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Oldies You Can't Play Anymore Because They're Non-P.C.

V

valkyrie777

Based on the thread below, I began to wonder how many songs can no longer be played on the radio due to their non-PC content? "Running Bear" and "Lament of the Cherokee Nation" seem to be two...the only other one I can think of is "Ahab The Arab" from Ray Stevens.

What other tunes can you think of?
 
Because They're Non-P.C.

> Based on the thread below, I began to wonder how many songs
> can no longer be played on the radio due to their non-PC
> content? "Running Bear" and "Lament of the Cherokee Nation"
> seem to be two...the only other one I can think of is "Ahab
> The Arab" from Ray Stevens.

That's silly- "Indian Reservation" is a tribute song to the Cherokee people.

This whole "can't play it because it's not P.C." is way-overthinking things.
If it's a huge hit, you play it.
 
> Based on the thread below, I began to wonder how many songs
> can no longer be played on the radio due to their non-PC
> content? "Running Bear" and "Lament of the Cherokee Nation"
> seem to be two...the only other one I can think of is "Ahab
> The Arab" from Ray Stevens.
>
> What other tunes can you think of?
>
One that comes to mind is Lou Reed's "Take a Walk on The Wildside". We played it at a station I worked at in the '80's, it really didn't fit the format of the station. I guess the P.D. liked it but he had a black secretary and I asked if the song offended her and she said it did...."The line was, and the colored girls go...." Not really all that bad but he did pull the song.

Funny for some reason the jukebox in my mind was playing "Ahab the Arab" for some reason. It was really random because I haven't heard that song in years.

No drugs but I've done way too much radio!

Mike
 
Speedy Gonzalez-Pat Boone

(Example) (With heavy Mexican Accent) "Hey Rosita come quick, at the cantina they are giving greenstamps with Tequila."

The original Only In America by The Drifters was not released due to racial concern. Jay And The Americans had a hit with it.

I bet Leroy by Jack Scott would not get airplay. Leroy was homesick for jail, so he committed a crime to get back in, then settled back. Tagline, "Leroy is back in jail again." Jack Scott is a White Canadian.

Stranded In The Jungle-Cadets (and other versions). I played it in 1980, and received an angry phone call and a promise to report it to my "boss," In Africa, the cannibals put him in a pot and he was beginning to cook.


Juanita Banana-The Peels. Stereotypes of Mexican sharcroppers.

Get Down-Gilbert O' Sullivan Title is too sexy?

Tie Me Kangaroo Down-Rolf Harris Australian stereotypes.

Walk This Way-Aerosmith "Swinging on the swing with your kitty in the middle, like you just don't care."

I will think of more, later.


> Based on the thread below, I began to wonder how many songs
> can no longer be played on the radio due to their non-PC
> content? "Running Bear" and "Lament of the Cherokee Nation"
> seem to be two...the only other one I can think of is "Ahab
> The Arab" from Ray Stevens.
>
> What other tunes can you think of?
>
<P ID="signature">______________
[email protected]</P>
 
Irving Berlin, who wrote music and lyrics to "God Bless, America" (which some radio stations continue to play daily as patriotic-religious gesture), wrote various songs with racist lyrics, back to "Alexander's Ragtime Band" (his first hit). One example would be Irving Berlin's original lyrics to "Putting on the Ritz." These lyrics are sung by Clark Gable in "Idiot's Delight" (MGM: 1939). The more politically correct lyrics were written for and sung by Fred Astaire in "Blue Skies" (Paramount: 1946) and recorded by Taco in the early 80's.
(Original Non-PC Version)
If you're blue and
you don't know where to go to
why don't you go where Harlem sits.
Putting on the Ritz.
Spangled gowns upon the bevee of high browns
from down the levee, all misfits.
Putting on the Ritz.
That's where each and ev'ry Lulu-belle goes.
Ev'ry Thursday evening with her swell beaus,
rubbing elbows,
Come with me and we'll attend the jubilee
and see them spend their last two bits.
Putting on the Ritz.
Have you seen the well to do
up on Lennox Avenue?
On that famous thoroughfare
with their noses in the air.
High hats and arrow collars,
white spats and lots of dollars.
Spending ev'ry dime for a wonderful time.
 
> Speedy Gonzalez-Pat Boone
>
> (Example) (With heavy Mexican Accent) "Hey Rosita come
> quick, at the cantina they are giving greenstamps with
> Tequila."
>
> The original Only In America by The Drifters was not
> released due to racial concern. Jay And The Americans had a
> hit with it.
>
> I bet Leroy by Jack Scott would not get airplay. Leroy was
> homesick for jail, so he committed a crime to get back in,
> then settled back. Tagline, "Leroy is back in jail again."
> Jack Scott is a White Canadian.
>
> Stranded In The Jungle-Cadets (and other versions). I
> played it in 1980, and received an angry phone call and a
> promise to report it to my "boss," In Africa, the cannibals
> put him in a pot and he was beginning to cook.
>
>
> Juanita Banana-The Peels. Stereotypes of Mexican
> sharcroppers.
>
> Get Down-Gilbert O' Sullivan Title is too sexy?
>
> Tie Me Kangaroo Down-Rolf Harris Australian stereotypes.

I'm not sure if I've ever heard any of these on the radio. . .

>
> Walk This Way-Aerosmith "Swinging on the swing with your
> kitty in the middle, like you just don't care."

It's just raunchy, not racist. And I hardly ever hear it on oldies or classic hits, anyway. Classic rock and 80s stations, yes, but they play a lot of sexy songs.

What about Elton John's "Island Girl"? And of course, a lot of his non-hit songs ("Lil' Refrigerator", "Japanese Hands", "Dirty Little Girl", "Texas Love Song", "My Father's Gun", etc.) are also blatantly un-PC, which is probably part of the reason I dig his work . . .

>
> I will think of more, later.
>
>
> > Based on the thread below, I began to wonder how many
> songs
> > can no longer be played on the radio due to their non-PC
> > content? "Running Bear" and "Lament of the Cherokee
> Nation"
> > seem to be two...the only other one I can think of is
> "Ahab
> > The Arab" from Ray Stevens.
> >
> > What other tunes can you think of?
> >
>
 
>>[I bet Leroy by Jack Scott would not get airplay. Leroy was
> homesick for jail, so he committed a crime to get back in,
> then settled back. Tagline, "Leroy is back in jail again."
> Jack Scott is a White Canadian.]


Ironically, the original title of "Leroy" was "Greaseball". Thought to be offensive to Italian-Americans, the lyrics and title were changed. The original version is available on some Jack Scott CDs.
 
"Indian" oldies in Oklahoma

> > Based on the thread below, I began to wonder how many
> songs
> > can no longer be played on the radio due to their non-PC
> > content? "Running Bear" and "Lament of the Cherokee
> Nation"
> > seem to be two...the only other one I can think of is
> "Ahab
> > The Arab" from Ray Stevens.
>
> That's silly- "Indian Reservation" is a tribute song to the
> Cherokee people.
>

A couple of years ago, I was driving through southern Oklahoma and heard a small satellite-fed AM station play "Indian Reservation" and "Half Breed" by Cher back to back.

I didn't think about the political correctness at all, but both songs sounded so dated to me that I wondered about playing them.

Just coincidence, but part of Oklahoma, before it became a state in 1907, was Indian Territory.
 
Re: "Indian" oldies in Oklahoma

I've actually heard "Indian Reservation" several times over past year on radio.



> > > Based on the thread below, I began to wonder how many
> > songs
> > > can no longer be played on the radio due to their non-PC
>
> > > content? "Running Bear" and "Lament of the Cherokee
> > Nation"
> > > seem to be two...the only other one I can think of is
> > "Ahab
> > > The Arab" from Ray Stevens.
> >
> > That's silly- "Indian Reservation" is a tribute song to
> the
> > Cherokee people.
> >
>
> A couple of years ago, I was driving through southern
> Oklahoma and heard a small satellite-fed AM station play
> "Indian Reservation" and "Half Breed" by Cher back to back.
>
> I didn't think about the political correctness at all, but
> both songs sounded so dated to me that I wondered about
> playing them.
>
> Just coincidence, but part of Oklahoma, before it became a
> state in 1907, was Indian Territory.
>
 
Re: "Indian" oldies in Oklahoma

> > > Based on the thread below, I began to wonder how many
> > songs
> > > can no longer be played on the radio due to their non-PC
>
> > > content? "Running Bear" and "Lament of the Cherokee
> > Nation"
> > > seem to be two...the only other one I can think of is
> > "Ahab
> > > The Arab" from Ray Stevens.
> >
> > That's silly- "Indian Reservation" is a tribute song to
> the
> > Cherokee people.
> >
>
> A couple of years ago, I was driving through southern
> Oklahoma and heard a small satellite-fed AM station play
> "Indian Reservation" and "Half Breed" by Cher back to back.
>
> I didn't think about the political correctness at all, but
> both songs sounded so dated to me that I wondered about
> playing them.
>
> Just coincidence, but part of Oklahoma, before it became a
> state in 1907, was Indian Territory.

It is possible that the songs were being played because they're actually popular there. Tim McGraw's country hit "Indian Outlaw" (which, of course, borrows a portion of the lyrics from "Reservation") was a top request at many stations near reservations despite the fact that the PC crowd wasn't too keen on it.
 
Re: "Indian" oldies in Oklahoma

> > > > Based on the thread below, I began to wonder how many
> > > songs
> > > > can no longer be played on the radio due to their
> non-PC
> >
> > > > content? "Running Bear" and "Lament of the Cherokee
> > > Nation"
> > > > seem to be two...the only other one I can think of is
> > > "Ahab
> > > > The Arab" from Ray Stevens.
> > >
> > > That's silly- "Indian Reservation" is a tribute song to
> > the
> > > Cherokee people.
> > >
> >
> > A couple of years ago, I was driving through southern
> > Oklahoma and heard a small satellite-fed AM station play
> > "Indian Reservation" and "Half Breed" by Cher back to
> back.
> >
> > I didn't think about the political correctness at all, but
>
> > both songs sounded so dated to me that I wondered about
> > playing them.
> >
> > Just coincidence, but part of Oklahoma, before it became a
>
> > state in 1907, was Indian Territory.
>
> It is possible that the songs were being played because
> they're actually popular there.


I think it was coincidence since the station was using a satellite oldies service. It was not local.

>Tim McGraw's country hit
> "Indian Outlaw" (which, of course, borrows a portion of the
> lyrics from "Reservation") was a top request at many
> stations near reservations despite the fact that the PC
> crowd wasn't too keen on it.


Oklahoma has no Indian reservations.
 
Re: "Indian" oldies in Oklahoma

Me, too. KLOU in St. Louis has it in regular rotation. Haven't heard "Half Breed" on the radio in ages, but I do hear "Gypsies, Tramps, & Theives" on KLOU pretty often.

> I've actually heard "Indian Reservation" several times over
> past year on radio.
>
>
>
> > > > Based on the thread below, I began to wonder how many
> > > songs
> > > > can no longer be played on the radio due to their
> non-PC
> >
> > > > content? "Running Bear" and "Lament of the Cherokee
> > > Nation"
> > > > seem to be two...the only other one I can think of is
> > > "Ahab
> > > > The Arab" from Ray Stevens.
> > >
> > > That's silly- "Indian Reservation" is a tribute song to
> > the
> > > Cherokee people.
> > >
> >
> > A couple of years ago, I was driving through southern
> > Oklahoma and heard a small satellite-fed AM station play
> > "Indian Reservation" and "Half Breed" by Cher back to
> back.
> >
> > I didn't think about the political correctness at all, but
>
> > both songs sounded so dated to me that I wondered about
> > playing them.
> >
> > Just coincidence, but part of Oklahoma, before it became a
>
> > state in 1907, was Indian Territory.
> >
>
 
> Stranded In The Jungle-Cadets (and other versions). I
> played it in 1980, and received an angry phone call and a
> promise to report it to my "boss," In Africa, the cannibals
> put him in a pot and he was beginning to cook.
>
Played almost every Sunday on Street Corner Sunday on WOGL, Philadelphia, a program of doo-wop music on an "oldies" station with a wide demographic audience.
 
Re: "Indian" oldies in Oklahoma

> Oklahoma has no Indian reservations.

Perhaps not officially called a "reservation", but the Cherokee Nation is based in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
Re: "Indian" oldies in Oklahoma

> > > > > Based on the thread below, I began to wonder how
> many
> > > > songs
> > > > > can no longer be played on the radio due to their
> > non-PC
> > >
> > > > > content? "Running Bear" and "Lament of the Cherokee
>
> > > > Nation"
> > > > > seem to be two...the only other one I can think of
> is
> > > > "Ahab
> > > > > The Arab" from Ray Stevens.
> > > >
> > > > That's silly- "Indian Reservation" is a tribute song
> to
> > > the
> > > > Cherokee people.
> > > >
> > >
> > > A couple of years ago, I was driving through southern
> > > Oklahoma and heard a small satellite-fed AM station play
>
> > > "Indian Reservation" and "Half Breed" by Cher back to
> > back.
> > >
> > > I didn't think about the political correctness at all,
> but
> >
> > > both songs sounded so dated to me that I wondered about
> > > playing them.
> > >
> > > Just coincidence, but part of Oklahoma, before it became
> a
> >
> > > state in 1907, was Indian Territory.
> >
> > It is possible that the songs were being played because
> > they're actually popular there.
>
>
> I think it was coincidence since the station was using a
> satellite oldies service. It was not local.
>
> >Tim McGraw's country hit
> > "Indian Outlaw" (which, of course, borrows a portion of
> the
> > lyrics from "Reservation") was a top request at many
> > stations near reservations despite the fact that the PC
> > crowd wasn't too keen on it.
>
>
> Oklahoma has no Indian reservations.
>


Oklahoma ranks #1 in Indians per capita. Ok has the highest % of people with at least some Indian in their blood.

Speaking of the Tim McGraw song "Indian Outlaw", PC groups hated it including some Native American organizations. Yet I heard it was very popular among young people on Indian reservations, they thought it was cool.
 
> >>[I bet Leroy by Jack Scott would not get airplay. Leroy
> was
> > homesick for jail, so he committed a crime to get back in,
>
> > then settled back. Tagline, "Leroy is back in jail
> again."
> > Jack Scott is a White Canadian.]
>
>
> Ironically, the original title of "Leroy" was "Greaseball".
> Thought to be offensive to Italian-Americans, the lyrics and
> title were changed. The original version is available on
> some Jack Scott CDs.
>
Here's one perhaps no one thought of althought it may pre-date the Rock and Roll era: 'Shine' by Frankie Laine.

Of course, if you really want to go back. . .there's always 'Chatanooga Choo Choo' by Glenn Miller:

'Pardon me, boy
is that the Chatanooga Choo Choo ?'

Oh yeah, that would play well today. . .
 
Re: "Indian" oldies in Oklahoma

> > Oklahoma has no Indian reservations.
>
> Perhaps not officially called a "reservation", but the
> Cherokee Nation is based in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.


To be clear, Oklahoma has no Indian reservations as you think of reservations in Arizona, for example.

Yeah, "Arizona" by Mark Lindsay -- "Arizona, cut off your Indian braids."

All reservations were dissolved by the Enabling Act of 1906 so that Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory could become the new state of Oklahoma in 1907.

However, the Cherokee Nation is one of many federally-recognized tribal nation headquarters in the state.

Oklahoma comes from the Choctaw language and means "red people".

I have not heard "Indian Reservation" in Dallas for a long time but the playlist on Infinity's KLUV is relatively small and had few songs from the 1970s until this year.

But, I bet the song tests poorly with focus groups especially when competing for a spot on a tight playlist.

"Indian Reservation" sounds as dated on the radio to me as "Billy Jack" looks on television and not for any politically incorrect reasons.
 
Re: "Indian" oldies in Oklahoma

> I've actually heard "Indian Reservation" several times over
> past year on radio.
>
>
>

I just heard it a few hours ago on our local oldies station here in Binghamton, NY. WCDW "Cool 100"- live local jocks and a PD who knows and cares about the music- what a concept for oldies radio!

Low Tide

>
> > > > Based on the thread below, I began to wonder how many
> > > songs
> > > > can no longer be played on the radio due to their
> non-PC
> >
> > > > content? "Running Bear" and "Lament of the Cherokee
> > > Nation"
> > > > seem to be two...the only other one I can think of is
> > > "Ahab
> > > > The Arab" from Ray Stevens.
> > >
> > > That's silly- "Indian Reservation" is a tribute song to
> > the
> > > Cherokee people.
> > >
> >
> > A couple of years ago, I was driving through southern
> > Oklahoma and heard a small satellite-fed AM station play
> > "Indian Reservation" and "Half Breed" by Cher back to
> back.
> >
> > I didn't think about the political correctness at all, but
>
> > both songs sounded so dated to me that I wondered about
> > playing them.
> >
> > Just coincidence, but part of Oklahoma, before it became a
>
> > state in 1907, was Indian Territory.
> >
>
 
And guess what? This incident happened in Philadelphia on WKDU-91.7.

> > Stranded In The Jungle-Cadets (and other versions). I
> > played it in 1980, and received an angry phone call and a
> > promise to report it to my "boss," In Africa, the
> cannibals
> > put him in a pot and he was beginning to cook.
> >
> Played almost every Sunday on Street Corner Sunday on WOGL,
> Philadelphia, a program of doo-wop music on an "oldies"
> station with a wide demographic audience.
>
<P ID="signature">______________
[email protected]</P>
 
You missed the best line.

"It arrives on track number nine, hey boy! you can give me a shine."

> Of course, if you really want to go back. . .there's always
> 'Chatanooga Choo Choo' by Glenn Miller:
>
> 'Pardon me, boy
> is that the Chatanooga Choo Choo ?'
>
> Oh yeah, that would play well today. . .
>
<P ID="signature">______________
[email protected]</P>
 
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