I'm With The Banned, In The Groove

IN THE GROOVE: I’M WITH THE BANNED (November 7, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Since 1934 when the FCC was created, countless recordings have been banned or censored for a variety of reasons, including “provocative or sexually suggestive lyrics, inciting violence or promoting hate and political or religious beliefs and/or associations”.

The ban on most, if not all of these songs has been lifted; however, in some countries, certain types of music are still banned. They are considered illegal and carry severe penalties if the law is broken. Incredible, isn’t it?

Come join me as I reveal some of these controversial songs, why they were banned and the artists who made them (in)famous.

A Day In The Life – The Beatles

This song is the final track on the Beatles 1967 album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. It became controversial and ultimately banned for its supposed references to drugs. On May 20, 1967, during the BBC Light Programme’s preview of the Sgt. Pepper album, disc jockey Kenny Everett was prevented from playing “A Day in the Life”. The BBC announced that it would not broadcast the song due to the line “I’d love to turn you on”, which, according to the corporation, advocated drug use.

Other lyrics allegedly referring to drugs include “found my way upstairs and had a smoke / somebody spoke and I went into a dream“. A spokesman for the BBC stated: “We have listened to this song over and over again and we have decided that it appears to go just a little too far and could encourage a permissive attitude to drug-taking.

Lennon and McCartney denied that there were drug references in “A Day in the Life” and publicly complained about the ban at a dinner party at the home of their manager, Brian Epstein, where they were celebrating their album’s release. Lennon said that the song was simply about “a crash and its victim” and called the line in question “the most innocent of phrases”.

I’m going to let you decide for yourselves. Here is the phenomenal “A Day in the Life” by the Beatles:

🙈 🙉 🙊


Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison

Our second featured song was written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison in March 1967. It was released as a single in June of the same year, peaking at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Brown Eyed Girl” spent a total of 16 weeks on the charts and is considered to be Morrison’s signature song. We all know it and love it. Why would a song like this get put on the banned list?

Well, what some people may not know is the original name of this masterpiece was “Brown Skinned Girl” and was about an interracial couple – apparently a very big no-no to the censorship board back then. The title was changed by Morrison because he thought it would make it more “radio friendly”, and it did; when you listen to the words of this song, there isn’t a hint about a mixed-race couple. Some stations banned the song’s line â€œMaking love in the green grass”; an edited version was eventually released, altering the line to “laughin’ and a-runnin’, hey, hey.”

What a bunch of hooey balooey!

Van Morrison has been a favorite of mine for a long time and I love his work; this delightful song is no exception. Let’s listen now to “Brown Eyed Girl” by Sir Van Morrison.

Now that wasn’t so bad for my new category and probably not exactly what you expected, was it? I wonder how many of you got nervous when you saw the word ‘BANNED’! No need.

Here’s the thing: I could have gone with any debauched and salacious video on YouTube; there are plenty to choose from but that’s not what The Rhythm Section is about. I’m no stranger to cursing; when done by a master such as George Carlin it is an art-form. Disgusting, non-stop gutter talk, such as demonstrated by Andrew Dice Clay, is just boring filth and totally necessary. When cursing, one needs to paint with a fine brush, placing every word precisely where it belongs. The result is magical … and often hysterical. No, I will never pooh-pooh the appropriate use of foul language.

The objective here is to be entertained and to learn about and listen to music that has been banned for social, religious or political issues …. not to look at naked private parts swinging in the breeze. Let’s keep that private, shall we?

Thanks for joining me today for the first installment of I’m With The Banned. I’d love to know what you thought of today’s post and these two (in)famous songs. Join me next Tuesday for two more.

Time to head on outta here before the Feds come looking for me!  

Catch me next week …. if you can! 😁

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR Š 2023

18 thoughts on “IN THE GROOVE: I’M WITH THE BANNED (November 7, 2023)”

  1. I must admit I’m surprised at Brown Eyed Girl, but the one that comes to mind for me is The Nips Are Getting Bigger by Split Ends, which is about drinking, not what others eluded too

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    1. Auntie BBC! That’s hysterical, Keith! I’ve heard it called Big Brother BBC but never Auntie. Funny stuff!
      I can remember lining up for my copy as well. I have both mono and stereo and in recent years I have a re-newed appreciation for mono recordings.

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    1. Good question, sis! That one wasn’t on the list; it may be a bit ambiguous with lots of room for interpretation: was it a one-night-stand, an extra-marital affair, a hooker hook-up or just a guy sleeping in a bathtub who also liked to light fires? However, Happiness Is A Warm Gun, I Am The Walrus, Back In The U.S.S.R., Lucy In The Sky and Come Together were all banned at one time or another.
      That whacky BBC! 😂

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  6. That is some serious work you have presented with I’m With The Ban(ne)d!!
    In an age where the trend is for everything to be bite-sized and easily digestible while avoiding to fire up significant number of neurons, your featured series just says a beautiful No to all that.

    It is a most interesting subject, one that can shed some light also beyond the banned music but to the cultural/sociopolitical frame of the time.
    And the discussion can be furthered with comments like allen gray’s.
    In other words, a multifaceted production that requires, as always, attention and presence.
    Brava, Nancy! And Thank you.

    Now… you may have noticed that I have used my best language, despite fuming like Krakatoa from the most hypocritical and idiotic censorship.
    I will keep that word palette, if you will… nothing says, though, that I can’t end with the great George Carlin.

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    1. Profoundly pleased you’re enjoying this first edition of Ban(ne)d, Nick!! It’s been incredible reading some of these stories behind the censorship.
      I appreciate all your very gracious words; if one person takes the time to say they enjoy the page then it’s all worthwhile!
      I won’t write much now …. people have read enough of my words today … except to say Thanks for the George Carlin video; he was the best!

      Grazie infinite, caro!

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    1. Good morning, Allen. I woke up at the ungodly hour of 4AM and could not get back to sleep so I thought I’d address your question.
      I didn’t look into a lot of statistics but I can give you some information that may help answer your question. Let us take into consideration one Alexander Minto Hughes, better known as Judge Dread.
      Dread was an English reggae and ska musician – the first white recording artist to have a reggae hit in Jamaica. The BBC has banned more of his songs than those of any other recording artist because of his frequent use of sexual innuendo and double entendre. Following his death, Rolling Stone reported he sold several million albums throughout his 25-plus year career and was second only to Bob Marley in U.K. reggae sales during the 1970s.
      I’d have to say banning, particularly in the case of Judge Dread certainly didn’t hurt his career or financial status. Clearly a case of the forbidden fruit. Thanks for an interesting question.
      Now that I’ve mentioned Judge Dread, I guess I need to play one of his notorious videos. Here is Big Five.

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