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Radio stations that edit songs either more conservative or more lenient?
- Thread starter tall_guy1
- Start date
There's a two page thread on this song here:
It's a pretty graphic song. The weed is the least objectionable part.
It's a pretty graphic song. The weed is the least objectionable part.
Some urban music contains strong language and violent lyrics. To my knowledge, no station has been actively penalized for playing them in high rotation. Ultimately, the Commission doesn't regulate programming. It isn't until someone complains, that they may be forced to see if the incident crosses some line.
The difference may be that weed is legal in all of Canada, whereas in the U.S. it's still technically illegal at the federal level even if some states have legalized it. So radio stations don't want to be seen as "encouraging illegal activity" -- even though Classic Rock stations have no trouble playing "Cocaine" or "I Shot the Sheriff".
Had an interesting discussion with an FCC lawyer friend of mine about something like this. Here's the scenario: The sales folks at a local radio station were getting several inquiries from Pot Stores (dispensaries) and CBD suppliers, wanting to advertise on the station. Obviously, the account exec saw this as a whole new potential client base, and REALLY wanted to start writing contracts. The lawyer recommended staying away from advertising or promoting any pot or hemp-derived products. The reason: Pot and CBD are still considered controlled substances according to the federal government. Since broadcast stations hold a license issued by the federal government, the station risks what amounts to committing a serious conflict of interest by advertising illegal activity. This is a lot like banks and financial institutions ran into with pot farms and pot stores. Financial institutions, and your money, are insured by the FDIC. The FDIC is a federal organization. Providing bank accounts to someone knowingly doing something still considered illegal in the eyes of the fed's, and a bank would essentially be shut down if they lost their FDIC insurance.
"I Shot the Sheriff" never actually mentions marijuana. "Every time I plant a seed" could refer to any kind of plant. And yes, "Cocaine" has never been a problem to play. That drug is also mentioned in the Grateful Dead's "Casey Jones" and Ringo Starr's "The No-No Song," all of which got plenty of airplay with no bleeping.
The only listener complaints I've ever gotten about lyrics were from parents of young children or religious people... and those were rare. I don't think anyone else really cares that much, in any media... It's the radio corporations who really can't withstand lyrics that could show up on the radar... the main goal being, don't have any complaints for the stock holders to ask about.... right?
I was giving it as an example of a song named after another kind of illegal activity. In fact, there are plenty of songs about murder. But if you dare say "goddamn" or mention weed, it must be censored to be played on the radio... and Cumulus even edited the Fray's "Breakeven" just because the singer mentioned that he doesn't believe in God!
CBD can be freely sold and even shipped via the U.S. Postal Service. It was deregulated several years ago.
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Interestingly, Amazon does not sell anything that says "CBD" on the label, but has dozens of "Hemp Oil" products.
One of my favorites as a kid, was when stations played Who Are You, by The Who: 'Ah who the f*ck are you??'
That's great for your interpretation. An FCC lawyer recommends they don't.
And "Hey Jude" and "Louie Louie" both contain F-bombs if you listen closely.
Not a "station" but AM Only used to play an hacked-to-shreds version of "Orinoico Flow", even though there's really nothing controversial or graphic about the song.
I doubt anybody's ever been able to decipher that mess. Even in the '60s Portlanders couldn't talk for jack.
I doubt anybody's ever been able to decipher that mess. Even in the '60s Portlanders couldn't talk for jack.
Then he is being excessively conservative as there are no restrictions on CBD in interstate commerce, the US mail or even private interstate shippers.
In fact, to "plant a seed" is an idiomatic expression about starting an idea or the creative process.
Freedictionary says,
"To lay the groundwork for something that can develop or expand in the future. By involving the community in our plans, we hope to plant a seed for an event that will grow into a neighborhood tradition for years to come. Just planting a seed so she might be open to it down the line. ..."
The line in the Bob Marley-penned song refers to weed, pot, ganja, marijuana. That's what Sheriff John Brown wanted to kill "before it grows." I'm aware of the idiomatic use of the phrase. I suppose it could also refer to implanting a male "seed" (sperm) inside a woman, but I don't think Marley had that in mind, either. If you have more info, please share.
The song, which wasn't written by any of the Kingsmen, is copyrighted. The lyrics are readily available. They contain nothing obscene. I believe the word some people think they hear in it a couple of times is "lay," but it's not there anywhere. You are right about the enunciation on the Kingsmen's recording.
One of the funniest things I ever heard was someone doing a cover version of "Louie Louie". Instead of trying to follow any one of the numerous attempts at transcribing the lyrics, they just mumbled unintelligibly, and it ended up sounding the same as the original.
The composition itself dates to the mid-1950s. The Kingsmen's unintelligible interpretation is like a Rorshach test. Regionally there is widespread doubt they actually used written lyrics, in fact Jim Donovan once commented on KISN/KKSN way back when, when the subject came up, "just mumble something that rhymes". Which, if you've ever been to Dumptown or talked to anybody from there, is par for the course. Paul Revere's jazzy cover (also a Bumland group originally from Boise) had a much clearer pronunciation.
The Kingsmen's version, though, may have been the first recorded instance of real-world Portlandese vernacular.
Which is why I'm glad I live north of the Columbia. People actually know how to speak English clearly here....
I have a reel-to-reel tape of somebody's personal (now-)"oldies" compilation that includes an instance of the song which sounds like a karaoke attempt! IIRC it was in the same lot as the August 1987 KIXI aircheck reel so it's possible that record/ing originated in Seattle. I'll have to get it up on Archive someday.
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