“Where there is a will, there’s a way.”
No, I’m not here to preach any philosophy. But I can’t help accepting that the above words are true for almost everything, including songs.
My son paid a surprise visit last weekend, only to catch me grooving in my drawing room to the hit “Rum And Coca Cola” (by the Andrew Sisters). And he was quite impressed with the lyrics, considering that they were relatively progressive for their time.
So, he wasn’t really surprised when I told him that it was banned from the radio post-release. However, this fuelled his curiosity, and he got down to researching what popular songs have been banned from radio.
Since he also asked for my input, I thought it’d be a good idea to curate a list of such songs with the reasons behind their ban. Hi! I’m Stacy Smith, and today, I’ll take you through some of the most popular songs that were banned for different reasons.
Dive in!
7 Popular Songs That Have Been Banned From Radio
1. The Pill- Loretta Lynn
The events that led up to the banning of one of the most popular and controversial songs by Loretta Lynn were indeed ironic. This song, released in 1965, was almost an open endorsement and applause for women’s birth control pills, which were approved for public use in America in 1960. And by 1963, around 2.3 million women were already consuming them.
Now, the lyrics mainly celebrated the contribution of these pills to women’s empowerment and how they made females capable of working outside or wearing the clothes of their choice. However, they were deemed too “threatening” and progressive by several radio executives of that time, ultimately leading to its ban from the radio.
2. Rum And Coca Cola - The Andrew Sisters
The Andrew Sisters (contralto LaVerne Sophia, soprano Maxene Anglyn, and mezzo-soprano Patricia Marie “Patty”) gained widespread recognition during the swing and boogie-woogie eras. But when they released a song about three ladies drinking on a foreign vacation to Trinidad in the 1940s, getting banned from the air was inevitable.
3. Hi, Hi, Hi - Paul McCartney
“Hi, Hi, Hi'' belongs to the album Wings Over America, which was released in 2006. Although many of McCartney’s songs didn’t go well with radio executives, I really appreciate his wit for the way he tried to avoid getting in trouble for this one.
The title may suggest otherwise, but the song was basically about getting “high.” So, McCartney deliberately spelled the title “Hi, Hi, Hi” to steer clear of any controversy. And the plan might have been successful if not for the lyrics “we’re gonna get high, high, high,” which made the intentions crystal clear.
Aside from that, some lyrics were considered sexually explicit, and both these reasons combined to get the song banned. But the ban only made listeners more curious, as the song entered the list of the top 10 most sold records on the US market in the 1970s.
4. God Only Knows- The Beach Boys
“God Only Knows” is a musical masterpiece of the late 1960s and one of Brian Wilson’s best works, which was unfortunately banned in several parts of the US. And I think you can already guess why. Radio channels were of the opinion that the word “God” was a direct (and apparently successful) attempt at blasphemy.
Interestingly, Wilson had admitted much later about anticipating that the title may get the song banned in the States. But thankfully, there was no censorship imposed for its release in the regions where the ban wasn’t implemented.
5. F*ck Tha Police- N.W.A.
Honestly, the self-explanatory song title saves me from the trouble of explaining the reason behind its ban! But other than that, some of the lyrics pointed towards threats, violence, and borderline obscenity. At the same time, the song had the courage to call out the blatant racism displayed by police forces.
It was released around 1988 to become an instant hit despite being banned almost immediately. And with the increasing reports of racism in recent times, it’s safe to say that the prophecy has become somewhat true.
6. We Don’t Need No Fascist Groove Thang- Heaven 17
Any song that even hints at opposing a government or authority is subject to some censorship. But this song from the 1980s took it a step ahead by directly calling out the then President Reagen and instances of institutional racism in his regime. The song didn’t really make for a “commercially hit” composition anyway, and the ban extinguished any remaining hopes.
7. If You’re A Viper- Fats Waller
“If You’re A Viper” by Fats Waller is a 1943 cover of the jazz song “You’se A Viper” by Stuff Smith (released in 1936) and one of its most popular versions. The opening lyrics of the former tell you that “the police will be here any minute” and goes on to include multiple mentions of marijuana.
Although restricted use of marijuana is permitted in some regions today, the situation was not so in those days, which got it banned from radio. The song did make a bitter-sweet comeback during World War II when it was used while prosecuting jazz musicians for drug consumption and use.
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Blecha, Peter (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Haas, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 376 Pages - 08/26/2014 (Publication Date) - Yale University Press (Publisher)
Final Words
Censorship and banning of art forms like music will always be a topic of debate.
It’s true that music plays a huge role in freedom of expression and often reflects unwanted realities of society. So, is banning songs justified?
Well, if you ask me, I’d say it depends a lot on the listeners of the time and their collective perspective. What was considered “provocative” 50 years ago may just be fun lyrics today.
On that note, it’s time for me to wrap up today’s proceedings. Want to add to my list? Then feel free to drop in your suggestions in the comments section below.
See you next time!