"Cinderella" by Firefall

[firepoint525]

I remember hearing an interview with one of the guys from the '70s group Firefall, who claimed that their song "Cinderella" did not get much airplay (and thus never became a hit) because feminists objected to it. To this, I say "bullchips!" The song had an obvious "G*ddamn" in the chorus of it that probably made it virtually impossible, even then, for stations to play it. I never heard it played while it was supposedly a "hit," never hearing it until I heard some classic rock stations playing it in the '90s. And even they don't play it anymore. It probably doesn't "test" well, but I suppose that FCC rules and regs probably preclude its airplay now, anyway.

While feminists were quite active in the '70s, I seriously doubt that this particular song ever rose high enough in the public consciousness for feminists to object to it, anyway.

"Life in the Fast Lane" by the Eagles also had the same obscenity in it, but I seem to recall that there was a sanitized version of it that radio stations (mostly top 40s) played.

Steve Miller's "Jet Airliner" had the "funky shit goin' down in the city" in the album version, but most top 40s played the single mix, with "funky kicks goin' down in the city." Album rockers got away with the album version back then, but even now, they must substitute the "funky kicks" version. Seems like the ones that don't produce their own mix just play the one from the greatest hits album, with "Threshold" preceding the single version.

 

[John Gallagher]

I follow posts and contribute posts over at top40musiconcd.com. They list what CD's contain 45 versions and what promo and 45s contained. According to their database, promo 45's edited out the "God" on promo 45's of "Cinderella." The "God" was also edited out of promo 45's of "She's So Cold" from the Rolling Stones. The only current sanitized version of "Life In The Fast Lane" has been on Clear Channel's Classic Hits. I actually know the corporate PD who did the edit.

That said, I don't think I've heard "Cinderella" on the radio since 1977.

 

[Avid Listener]

In my own personal MP3 collection, the FM/Album version of "Good Girls Don't" is included. The AM/Single version is not.

 

[BostonRandy]

The "G-D" in "Life in the Fast Lane" airs on my local Cumulus classic hits station. They have, recently, re-added Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side" with no edits. As for "Cinderella", I cannot recall much airplay as it barely cracked the top-40.

 

[John Gallagher]

The edit of "Life in the Fast" is a custom Clear Channel edit. I ended up buying a 45 to recreate the 'clean' version of "Walk On The Wild Side."

 

[R_F_Burns]

I remember playing and getting lot's of requests for Cinderella when I was at WLSQ in 1978 if I recall the right year but I do know a few other stations in the area at the time didn't play it.And for the record I thought then and still do today that it's a good song.

 

[John Gallagher]

The only Firefall song I mainly hear is "You Are The Woman." Perhaps, "Just Remember I Love You" too. That's it.

Back in 1977, I remember being aware of an edit done by (then) 3WE in Cleveland of "Rich Girl" from Hall & Oates. It took out the "...it's a bitch girl" and replaced it with "....you're a rich girl."

 

[BostonRandy]

The only Firefall song I mainly hear is "You Are The Woman." Perhaps, "Just Remember I Love You" too. That's it.

Back in 1977, I remember being aware of an edit done by (then) 3WE in Cleveland of "Rich Girl" from Hall & Oates. It took out the "...it's a bitch girl" and replaced it with "....you're a rich girl."

I remember, in late 1974/early 1975, that many stations would play Elton John's song "The Bitch is back" without the jock mentioning the title.

And, here's a, perhaps, forgotten hit single that had edited lyrics in 1975 - Neil Sedaka's "Bad Blood".

 

[hm insulators]

The edit of "Life in the Fast" is a custom Clear Channel edit. I ended up buying a 45 to recreate the 'clean' version of "Walk On The Wild Side."

I didn't know there was a clean version of "Walk on the Wild Side." I'd always figured the suits at the FCC didn't know what "giving head" means.

 

[vchimpanzee]

"Money" by Pink Floyd is another problematic song.

 

[Robert Bass]

The only Firefall song I mainly hear is "You Are The Woman." Perhaps, "Just Remember I Love You" too. That's it.

Back in 1977, I remember being aware of an edit done by (then) 3WE in Cleveland of "Rich Girl" from Hall & Oates. It took out the "...it's a bitch girl" and replaced it with "....you're a rich girl."

Yeah I did that too at a station I worked for. But a co-worker swore to me he was hearing "you're a rich bitch girl" near the very end of the song, instead of "you're a rich rich girl".

R

 

[JeffM]

I follow posts and contribute posts over at top40musiconcd.com. They list what CD's contain 45 versions and what promo and 45s contained. According to their database, promo 45's edited out the "God" on promo 45's of "Cinderella." The "God" was also edited out of promo 45's of "She's So Cold" from the Rolling Stones. The only current sanitized version of "Life In The Fast Lane" has been on Clear Channel's Classic Hits. I actually know the corporate PD who did the edit.

That said, I don't think I've heard "Cinderella" on the radio since 1977.

I remember the 45rpm version of "Cinderella," both promo and sale versions had a dropped-in replacement recorded by the group themselves, changing the line to "you damn girl..." I'm not sure which was used on their greatest-hits LP as don't have it handy right now.

There was also Bob Dylan's "Hurricane," which contained at least two "shits," the N-word, and possibly an f-bomb too; I haven't played my 45 lately, it extended over both sides for (I think) nine-plus minutes.

 

[firepoint525]

That said, I don't think I've heard "Cinderella" on the radio since 1977.

I grew up in rural northwest TN, and the FM stations there, at the time, (at least, those which were not country or easy listening) typically played the same songs that AM radio was also playing at the time, although they might have gravitated more towards album versions, while the AM stations usually stuck with the single edits.

Having said that, I don't think that I ever heard "Cinderella" until I moved here to Nashville in '92, and classic rock stations here were still playing it at that time. A year or two after that, they pared down their playlists, and "Cinderella" was a casualty of that reduction in playlists. I don't think that I have ever heard it played since then. However, the first single from that Firefall debut album, "Livin' ain't Livin'," got HEAVY airplay in summer '76, despite never actually cracking the top 40, thus never really ever becoming a "hit."

No one here has really been able to answer my question. All that I have been able to find is the following from wikipedia, and even this is uncited:

The band's next single, "You Are the Woman", made the Top 10 and the band began touring with Fleetwood Mac, who were at the beginning of their commercial peak. Their next single, "Cinderella", though it reached the Top 40 and was played extensively on FM radio, did not fare as well on AM radio because of its controversial lyrics which caused feminist groups to pressure the stations to avoid playing it.[citation needed] However, this did not have a lasting effect on the band's sales.

This is (kinda sorta) what I said up at the top of this thread. I am trying to determine whether or not the above is actually true.

 

[Avid Listener]

This is (kinda sorta) what I said up at the top of this thread. I am trying to determine whether or not the above is actually true.

Good luck with that. Anyone who was awake in those days (which, admittedly, wasn't all that many people) knows about the impact of pressure groups. However, that pressure was seldom documented. Finding actual proof that would stand up would be a very difficult task. You could always talk to people who were there at the time and who had first-hand knowledge, but that doesn't prove anything the way an internet link would. Like Abe Lincoln said, not everything on the internet is true. But if it's on the internet, almost everyone will believe it.

 

[firepoint525]

So, yeah, the politically correct version sorta wins by default. However, I find it amusing that feminists were SUPPOSEDLY able to stop "Cinderella" from getting any significant airplay, but yet they couldn't do anything about "You're Having My Baby"? Even I am having a hard time swallowing that one.

 

[JeffM]

So, yeah, the politically correct version sorta wins by default. However, I find it amusing that feminists were SUPPOSEDLY able to stop "Cinderella" from getting any significant airplay, but yet they couldn't do anything about "You're Having My Baby"? Even I am having a hard time swallowing that one.

For whatever it's worth, there was even an "answer" record that made the country charts back then, "I'm Having Your Baby" by Sunday Sharpe; on the same label as Anka, United Artists. (And yes, I have an actual copy...it has an honored place on my shelves right between Buddy Hackett singing "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" and Ed McMahon singing "They Call The Wind Mariah"...)

 

[firepoint525]

Happened to hear "Cinderella" aired as part of American Top 40, the '70s, last week when they carried the countdown from May 7, 1977 (the week that "Hotel California" was #1). "Cinderella" was #36 that week, and would only eventually muster a peak position of #34. The chorus only came up once (that I heard) and that was probably due to AT40 editing, and yes, the obscenity was censored out. Whether or not it was done that way when originally aired, I do not know.

 

[JeffM]

Happened to hear "Cinderella" aired as part of American Top 40, the '70s, last week when they carried the countdown from May 7, 1977 (the week that "Hotel California" was #1). "Cinderella" was #36 that week, and would only eventually muster a peak position of #34. The chorus only came up once (that I heard) and that was probably due to AT40 editing, and yes, the obscenity was censored out. Whether or not it was done that way when originally aired, I do not know.

Just curious, was it an edit per se, or the "you damn girl" re-take I remember from the original 45rpm version? By the way, I'm glad they finally found Casey, even though it took four teenagers and a goofy looking dog in a VW van to do it...

 

[firepoint525]

Just curious, was it an edit per se, or the "you damn girl" re-take I remember from the original 45rpm version? By the way, I'm glad they finally found Casey, even though it took four teenagers and a goofy looking dog in a VW van to do it...

As best as I can recall, it was just the vocal lifted from the instrumental background, so it was just "___damn girl," etc., kinda hard to explain here on a message board, but there was no "you" there, if that was your question.

Do you know if there is a youtube link for your version?

 

[JeffM]

As best as I can recall, it was just the vocal lifted from the instrumental background, so it was just "___damn girl," etc., kinda hard to explain here on a message board, but there was no "you" there, if that was your question.

Do you know if there is a youtube link for your version?

Well, now you've got me wondering about my aging memory. Just pulled and played my "Best of Firefall" LP, but it's the "God damn girl" album version. Visited several web sites, but they are all the album version too, apparently drawn from more recent CD reissues. Could be the "you damn girl" version I remember came from a TV appearance on "Midnight Special" or similar? Will stop in at the local used-vinyl emporium sometime this week and see if I can scare up a 45 copy.

(All this over a song I hadn't really given a thought to in 30 years. Sheeeshh...)