El-Kabong

So I was listening to some modern rap in the car the other day, and the lyrics were all about slapping bitches and whatnot - and of course all the naughty words were deleted from the song.

And then I got thinking - well, why is the swearing being deleted from this song, when older classic rock - say Pink Floyd's Dark Side ("Money, it's a hit. Don't give me that do goody good bullshit. . . ") gets 25 years of radio play without anyone ever protesting.

Anyone know why the double standard? Is it because DJ Funky Fresh Dawgg fires off 25 swear words a second while Floyd only has one in the entire album?

j123vt_99

i was wondering about that yesterday... seems to be some wierd double standard

Numanoid

I remember back in the late '70s and '80s that those words in "Money" and others were, indeed, edited on the radio (in other words, when they were "Pop" songs). Pink Floyd tunes on a classic rock station geared for 40 year-olds will be far less scrutinized than ODB tracks on a Top 40 station geared for minors.

Rypro 525

also, most classic rock stations leave the "that little f**" verse on in "money for nothin"

also, alternative rock stations seem to have more leeway in langauge in music as well. the line "99 problems but a bitch ain't one" is played on hfs with out bleeping like all other stations.

harpo787

Perhaps its in context these days? While Floyd are saying bullshit...they're saying don't give me that bullshit sort of statements, where as others are smacking their bitches and it tends to be stated in a more violent and/or sexual manner? Hence why you don't get to hear Trent Reznor telling you how he'd like to fuck you like an animal.

The only reason I think of this was catching Howard Stern on Letterman a night or two ago, and Howard (or was it Dave? probably Howard...) mentioned that while he talks about oral sex on his show, he's fined and censored, but when Oprah has teens on and discusses their encounters in rather graphic detail, that she should be censored/fined too, but she's not.

My thought was that the "logic" to it is that Howard's just a locker room guy talking about blowjobs, but on Oprah's show, it's a social issue somehow. Shrug....

I'm not saying that it's right, but just a thought....

Rogue588

Was it a morally upright, religious, republican Clear Channel station?

The Infidel

I just mentioned this same topic to someone the other day.

Another example of a song that gets away with, as you put it, "naughty words" on the radio is Van Halen's Hot For Teacher. During one of the "classroom" sections of the songs, Dave says "What do you think the teacher's gonna look like this year?" and one of the other guys says in the background "Aww, fuck her!"

JP5683

My friend called a station here once because they were playing unedited tracks.

Jeremy, You Oughta Know, 88 Lines About 44 Women...

They were independent, then they were purchased by Clear Channel and they changed the format from rock to jazz.

JP

auto

It's idiotic not to bleep that line.

Hiro11

The one that I always remember is "Jet Airliner" by Steve Miller.

Giantrobo

It's easier to slide one "fuck" or "shit" under the radar than it is a whole song of "bitch this" "mother fucker that'.

A-aron

"Rich Girl" by Hall and Oates is one I remember

Giles

talking about HFS, a number of years ago, when they still had the Sunday sessions show, the Violent Femmes were in studio playing some songs and they performed "Add it Up" completely unedited, which was kind of shocking but ultimately really cool and ballsey:

sample lyrics:

Day after day
I will walk and I will play
but the day after today
I will stop
and I will start
why can't I get just one kiss
why can't I get just one kiss
there may be something’s that I wouldn't miss
but I look at your pants and I need a kiss
why can't I get just one screw
why can't I get just one screw
believe me I know what to do
but something won't let me make love to you
why can't I get just one fuck
why can't I get just one fuck
I guess it's got something to do with luck

Also one the African American radio stations played an unedited version of Prince's 'Erotic City"

I also remember hearing Laid Back's song: "Ride the White Horse" on radio which I perceived as being raunchy

Rypro 525

ironically, on 98 rock the other day, (i think it was saturday), they bleeped out "bull shit" on "money". but for the most part the song "down with the sickness" is played uncut. the only thing they cut is the lengthy rant against the singer's mother)

nodeerforamonth

It may depend on how easily you can hear the word. Many of those non-rap songs, you can't hear the "offensive" words.

Rivero

Heard Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side on some station the other day. Was surprised they kept the "she was giving head" line as well as the use of the word 'colored'.

kurupt

Yeah, but you can clearly hear the word in the the Pink Floyd song just as you can clearly hear "G---D---" in The Eagles "Life In the Fastlane". I've always felt that there is a blatant double standard involved that's not only applied to music, but to just about all other areas of entertainment also.

A-aron

a few years back I was coming home from work (it was like 2 in the morning) and 99.1 WHFS in DC played Killing in the Name Of. Funny thing was, they played the full version with the "F you I won't do what ya told me" over and over at the end.

nodeerforamonth

But you can say "Goddamn" on the radio and TV. It's only on the Howard Stern E! show that that word is not allowed.

Giantrobo

Not totally true. These days the bleep "god" and let "damn" pass. I guess either the Atheists bitched about hearing "god" or the Religious folks bitched about having "God's name" used that way.

majorjoe23

Maybe it's because it's not officially in the lyrics, but there are a few "Who the fuck are you"s in "Who Are You" by The Who and they are never bleeped.

reverie

I heard either Elton John or Bernie Taupin saying that they once heard "The Bitch Is Back" censored on the radio, and saying how pointless it was to even play the song like that! Sounds quite amusing.

Mondo Kane

James Brown's "The Payback" usually airs uncensored. Why? Because people really don't know that he's saying "Get ready, you mutha fucka! For the big payback" near the end.

The Infidel

You must not have seen South Park lately.

Giantrobo

If that's your only point of reference I suggest you get out more. But I'm going to assume you're just making a joke.