Things you often Wonder

[NurembergVillan]

Quote

The BBC has provoked complaints after censoring the Elvis Costello song Oliver's Army in a 6 Music radio broadcast.

The Mail reports that the line "one more widow, one less white n----r" was edited from the song – one of British singer-songwriter Costello's best-known – on Steve Lamacq's 6 Music show last week.

A listener then complained to BBC Radio 4 programme Feedback, suggesting that the BBC had failed to understand the meaning of the 1979 song's lyrics:

The listener said: "Although it is not a nice phrase and I wouldn’t condone the use of the word these days, it is an anti-war song as far as I believe, arguing against British colonialism and the word would be appropriate for that song."

He added that he understood the lyric to refer to a pejorative term for the Irish used by British troops in Northern Ireland.

"I made my first trip to Belfast in 1978 and saw mere boys walking around in battle dress with automatic weapons. They were no longer just on the evening news. These snapshot experiences exploded into visions of mercenaries and imperial armies around the world. The song was based on the premise 'they always get a working class boy to do the killing'."

The 6 Music listener's complaint prompted a discussion of the issue on Feedback last Friday, with DJs Mike Read and Trevor Nelson criticising the decision to censor the song.

Read, 66, who presented the Radio 1 breakfast show in the early-Eighties, told Feedback presenter Roger Bolton:

"I think cutting a piece out and changing the whole tempo of the music simply draws attention to it. If you don’t like the sentiment or you don’t agree with the sentiment then don’t play it but to take the scissors and cut a bit out of it, I am sure Elvis Costello might have something to say about that."

Nelson, 50, who is still a presenter on BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2, described the editing out of words – including those in hip-hop and rap songs – as "a little patronising".

The point was also made that the song must have been played thousands of times since 1979 without being censored.

This is not the first time that the BBC has been criticised for censoring lyrics on its radio stations. In 2011, the corporation was accused of political bias after using sound effects to obscure the words "free Palestine" from a performance by rapper Mic Righteous on BBC Radio 1Xtra.

Other songs have been banned outright by the BBC in the past due to contentious lyrics – including the Sex Pistols' God Save the Queen in 1977, and Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Relax, which was banned in 1984, three months after its initial release and days before it rose to number one in the singles chart.

A 6 Music spokesman said the decision to censor lyrics was made "on a case by case basis".

"In this instance it was decided that the song would be edited but it does not mean that it would always be the case. We take into consideration a number of factors including the nature of the language, the station and its audience, the time of day, editorial justification and the wider context of the programme."

From a 2013 article here - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9940194/BBC-criticised-for-censoring-Elvis-Costello-lyrics.html

[NurembergVillan]

Just now, brommy said:

Or black.

Or Tim Westwood.

[mjmooney]

14 minutes ago, brommy said:

Or black.

That'll be it. I must be black. 

[Mark Albrighton]

1 hour ago, mjmooney said:

I don't. I suppose that makes me racist. 

Each to their own mate. 

All it means is if we ever find ourselves doing the unedited version of “Gold Digger” on karaoke, I’ll be doing the Jamie Foxx bits and you’ll be on Kanye’s vocals 

[chrisp65]

Patti Smith's got a song they'll need to put some bleeps in.

Quote

Rock n Roll Blank

Jimi Hendrix was a blank
Jesus Christ and grandma, too
Jackson Pollock was a blank
blank, blank, blank, blank, blank, blank, blank

 

[mjmooney]

9 hours ago, Shropshire Lad said:

Each to their own mate. 

All it means is if we ever find ourselves doing the unedited version of “Gold Digger” on karaoke, I’ll be doing the Jamie Foxx bits and you’ll be on Kanye’s vocals 

I won't. As I've never heard (of) it. 

EDIT: On reflection, this would seem to indicate that I am, in fact, racist, rather than black. 

It's a fair cop, guv, you got me bang to rights, I'll come quietly, society's to blame (cont. p.94). 

Edited September 13, 2018 by mjmooney

[Dante_Lockhart]

16 hours ago, mottaloo said:

Whilst the "n" word is blanked out on national radio when Oliver's Army is played....well, I wonder why Bruce Springsteen and his Born in the USA has "gone to fight the yellow man" not censored ? 

On Planet Rock it doesn't censor Bob Dylan's Hurricane.

And to the black folks he was just a crazy n*
No one doubted that he pulled the trigger

[Mark Albrighton]

Who would win in a quiz between the eggheads and the chasers.

Edit - I think the chasers, they work quicker under pressure.

Edited September 13, 2018 by Shropshire Lad

[tonyh29]

why people discussing the n****r word being dropped by songs on radio then self censor themselves form using the word in  a post discussing it  ...  there is a world of difference between discussing the usage of the word and directly calling someone that word surely ?

[A'Villan]

I live in public housing and we've just been through winter. What I'm wondering is why the construction team didn't plan for or install insulation.

We now have mould build up unless we clean with a little vigilance, beds and surfaces become damp due to dew build up and the place actually needs a rebuild.

I've been a tenant since 2010 and we've already had to undergo one rebuild at the front. 8 years later and it's the back.

[il_serpente]

17 hours ago, tonyh29 said:

why people discussing the n****r word being dropped by songs on radio then self censor themselves form using the word in  a post discussing it  ...  there is a world of difference between discussing the usage of the word and directly calling someone that word surely ?

Racist!

[Mandy Lifeboats]

Springsteen using the term yellow man is the least of his worries. Based on theselected lyrics he should never take his laptop to PC World for repair. 》》》》

Hey little girl is your daddy home. 

Did he go away and leave you all alone.

I've got a bad desire.

I'm on fire. 

Tell me now baby is he good to you.

Can he do to you baby the things that I do. 

Only you can cool my desire. 

[VILLAMARV]

What the appeal of Bruce and the E street band is/was?

[Designer1]

21 minutes ago, VILLAMARV said:

What the appeal of Bruce and the E street band is/was?

Yeah man. Bruce out!

[VILLAMARV]

Just now, Designer1 said:

Yeah man. Bruce out!

You might be onto something here I'm sure I've heard people call him 'The Boss'

[mjmooney]

24 minutes ago, VILLAMARV said:

What the appeal of Bruce and the E street band is/was?

They were/are great. Why do we like what we like? 

[Stevo985]

17 hours ago, tonyh29 said:

why people discussing the n****r word being dropped by songs on radio then self censor themselves form using the word in  a post discussing it  ...  there is a world of difference between discussing the usage of the word and directly calling someone that word surely ?

I don't really understand why it causes such controversy and questioning when it's censored.

It's an extremely offensive word. It always gets censored on the radio even when used in a non-offensive way.

[VILLAMARV]

1 minute ago, mjmooney said:

They were/are great. Why do we like what we like? 

Many, many, of my music mates have always had them right up there in the top bracket of things they like.

They're a bit like Pearl Jam to you, to me, in that it all sounds the same kind of thing to me and never grabbed me by the nuts and shouted 'listen to me!'

The question is a good question.

[mjmooney]

57 minutes ago, VILLAMARV said:

Many, many, of my music mates have always had them right up there in the top bracket of things they like.

They're a bit like Pearl Jam to you, to me, in that it all sounds the same kind of thing to me and never grabbed me by the nuts and shouted 'listen to me!'

The question is a good question.

A brief history of my feelings about Springsteen: 

When I was at university, his debut album (Greetings From Asbury Park) came out. I sort of quite liked it, but thought it was all a bit poor man's Bob Dylan. 

The second album (The Wild, The Innocent...) I liked a lot more - brought in some more dramatic 'West Side Story'-type storytelling, more arranged long songs.

Third album (Born To Run) - loved it from the get-go. Added the full Phil Spector-style wall of sound. I still think it's a masterpiece. 

Fourth album (Darkness on the Edge of Town). Less immediate, darker songs. Liked some tracks, not others. 

Fifth album (Nebraska). Even darker songs, VERY different sound - solo acoustic. Quite liked it. 

Sixth album (The River). Back to the bombast. Liked a couple of tracks, the rest, meh. Too formulaic. 

Seventh album (Born in the USA). Hated it. Overblown, nasty 80s production. Parody of himself. 

After that, I completely lost interest, with the sole exception of "The Ghost of Tom Joad", which was another low-key acoustic affair, similar to "Nebraska"). 

I did see him live with the E Street Band (sadly without Clarence Clemons) a few years ago, and they do still put on an absolutely magnificent show. One of the best live acts I've ever seen. 

[tonyh29]

1 hour ago, mjmooney said:

A brief history of my feelings about Springsteen: 

When I was at university, his debut album (Greetings From Asbury Park) came out. I sort of quite liked it, but thought it was all a bit poor man's Bob Dylan. 

The second album (The Wild, The Innocent...) I liked a lot more - brought in some more dramatic 'West Side Story'-type storytelling, more arranged long songs.

Third album (Born To Run) - loved it from the get-go. Added the full Phil Spector-style wall of sound. I still think it's a masterpiece. 

Fourth album (Darkness on the Edge of Town). Less immediate, darker songs. Liked some tracks, not others. 

Fifth album (Nebraska). Even darker songs, VERY different sound - solo acoustic. Quite liked it. 

Sixth album (The River). Back to the bombast. Liked a couple of tracks, the rest, meh. Too formulaic. 

Seventh album (Born in the USA). Hated it. Overblown, nasty 80s production. Parody of himself. 

After that, I completely lost interest, with the sole exception of "The Ghost of Tom Joad", which was another low-key acoustic affair, similar to "Nebraska"). 

I did see him live with the E Street Band (sadly without Clarence Clemons) a few years ago, and they do still put on an absolutely magnificent show. One of the best live acts I've ever seen. 

I think "The Rising" is his best work , but tbf I've not listened to all of his stuff

 

I saw him live , also without Clarence , in around 92 I guess it was ... he played for about 3 hours and probably would have kept going had he been allowed