Too much moaning in some '70s music?

[CurtisNEPA]

i don't know if this is an appropriate topic to discuss here but if the moderators find out that the subject I am discussing is not suitable for this board, then I apologize.

During the 70's, there were a lot of "softer" songs that contains all the moaning as part of the lyrics. It is common to hear such stuff in the albums we listen to when we were younger. Both Marvin Gaye and Barry White have made romantic songs than any other artists during the time, but the one song that may not be suitable for young listeners is Donna Summer's hit 1975 single "Love To Love You Baby". In it, there were dozens of orgasms made by an unknown female backup singer. This sounds like it came out of an X-rated movie. However, the radio version had all the moaning removed. Another example is Major Harris' single "Love Won't Let Me Wait", which was released in the same year as Donna Summer's single. Towards the end of the song, there were female orgasm sound clips being heard.

But the biggest one of them all is Barry White's 1973 single "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up". In the beginning of the song, Barry sounded like he was making an orgasm as part of the introduction before he begins singing. It is commonly heard on classic hits stations, but I found one AC station that still played it, it is KCKC from Kansas City, which is weird because almost most of the big AC stations across the country doesn't play this or any of the sleepy '70s music anymore. That station plays Katy Perry, Shawn Mendes, Bruno Mars, along with 80's/90's stuff, but why on earth does it still play this sleepy song than any other stations in the country?

I think that if there was controversary over such songs that contain sexual content, it would have been inappropriate to be played on radio stations during the daytime hours when families are listening during that time. Also, these songs could have had a Parental Advisory warning label, but that did not exist during the 70's. Despite all of that, it was better than the lyrics found on rap music that glorify violence and drug use.

Here is the link for more information about "orgasmic" music.

Perfect Sound Forever: Why was mid 1970s music so orgasmic?

Why was mid 1970s music so orgasmic?- a study

www.furious.com

 

[Mikey Radio]

I think that if there was controversary over such songs that contain sexual content, it would have been inappropriate to be played on radio stations during the daytime hours when families are listening during that time. Also, these songs could have had a Parental Advisory warning label, but that did not exist during the 70's.

I think you'll find that a lot of the folks that are worried about things like "orgasmic sounds", certain "dirty" lyrics and even some "adult-themed" movie content being viewed or heard by children are overthinking it. When I was a kid my family was one of the earliest in our neighborhood to have a VCR and my parents were fairly liberal with what they'd let me watch with them and their friends. I remember laughing along to certain adult humor and jokes while watching movies as a group just because the adults were, but when I watch those same movies again as an adult, I now realize that 1) I missed the point entirely of some of those jokes back then as I simply had no idea as a pre-pubescent kid what they were talking about and 2) Much of the adult humor and "dirty" parts that some adults were worried about kids seeing went completely over my head and I had no idea what they were even referencing and I was in no danger of being somehow transformed into a raging sexpot by seeing it. Now, when I was told I shouldn't watch a certain part of a movie or listen to a certain song, THAT actually piqued my interest and actually did more to motivate me to want to see/hear it, though again, because of my age and the fact that in many cases I had no idea what the point of the joke or things like "orgasmic sounds" even were, most times I didn't understand what the big deal was. Many times more attention is brought by those protesting than if they'd just let it go and realize that most kids don't even realize what moaning during a song implies and move on with their lives.

The first time I really recalled a bit of fuss being kicked up about moaning/sexual inuendo contained within a song was in the early 1990s, mostly by conservative Catholics when a German group released a song called "Sadeness Part I". In the US it peaked at #1 and was in the Top 40 for something like a dozen weeks. It featured Gregorian chants, a dance beat, an orgasmic sounding woman and a pan pipe hook. Some felt those things didn't necessarily mix well and didn't think it should get air play. They thought the woman's moaning and heavy breathing were too over the top and the fact that it was mixed in with Gregorian chants were sacralidge. I don't recall their stance being taken seriously or their having much of an impact on the airplay it received.

 

[michael hagerty]

i don't know if this is an appropriate topic to discuss here but if the moderators find out that the subject I am discussing is not suitable for this board, then I apologize.

During the 70's, there were a lot of "softer" songs that contains all the moaning as part of the lyrics. It is common to hear such stuff in the albums we listen to when we were younger. Both Marvin Gaye and Barry White have made romantic songs than any other artists during the time, but the one song that may not be suitable for young listeners is Donna Summer's hit 1975 single "Love To Love You Baby". In it, there were dozens of orgasms made by an unknown female backup singer. This sounds like it came out of an X-rated movie. However, the radio version had all the moaning removed. Another example is Major Harris' single "Love Won't Let Me Wait", which was released in the same year as Donna Summer's single. Towards the end of the song, there were female orgasm sound clips being heard.

But the biggest one of them all is Barry White's 1973 single "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up". In the beginning of the song, Barry sounded like he was making an orgasm as part of the introduction before he begins singing. It is commonly heard on classic hits stations, but I found one AC station that still played it, it is KCKC from Kansas City, which is weird because almost most of the big AC stations across the country doesn't play this or any of the sleepy '70s music anymore. That station plays Katy Perry, Shawn Mendes, Bruno Mars, along with 80's/90's stuff, but why on earth does it still play this sleepy song than any other stations in the country?

I think that if there was controversary over such songs that contain sexual content, it would have been inappropriate to be played on radio stations during the daytime hours when families are listening during that time. Also, these songs could have had a Parental Advisory warning label, but that did not exist during the 70's. Despite all of that, it was better than the lyrics found on rap music that glorify violence and drug use.

Here is the link for more information about "orgasmic" music.

Perfect Sound Forever: Why was mid 1970s music so orgasmic?

Why was mid 1970s music so orgasmic?- a study

www.furious.com

Where to start?

I guess with Donna Summer. That's not an "unknown background singer". That's Donna. From an interview at the time:

"Everyone's asking, 'Were you alone in the studio?'" said the 26-year-old Summer. "Yes, I was alone in the studio. 'Did you touch yourself?' Yes, well, actually I had my hand on my knee. 'Did you fantasize on anything?' Yes, on my handsome boyfriend Peter."

And no, the radio version didn't have all the moaning removed:

As for "Love Won't Let Me Wait", it starts 2:30 into a nearly 4 minute single, returning at the end:

Truth is, by the time Donna and Major showed up, the party had been going on a while.

The first popular record to do it was Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg's "JeT'aime---Moi Non Plus" in 1969. Number one in the UK, Austria, Norway and Switzerland, it peaked at #58 in the U.S. But it still got a fair amount of airplay:

After that was probably the Chakachas' "Jungle Fever" in 1972. This was top ten in the US, peaking at #8 in Billboard:

Well, hey---sex sells. And after that, it was time to fog up radio dials all over America. Next was Sylvia's "Pillow Talk" in 1973. It made it all the way to #3:

And when you've got top five records, nobody outside the Bible Belt is gonna restrict airplay. Jocks were having a field day with these records. Jack Friday at KFRC: "610 KFRC and Sylvia---who once again, has started without us."

Like all things, it ran its course.

It actually seems weirder today than it did at the time.

 

[radio128]

The Major Harris song brings back some memories. Our college station was broadcasting a football game. My top 40 show would begin right after. The station manager told me to play a couple of soft songs because the chancellor was listening. "Love Won't Let Me Wait" had just come out. I had only heard about the first minute and wasn't familiar with the moaning part. So I decided, well this song is pretty soft. I used it to start my show. The station manager ran into the studio red faced, hysterical and screaming. "I told you to play something soft. The chancellor. The chancellor." At the time I didn't understand all the fuss since I hadn't heard the entire song and had no reason to suspect there might be an x rated part at the end.

 

[davideduardo]

The first popular record to do it was Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg's "JeT'aime---Moi Non Plus" in 1969. Number one in the UK, Austria, Norway and Switzerland, it peaked at #58 in the U.S. But it still got a fair amount of airplay:.

I played that as a power on my Top 40 station in Ecuador back in ’68 when it came out. There was no public outcry, even in a nation where we played classical music all day on Good Friday.

 

[michael hagerty]

The Major Harris song brings back some memories. Our college station was broadcasting a football game. My top 40 show would begin right after. The station manager told me to play a couple of soft songs because the chancellor was listening. "Love Won't Let Me Wait" had just come out. I had only heard about the first minute and wasn't familiar with the moaning part. So I decided, well this song is pretty soft. I used it to start my show. The station manager ran into the studio red faced, hysterical and screaming. "I told you to play something soft. The chancellor. The chancellor." At the time I didn't understand all the fuss since I hadn't heard the entire song and had no reason to suspect there might be an x rated part at the end.

Also from KFRC, San Francisco---Big Tom Parker played "Love Won't Let Me Wait" a couple of years later as a golden. As the moans at the end begin, Tom says:

"Waiter---more butter, please."

Very nearly wrecked the car.

 

[Kelly A]

I played that as a power on my Top 40 station in Ecuador back in ’68 when it came out. There was no public outcry, even in a nation where we played classical music all day on Good Friday.

I know, really?? Are we that shy of current topics that we need to create controversy around music from fifty years ago?
Like you David, I've never heard even one complaint (fifty years ago) about moaning. Talk about a nothing-burger.

 

[seatownmedia]

I was 12-14 when most of the songs mentioned above came out. I can clearly state that with or without, my life and my habits would have been the same! And at that age I don’t need to describe those habits.

 

[Kelly A]

I was 12-14 when most of the songs mentioned above came out. I can clearly state that with or without, my life and my habits would have been the same! And at that age I don’t need to describe those habits.

'Gird your loins youngster, there could be evil moaning on the radio'

 

[michael hagerty]

As it happens, this whole thing occurred while I was in high school---well, Jane Birkin through Sylvia, anyway. Major Harris, Donna Summer and Rod Stewart's "Tonight's the Night" all happened later---with Rod probably being the last of the type. And I was 20 when that hit.

So, how'd that go, having all that sexy stuff on the radio for a bunch of teenagers whose hormones were already boiling over? I went to a high school that had 800 students. So figure half---400---were girls. In the four years I was there (1969-73), three girls---THREE---got pregnant. Less than one percent. And this was in a town of 3,000 people where there wasn't much for a teenager to do.

There's zero statistical data, of course, but I'd be very comfortable betting lunch that at least two of those girls conceived to a Donny Osmond, Carpenters or Bread record. Or maybe a really boring episode of The Brady Bunch.

 

[gr8oldies]

As it happens, this whole thing occurred while I was in high school---well, Jane Birkin through Sylvia, anyway. Major Harris, Donna Summer and Rod Stewart's "Tonight's the Night" all happened later---with Rod probably being the last of the type. And I was 20 when that hit.

So, how'd that go, having all that sexy stuff on the radio for a bunch of teenagers whose hormones were already boiling over? I went to a high school that had 800 students. So figure half---400---were girls. In the four years I was there (1969-73), three girls---THREE---got pregnant. Less than one percent. And this was in a town of 3,000 people where there wasn't much for a teenager to do.

There's zero statistical data, of course, but I'd be very comfortable betting lunch that at least two of those girls conceived to a Donny Osmond, Carpenters or Bread record. Or maybe a really boring episode of The Brady Bunch.

I grew up in a town the same size, which was 97% Catholic. The church had enough influence that it was difficult to get birth control prescriptions or refills even for adult women, let alone teens. Still, no pregnancies in my class and I doubt everybody was being holy, holy, holy.

 

[boombox4]

Looks like the French have come a long, long way -- from Jane Birkin in 1969, to Gojira today.

 

[davideduardo]

I know, really?? Are we that shy of current topics that we need to create controversy around music from fifty years ago?
Like you David, I've never heard even one complaint (fifty years ago) about moaning. Talk about a nothing-burger.

A nothing-burger with mild sauce, hold the onion.

 

[Deleted User]

well Eric Carmen and the Raspberries sure didn't hold back in 1974 ... 7 years after "The Summer Of Love"

Granted it isn't Closer by N.I.N.

 

[michael hagerty]

well Eric Carmen and the Raspberries sure didn't hold back in 1974 ... 7 years after "The Summer Of Love"

Granted it isn't Closer by N.I.N.

Five years. Go All The Way was 1972. And Go All The Way was pretty tame...no sound effects and the most explicit lyric was the title. Go back six years to Lou Christie's "Rhapsody in the Rain". That and the Stones' "Let's Spend The Night Together" caused some parents some heartburn.

Kinda quaint, huh?

 

[gr8oldies]

Moaning even hit religion! I remember a spot for a gospel album where one of the songs was "The Moan that Keeps Homes Together". All that was played in the song was the very end where the female singer says "Mama Kept on Moanin'". Just to make this topic even more ridiculous.

 

[dlf1]

I would like to add the cover of “Wild Thing” by Fancy to the cavalcade of moans.

 

[dlf1]

“Whole Lotta Love” was the ultimate moan song and that missed the 70’s by a year.

 

[davideduardo]

Five years. Go All The Way was 1972. And Go All The Way was pretty tame...no sound effects and the most explicit lyric was the title. Go back six years to Lou Christie's "Rhapsody in the Rain". That and the Stones' "Let's Spend The Night Together" caused some parents some heartburn.

And then there was "making love on the green grass behind the stadium..."

No moans, but fairly descriptive.

 

[boombox4]

I would like to add the cover of “Wild Thing” by Fancy to the cavalcade of moans.

It think the Troggs' song in question was "I Can't Control Myself". Good rocker, actually. Tribal, almost. But hey, they named themselves after cave men....