BLEEPED AND GAGGED: LYRICS AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT

[Roland99]

http://www.americanaroots.com/content/News/Contributing-Writers/Bleeped-and-Gagged-Lyrics-and-the-First-Amendment.html

As an American, you have a right to free speech. As a singer/songwriter or radio programmer, your inalienables get a lot dicier.

Take the strange tale of the Kingsmen’s 1963 version of “Louie, Louie.” It started out as innocuous Richard Berry calypso number about a sailor trying to get back to his sweetheart. The Kingsmen’s frat rock version was rumored to have spiced things up a bit.

What precisely was titillating about the song’s lyrics is still open to debate. For two years the feds investigated, going so far as to send undercover agents to playground to try and overhear what kids were singing. The suit was finally dropped when the lyrics were declared “unintelligible.”

A quaint story from a simpler time? Think again.

As recently as May 2005, the Associated Press had a story about a Benton Harbor, Mich. high school superintendent banning the school marching band from doing an instrumental version of “Louie, Louie” because of the “raunchy lyrics” — this despite the fact the band was planning to do an instrumental version.

Found that via James McMurtry's site. Which, btw, mentions this:

http://www.jamesmcmurtry.com/

BLEEPED AND GAGGED in OHIO
Niki Dakota, Music Director at WYSO-FM in Dayton, OH, was suspended without pay for one week by the FCC for playing the unedited version of "We Can't Make it Here." More about the DJ and the station WYSO-FM: http://www.wyso.org/excursions.htm

[ovidsen]

1. Suspicious suspension

I'm not a communications lawyer, but I've worked at lots of radio stations. The FCC doesn't have the authority to suspend a disc jockey or other radio station employee. It can take legal action against the station, but not the DJ. Think Howard Stern and Infinity.

[damntexdem]

2. Can't stand them raunchy lyrics in that instrumental version!

They're terrible, I tell you, terrible! No telling what they might be saying!

And if they play it backwards -- hoo boy, here comes Satan!

[annabanana]

3. They're STILL doggin' "Louie, Louie"!?

Dear Lord Above.. that is funny.

[jayctravis]

5. When I went to church, the Lutheran pastor told us about his fondness for

"My Sharona".

He even went out and bought the record, which had the lyrics on it.

[Roland99]

4. I'm going to pick up a copy of McMurtry's latest CD and get it signed...

he's in town in 2 weeks! :D