Reliable Source: Mix the News: What censorship sounds like

Banned Books Weekis drawing to a close, but you still have two more days tocelebratecensorship (or rather, the end thereof).

So for this weeks mix, librarian Tony Ross, of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington,curated a list of songs (disclaimer: some are explicit) that have been dubbed inappropriate by the powers that be. Some tracks are obvious. Youcould very easily make a list of 60 songs, said Ross, there was a lot that was banned. Profanityor suggestive lyrics are a surefire path to parental advisory sticker. But what about protest songs during Vietnam? Or singers who supported the labor movement? Rapper Eminem vs.former president George W. Bush? All had problems.

As librarians, were all about providing access, explained Ross, not just to books but all kinds of art and experiences.Any time you talk about limited access that raises our hackles.

1. Love For Sale Cole Porteras sung by Billie Holiday

This Cole Porter song written/sung from the perspective of a prostitute is from the 1930 Broadwaymusical The New Yorkers. The original staging had a white actress singing it in front of apopular restaurant of the day, however in response to negative public reaction, the producersrestaged it with a black actress singing it in front of The Cotton Club. Despite its popularity, thesong was banned from radio at the time, as was this later Billie Holiday version.

2. Take Your Hand Off It Billy Hughes

In 1948, the vice mayor and police chief of Memphis agreed that three songs popular on localjukeboxes were obscene. Police rounded up and destroyed about 400 records including thiscountry swing song with its double entendre lyrics. The other songs were Operation Blues byAmos Milburn and Move Your Hand Baby by Count Waterford.

3. The Hammer Song The Weavers In 1950, The Weavers had a No. 1hit with their version of Goodnight Irene and appearedpoised for long-term success. However, the folk quartets ties to the progressive labor movementled to two of them (one was Pete Seeger) being called before the Sen. Joe McCarthysHouse Committee on Un-American Activities. They refused to testify and were summarilyblacklisted and placed under FBI surveillance. Their record label terminated The Weavers contractand refused to sell their records. They were forbidden from playing on the radio or TV,and concert promoters were strongly encouraged not to book them, and with no means tomake a living the group disbanded in 1952. Following the Red Scare, they reformed in variousincarnations, culminating in a famous 1980 concert at Carnegie Hall.

4. Louie, Louie The Kingsmen

Although the song had been recorded by several artists since 1955, you probably are mostfamiliar with this 1963 version. Recorded in a rush under trying conditions with a singer wearingnew braces and unable to fully enunciate, the slurred lyrics engendered an countrywide urbanlegend that there were filthy lyrics concealed in the song. Indianas Governor personallybanned it from the states airwaves, and FBI bureaus in a number of states were required toinvestigate allegations of interstate commerce of obscene materials related to the sale of thesingle.

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Reliable Source: Mix the News: What censorship sounds like