight broke out in the rink's parking lot. Police said the rink's management sparked the incident by playing music over the rink's PA system. Among the confiscated CDs are "The Chicken Dance", "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer", "The Hokey Pokey", and "Jingle Bells".
Four students at a private school in San Antonio, Texas, are suspended for one day, for attending a Backstreet Boys concert. The students were said to be violating a school policy forbidding "involvement in inappropriate music [or] dancing."
Bruce Springsteen is placed on the boycott list of The New York Fraternal Order of Police. They called for the cancellation of his New York performances, after The Boss sang a song about the shooting of Amadou Diallo called, "American Skin".
Police intervened in the middle the "Up In Smoke Tour" (staring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Eminem) because during the concert, a video is shown that featured a robbery and partially-naked women.
The U.S. Senate heard arguments by The Federal Trade Commission that maintained that the entertainment industry (including record companies) should be regulated and sanctioned for deliberately marketing violent and sexual content to children.
2001
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal Group in Scotland ran a petition in an attempt to pressure the promoters of the Glasgow Green festival, into banning Eminem and Marilyn Manson, claiming that "the violent lyrics of Eminem and the disgusting stage show of Marilyn Manson" are "totally unacceptable."
Clear Channel Communications, the largest owner of radio stations in the United States, compiled an advisory list of songs which stations might wish to avoid playing in the short term following the terrorist attacks on The World Trade Center and The Pentagon.
That list includes such classic rock standards as:
Steve Miller "Jet Airliner"
Van Halen "Jump"
Queen "Another One Bites the Dust"
Queen "Killer Queen"
Pat Benatar "Hit Me with Your Best Shot"
Kansas "Dust in the Wind"
Led Zeppelin "Stairway to Heaven"
The Beatles "A Day in the Life"
The Beatles "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
The Beatles "Ticket To Ride"
The Beatles "Obla Di, Obla Da"
Bob Dylan "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"
Arthur Brown "Fire"
Paul McCartney and Wings "Live and Let Die"
Billy Joel "Only the Good Die Young"
Barry McGuire "Eve of Destruction"
Steam "Na Na Na Na Hey Hey"
Drifters "On Broadway"
Shelly Fabares "Johnny Angel"
Los Bravos "Black is Black"
Peter and Gordon "I Go To Pieces"
Peter and Gordon "A World Without Love"
Elvis "(You're the) Devil in Disguise"
Zombies "She's Not There"
Elton John "Benny & The Jets"
Elton John "Daniel"
Elton John "Rocket Man"
Jerry Lee Lewis "Great Balls of Fire"
Santana "Evil Ways"
Louis Armstrong "What A Wonderful World"
Youngbloods "Get Together"
Ad Libs "The Boy from New York City"
Peter Paul and Mary "Blowin' in the Wind"
Peter Paul and Mary "Leavin' on a Jet Plane"
Rolling Stones "Ruby Tuesday"
Simon And Garfunkel "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
Happenings "See You in September"
Carole King "I Feel the Earth Move"
Yager and Evans "In the Year 2525"
Norman Greenbaum "Spirit in the Sky"
Brooklyn Bridgevv "Worst That Could Happen"
Three Degrees "When Will I See You Again"
Cat Stevens "Peace Train"
Cat Stevens "Morning Has Broken"
Jan and Dean "Dead Man's Curve"
Martha & the Vandellas "Nowhere to Run"
Martha and the Vandellas/Van Halen "Dancing in the Streets"
Hollies "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
San Cooke / Herman Hermits, "Wonderful World"
Petula Clark "A Sign of the Times"
Don McLean "American Pie"
J. Frank Wilson "Last Kiss"
Buddy Holly and the Crickets "That'll Be the Day"
John Lennon "Imagine"
Bobby Darin "Mack the Knife"
Surfaris "Wipeout"
Blood Sweat and Tears "And When I Die"
Dave Clark Five "Bits and Pieces"
Tramps "Disco Inferno"
Paper Lace "The Night Chicago Died"
Frank Sinatra "New York, New York"
Creedence Clearwater Revival "Travelin' Band"
Neil Diamond "America"
Tom Petty "Free Fallin'"
Bruce Springsteen "I'm On Fire"
Bruce Springsteen "Goin' Down"
Phil Collins "In the Air Tonight"
Chi-Lites "Have You Seen Her"
Animals "We Gotta Get Out of This Place"
Fontella Bass "Rescue Me"
Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels "Devil with the Blue Dress"
James Taylor "Fire and Rain"
Edwin Starr "War"
Lynyrd Skynyrd "Tuesday's Gone"
2002
A song about money and its corrupting effects on rock music called "The Last DJ" by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers kicked up considerable controversy, with some U.S. radio stations seeing the song as a slap in the face and banning it from air play.
A federal judge in Louisiana permanently blocked federal agents from banning masks, pacifiers, and glow sticks at a local dance venue as part of its nationwide war against raves. The judge noted, ""There is no conclusive evidence that eliminating the banned items has reduced the amount of [the drug] ecstasy use at raves."" He concluded, ""when the First Amendment right of Free Speech is violated by the Government in the name of the War on Drugs, and when that First Amendment violation is arguably not even helping in the War on Drugs, it is the duty of the Courts to enjoin the government from violating the rights of innocent people.""
2003
In November, a New Jersey classic rock station removed all Jethro Tull songs from their playlist after Tull frontman Ian Anderson made some comments regarding the American flag in the Asbury Park Press. In the article, Anderson said, "I hate to see the American flag hanging out of every bloody station wagon, out of every SUV, every little Midwestern house in some residential area. It's easy to confuse patriotism with nationalism. Flag waving ain't gonna do it." The station's program director said that the decision was brought on by their listeners, who voted "99 percent in favour of the ban."
Many radio stations across North America, including Florida's WKZY as well as Toronto's CHFI and CHUM, pulled Michael Jackson's songs from their play list after the singer was arrested on suspicion of child molestation. Television network CBS announced that they were postponing a Jackson music special that was set to air.
Management of the Six Flags Amusement Park in Darien Lakes, New York, bans Marilyn Manson from performing at the park as part of the Ozzfest tour. No other acts are removed from the bill. Radio stations across the country remove songs by the Dixie Chicks from airplay because of a comment made by the group's singer saying she was embarrassed that U.S. President George W. Bush was from her home state of Texas. Even though she later apologized for the comment, the ban is still being aggressively enforced.
2005
In May, coffee shop chain Starbucks, which stocked CDs at its branches in the US, banned the sale of Bruce Springsteen's latest album "Devils and Dust" over concerns about its adult content.
2009
Classic rock station Eagle 106.9 in Birmingham, Alabama edited the lyrics of The Eagles’ "Life in the Fast Lane" by changing "We’ve been up and down this highway, haven’t seen a goddamn thing," with the "god" snipped off the "damn" and replaced by lyric-free music. The station manager justified the move by saying "people find it offensive."
2011
Dire Straits' 1985 tune "Money for Nothing" was deemed unacceptable for radio play by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council who said that the use of the word "faggot" in the song contravenes the human rights clauses of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' Code of Ethics and Equitable Portrayal Code. The song has been aired countless times since its release and won the Grammy for the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with a Vocal in 1985 at the 28th annual Grammy Awards.
Lady Gaga's single "Born This Way" was edited by Malaysian radio to remove lyrics that break the country's rules on promoting homosexuality. The offensive lyrics were: No matter gay, straight or bi, lesbian, transgendered life, I'm on the right track, baby. A spokeman for the country's top radio operator, AMP Radio Networks, said that "the issue of being gay, lesbian or bisexual is still considered as a 'taboo' by general Malaysians."
Tiny Goshen College in Indiana has banned the "The Star Spangled Banner: at all sporting events because the Mennonite school's president considers the National Anthem's words to be too violent.
Tiny Goshen College in Indiana has banned the "The Star Spangled Banner: at all sporting events because the Mennonite school's president considers the National Anthem's words to be too violent.
The 1,000-student school had already banned the words last year, but the band could still play the music for patriots in attendance. Now, the school has banned the song entirely, according to NBC Sports.
Here are some songs that were or are banned
Woke up – Yoga Lin
Good night – Yoga Lin
Souvenir – Yoga Lin
Run the World (Girls) – Beyoncé
Epiphyllum – Khalil
Love Wins Strategy – Khalil
No Mushroom Friends – Khalil
One Million Kinds of Kisses – Rachel Liang
Sister Friend – Rachel Liang
My Dearest – Mei
You Look at Me – Mei
There are Like Tears – Mei
Honey And The Bee – Owl City
The Real World – Owl City
Plant Life – Owl City
You Suck At Love – Simple Plan
Can’t Keep my Hands off You – Simple Plan
Loser of the year – Simple Plan
Freaking me out – Simple Plan
The Flood – Take That
Love Love – Take That
When We Were Young – Take That
Pretty Things – Take That
E.T. (feat. Kanye West) – Katy Perry
Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) – Katy Perry
You – Hsiao
Human cloning – Hsiao
Rhapsody – Hsiao
How to say I do not love you – Hsiao
You can only miss – Hsiao
With forest – Pak-ho
Black – Pak-ho
Today should be very happy – Pak-ho
Smiley Face – Pak-ho
Uptight – Natalie Walker
Mars – Natalie Walker
Cool Kids – Natalie Walker
Good thing – Jue Yan
Thank you for your Inspiration – Jue Yan
Not the case is not alone – Jue Yan
Burning Up (Madonna Cover, Nick Remix) – Britney Spears
Sing Forever – Ken Hirai
One Day – Ken Hirai
Candy – Ken Hirai
R & B – Ken Hirai
Taipei Rainy Sunday – Michael Wong
How are you – Michael Wong
Gently dancing – New Treasure Island Sport Band
He is a Shanghai girl – New Treasure Island Sport Band
Money Song – New Treasure Island Sport Band
Aunt beat – New Treasure Island Sport Band
Go! Go! – New Treasure Island Sport Band
Once Upon a Time in the Sky – Mai Kuraki
INTRO – Linzi Xi
Face – Linzi Xi
I am Sorry – Linzi Xi
Chinese Girl – Linzi Xi
Vista – Ivana
End – Ivana
Anne Frank – Ivana
Miss address – Ivana
Yiyi – Ella Koon
I Want It That Way – Backstreet Boys
The Edge of Glory – Lady Gaga
Hair – Lady Gaga
Marry The Night – Lady Gaga
Americano – Lady Gaga
Judas – Lady Gaga
Bloody Mary – Lady Gaga
Love language of words – Dong Qian business
Ranging from the – Dong Qian business
Been in love – Andy Hui
Forget forget – Andy Hui
Never had such a love – Andy Hui
Sorry That I Loved You – Nian Dong
Lyrics – Nian Dong
Happy end – Nian Dong
Happiness is a small matter – Nian Dong
Dawn – Doll
I know you I Favorites – Doll
This is not silly – Doll
Some people care about you – Doll
Yilaomailao – Doll
Love stone eggs – Kary Ng
I am silly woman – Kary Ng
Selfless – Kary Ng
Glimmer – Yida Huang
Broken Heart – Yida Huang
Flashback – Yida Huang
Keep – Yida Huang
Feat – Hins Cheung
P.S. I Love You – Hins Cheung
Deadline – Hins Cheung
Can understand the pain – Spray Brothers
Treasures – Spray Brothers
I’m ok – Spray Brothers
Mobei your broken heart – Shawn
You say I handsome – Shawn
For love – Wei Li-an
Cloudy sunflower – Wei Li-an
(Oh) Pretty Woman - Van HalenA
Day In The Life - The Beatles
Armchair Anarchist - Kingmaker
Baby Got Back - Sir Mix-a-Lot
Be Chrool To Your Scuel - Twisted Sister
Big Boys Bickering - Paul McCartney
Big Five - Judge Dread
Bitch - The Rolling Stones
Body Language - Queen
Bring The Boys Home - Freda Payne
Burn My Candle (At Both Ends) - Shirley Bassey
Can't Stand Losing You - The Police
Cardiac Arrest - Madness
Cop Killer - Body Count
Crazy Horses - The Osmonds
Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover - Sophie B. Hawkins
Eve Of Destruction - Barry McGuire
Fat Bottomed Girls - Queen
Feel Good Hit Of The Summer - Queens of the Stone Age
Girl Don't Come - Sandie Shaw
Give Ireland Back To The Irish - Wings
God Only Knows - The Beach Boys
God Save The Queen - The Sex Pistols
Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis
Happiness Is A Warm Gun - The Beatles
He Liked To Feel It - Crash Test Dummies
Hey Mister - Custom
Hi Hi Hi - Paul McCartney and Wings
Horst-Wessel-Lied - Horst Wessel
Hurricane - 30 Seconds to Mars
I Don't Want You Back (F--k It!) - Eamon
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - Jimmy Boyd
I Want Your Sex - George Michael
Ich tu Dir Weh - Rammstein
If You Have To Ask - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Jesus Christ Pose - Soundgarden
Juicebox - The Strokes
Justify My Love - Madonna
Kool In The Kaftan - B.A. Roberts
onLady Godiva - Peter and Gordon
Laquer Head - Primus
Let's Spend The Night Together - The Rolling Stones
Little Red Rooster - The Rolling Stones
Louie Louie - The Kingsmen
Love Is A Good Thing - Sheryl Crow
Love Me Two Times - The Doors
Love To Love You Baby - Donna Summer
Mambo Italiano - Rosemary Clooney
Me So Horny - 2 Live Crew
Money For Nothing - Dire Straits
My Generation - The Who
No Way Out - Stone Temple Pilots
Oasis - Amanda Palmer
Only The Good Die Young - Billy Joel
Party On Your Pussy - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Physical - Olivia Newton-John
Pictures Of Lily - The Who
Pop Song '89 - R.E.M.
Red Nation - The Game
Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Rhapsody In The Rain - Lou Christie
Ride - Ciara
Rumble - Link Wray And His Ray Men
Run - Gnarls Barkley
Run For Your Life - The Beatles
Sex and Drugs and Rock And Roll - Ian Dury
Smack My Bitch Up - The Prodigy
Some Girls - The Rolling Stones
Stagger Lee - Lloyd Price
Street Fighting Man - The Rolling Stones
Tell Laura I Love Her - Ray Peterson
The Ballad of John and Yoko - The Beatles
The Bitch Is Back - Elton John
The Winker's Song (Misprint) - Ivor Biggun
This Note's For You - Neil Young
Those Were The Days (Theme to All In The Family) - Archie and Edith Bunker
Timothy - The Buoys
Too Drunk To F--k - Dead Kennedys
Wake Up Little Susie - The Everly Brothers
Walk On - U2
Wet Dream - Max Romeo
What It Feels Like For A Girl - Madonna
With My Little Stick Of Blackpool Rock - George Formby
Would You Mind - Janet Jackson
Yep Roc Hearesay - Slim Gaillard
You're All I Need - Motley Crue
Answer Me" - Frankie Laine (1953)
"Baby, Let Me Follow You Down" - Bob Dylan (1962)
"Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" - Cher (1966) (banned during Gulf War)
"Baubles, Bangles and Beads" from the musical Kismet (1953)
"Boom Bang-a-Bang" - Lulu (1969) (banned during Gulf War)
"Charlie Brown" – The Coasters (1959)
"A Day in the Life" - The Beatles (1967)
"Diggin' My Potatoes" - Lonnie Donegan (1954)
"Don't Let's Be Beastly to the Germans" - Noël Coward (1943)
"Ebeneezer Goode" - The Shamen (1992)
"Ebony Eyes" - The Everly Brothers (1961)
"Fairytale of New York" - The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl (1987)
"Give Ireland Back to the Irish" - Wings (1972)
"Glad to Be Gay" - Tom Robinson Band (1978)
"Gloomy Sunday" - Billie Holiday (1941)
"God Save the Queen" - Sex Pistols (1977)
"Green Jeans" - The Flee-Rekkers (1960)
"Hi, Hi, Hi" - Wings (1972)
"Hold My Hand" - Don Cornell (1954)
"I Am the Walrus" - The Beatles (1967)
"I Can't Control Myself" - The Troggs (1966)
"I'll Be Home for Christmas"
"Imagine" - John Lennon (banned during Gulf War)
"I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" - Ken Dodd (1963)
"I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" - Perry Como (1949)
"In the Air Tonight" - Phil Collins (1981) (banned during Gulf War)
"In the Hall of the Mountain King" - Nero and the Gladiators (1961)
"Invisible Sun" - The Police (1981)
"It Would Be So Nice" - Pink Floyd (1968)
""I Want You to be My Baby" - Annie Ross (1956)
"Jackie" - Scott Walker (1967)
"Je t'aime... moi non plus" - Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg (1969)
"Johnny Remember Me" - John Leyton (1961)
"Jungle Fever" - The Chakachas (1972)
"Killing an Arab" - The Cure (1979) (banned during Gulf War)
"Let the People Go" - McGuinness Flint (1972)
"Let's Spend the Night Together" - The Rolling Stones (1967)
"Light My Fire" - Jose Feliciano (1968) (banned during Gulf War)
"Lola" - The Kinks (1970)
"Love for Sale" - Cole Porter (1930)
"Love to Love You Baby" - Donna Summer (1975)
"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" - The Beatles (1967)
Mack the Knife" - Bobby Darin (1959)
"Made You" - Adam Faith (1960)
"My Christmas Prayer" - Billy Fury (1959)
"My Friend Jack" - The Smoke (1967)
"My Little Ukelele" - Joe Brown and The Bruvvers (1963)
"Night of the Vampire" - The Moontrekkers (1961)
"Relax" - Frankie Goes to Hollywood (1984)
"Sad Affair" - Marxman (1993)
"Sailing" - Rod Stewart (1972) (banned during Gulf War)
"Saturday Nite at the Duckpond" - The Cougars (1963)
"Six Months in a Leaky Boat" - Split Enz (1982) (banned during Falklands War)
"So What?" - Anti-Nowhere League (1981)
Soldier, Harvey Andrews
"Statue of Liberty" - XTC
"Stranger in Paradise" - The Four Aces (1953)
"Such a Night" - Johnnie Ray (1954)
"Summer Smash" - Denim (1997)
"Teenage Prayer" - Gale Storm (1955)
"Tell Laura I Love Her" - Ray Peterson (1960)
"Tell Laura I Love Her" - Ricky Valance (1960)
"The Sect Sing Sick Songs" - Downliners Sect (1965)
"St. Therese of the Roses" - Malcolm Vaughan (1956)
"They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Haaa!" - Napoleon XIV (1966)
"Too Drunk To Fuck" - Dead Kennedys (1981)
"Tribute to Buddy Holly" - Mike Berry and The Outlaws (1961)
"We Call It Acieeed" - D-Mob (1988)
"We Can't Let You Broadcast That" - Norman Long (1932)
"(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang" - Heaven 17 (1981)
"Wet Dream" - Max Romeo (1969)
"When I'm Cleaning Windows" - George Formby
Alice In Chains, "Rooster"
Alice In Chains, "Sea of Sorrow"
Alice In Chains, "Down in a Hole"
Alice In Chains, "Them Bones"
Beastie Boys, "Sure Shot"
Beastie Boys, "Sabotage"
The Cult, "Fire Woman"
Everclear, "Santa Monica (Watch the World Die)"
Filter, Hey Man, "Nice Shot"
Foo Fighters, "Learn to Fly"
Savage Garden, "Crash and Burn"
Dave Matthews Band, "Crash Into Me"
Bangles, "Walk Like an Egyptian"
Pretenders, "My City Was Gone"
Alanis Morissette, "Ironic"
Barenaked Ladies, "Falling for the First Time"
Fuel, "Bad Day"
Korn, "Falling Away From Me"
Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Aeroplane"
Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Under the Bridge"
Smashing Pumpkins, "Bullet With Butterfly Wings"
Peter Gabriel, "When You're Falling"
System Of A Down, "Chop Suey!"
Lenny Kravitz, "Fly Away"
Tom Petty, "Free Fallin'"
Bruce Springsteen, "I'm On Fire"
Bruce Springsteen, "Goin' Down"
Phil Collins, "In the Air Tonight"
Limp Bizkit, "Break Stuff"
Green Day, "Brain Stew"
Temple Of The Dog, "Say Hello to Heaven"
Sugar Ray, "Fly"
Local H, "Bound for the Floor"
Slipknot, "Left Behind, Wait and Bleed"
Bush, "Speed Kills"
311, "Down"
Stone Temple Pilots, "Dead and Bloated"
Soundgarden, "Fell on Black Days"
Soundgarden, "Black Hole Sun"
Metallica, "Seek and Destroy"
Metallica, "Harvester of Sorrow"
Metallica, "Enter Sandman"
Metallica, "Fade to Black"
Nine Inch Nails, "Head Like a Hole"
Godsmack, "Bad Religion"
Tool, "Intolerance"
Soundgarden, "Blow Up the Outside World"
Nena, "99 Luft Balloons/99 Red Balloons"
AC/DC, "Shot Down in Flames"
AC/DC, "Shoot to Thrill"
AC/DC, "Dirty Deeds"
AC/DC, "Highway to Hell"
AC/DC, "Safe in New York City"
AC/DC, "TNT"
AC/DC, "Hell's Bells"
Black Sabbath, "War Pigs"
Black Sabbath, "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"
Black Sabbath, "Suicide Solution"
Kansas, "Dust in the Wind"
Led Zeppelin, "Stairway to Heaven"
The Beatles, "A Day in the Life"
The Beatles, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
The Beatles, "Ticket To Ride"
The Beatles, "Obla Di, Obla Da"
Bob Dylan/Guns N Roses, "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"
Arthur Brown, "Fire"
Blue Oyster Cult, "Burnin' For You"
Paul McCartney & Wings, "Live and Let Die"
Jimi Hendrix, "Hey Joe"
Jackson Browne, "Doctor My Eyes"
John Mellencamp, "Crumbling Down"
John Mellencamp, "Paper In Fire"
U2, "Sunday Bloody Sunday"
Boston, "Smokin"
Billy Joel, "Only the Good Die Young"
Dio, "Holy Diver"
Steve Miller, "Jet Airliner"
Van Halen, "Jump"
Queen, "Another One Bites the Dust"
Queen, "Killer Queen"
Pat Benatar, "Hit Me with Your Best Shot"
Pat Benatar, "Love is a Battlefield"
Oingo Boingo, "Dead Man's Party"
REM, "It's the End of the World as We Know It"
Talking Heads, "Burning Down the House"
Judas Priest, "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll"
Pink Floyd, "Run Like Hell"
Pink Floyd, "Mother"
John Parr, "St. Elmo's Fire"
Barry McGuire, "Eve of Destruction"
Steam, "Na Na Na Na Hey Hey"
Drifters, "On Broadway"
Shelly Fabares, "Johnny Angel"
Los Bravos, "Black is Black"
Peter & Gordon, "I Go To Pieces"
Peter & Gordon, "A World Without Love"
Elvis Presley, "(You're the) Devil in Disguise"
Zombies, "She's Not There"
Elton John, "Bennie & The Jets"
Elton John, "Daniel"
Elton John, "Rocket Man"
Jerry Lee Lewis, "Great Balls of Fire"
Santana, "Evil Ways"
Louis Armstrong, "What A Wonderful World"
Youngbloods, "Get Together"
Ad Libs, "The Boy from New York City"
Peter Paul & Mary, "Blowin' in the Wind"
Peter Paul & Mary, "Leavin' on a Jet Plane"
Rolling Stones, "Ruby Tuesday"
Simon & Garfunkel, "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
Happenings, "See You in Septemeber"
Carole King, "I Feel the Earth Move"
Zager & Evans, "In the Year 2525"
Norman Greenbaum, "Spirit in the Sky"
Brooklyn Bridge, "Worst That Could Happen"
Three Degrees, "When Will I See You Again"
Cat Stevens, "Peace Train"
Cat Stevens, "Morning Has Broken"
Jan & Dean, "Dead Man's Curve"
Martha & The Vandellas, "Nowhere to Run"
Martha & The Vandellas/Van Halen, "Dancing in the Streets"
Hollies, "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
Sam Cooke/Herman's Hermits, "Wonderful World"
Petula Clark, "A Sign of the Times"
Don Mclean, "American Pie"
J. Frank Wilson/Pearl Jam, "Last Kiss"
Buddy Holly & The Crickets, "That'll Be the Day"
John Lennon, "Imagine"
Bobby Darin, "Mack the Knife"
The Clash, "Rock the Casbah"
Surfaris, "Wipeout"
Blood Sweat & Tears, "And When I Die"
Dave Clark Five, "Bits and Pieces"
Tramps, "Disco Inferno"
Paper Lace, "The Night Chicago Died"
Frank Sinatra, "New York, New York"
Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Travelin' Band"
The Gap Band, "You Dropped a Bomb On Me"
Alien Ant Farm, "Smooth Criminal"
3 Doors Down, "Duck and Run"
The Doors, "The End" Third Eye Blind, "Jumper"
Neil Diamond, "America"
Skeeter Davis, "End of the World"
Ricky Nelson, "Travelin' Man"
Chi-Lites, "Have You Seen Her"
Animals, "We Gotta Get Out of This Place"
Fontella Bass, "Rescue Me"
Mitch Ryder, "Devil with the Blue Dress"
James Taylor, "Fire and Rain"
Edwin Starr/Bruce Springsteen, "War"
Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Tuesday's Gone"
Drowning Pool, "Bodies"
Mudvayne, "Death Blooms"
Megadeth, "Dread and the Fugitive"
Megadeth, "Sweating Bullets"
Saliva, "Click Click Boom"
P.O.D., "Boom"
Another Badd Creation Productions (Clay County Mobile DJ Service, 32656)
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