Controversial Songs and Videos

[iamthewalrus28]

Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy

 

[silk skin paws]

I'm not a huge Beatles fan but A Day in the Life is one of my all time favorite songs

Sorry I don't know how to embed youtube videos as of yet

Madonna's American Life video was banned in the US. In a way I was shocked because the edited version was really, I mean really watered down. It's like I'm watching a different video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55xDxaXw5E

Fiona Apple Criminal caused controversy since she looked very young and prepubescent looking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLhupEOBvbw

The Prodigy's Smack My B**ch Up video was banned from MTV. It's violent, and other graphic things.

Jay-Z's 99 Problems. I really like this song and video and I'm not a big fan of rap or Jay-Z.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UouMFyx65fo

Tool's Prison Sex video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5sIXUbMgF0

Rage Against the Machine's Guerrilla Radio. Political song and video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz-XbE_BYqs

Nas's Hate Me Now. The Jesus reference always piss people off

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TlKEQ2nIyo

 

[iamthewalrus28]

From wiki: INXS's "Original Sin" became their first #1 single and an international hit. During that year the song was #1 in Australia (for two weeks at the start of 1984) as well as in Argentina and France, #23 in Switzerland, #31 in the Netherlands and #58 in the U.S. where the single's explicitly political and anti-racism message may have contributed to low airplay.

 

[Uchina]

Soooo many good songs in this tread. Nas is my hero <3

 

[flyme2themoon]

The Smashing Pumpkins' song "Disarm", was a pretty controversial song.

The BBC banned the song from appearing on Top of the Pops, because of the lyric "cut that little child", and it received little radio airplay in the United Kingdom. That lyric along with lyrics like "what I choose is my choice" and "the killer in me is the killer in you" has also led to some controversy, as some read it as implying that abortion is murder. Corgan, however, has clearly asserted that the song is about the shaky relationship he had with his parents while growing up. - From Wikipedia

Apparently, he (Billy Corgan) was so angry at his parents, that instead of doing something very horrible to them, he decided to write them this song.

"And rather then have an angry, angry, angry violent song I'd thought I'd write something beautiful and make them realize what tender feelings I have in my heart, and make them feel really bad for treating me like s*** ".
http://www.starla.org/articles/rage2.htm

The music video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQtLoJlQD6E

Live at the MTV VMA's (1994)/ An angrier version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QESQQa9rqp4

 

[iamthewalrus28]

"Sorted for E's & Wizz" is a controversial single from Sheffield band Pulp. Taken from the number one album Different Class, it was released as a double-A sided single with "Mis-shapes", and reached number two in the U.K. charts.
It was Pulp's second successive number two hit in the summer of 1995. The single caused controversy because it describes a teenager going to a rave "somewhere in a field in Hampshire" and contains references to drugs ("E's and Wizz" refers to Ecstacy and Speed, and "getting sorted" means obtaining drugs before attending an event, in particular ingesting them before entering). In addition, the single's CD sleeve contained instructions on how to make a paper wallet to hold drugs. The Daily Mirror newspaper ran a front-page story with the headline "Ban This Sick Stunt" around the time of its release. However, the song expresses the negative side of "getting sorted" - it refers to a "hollow feeling" that "grows and grows" and includes the line "'Nice one!' 'Geezer!' That's as far as the conversation went."
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[iamthewalrus28]

Invisible Sun
The song is a departure from Police songs before it; "Invisible Sun" contains a dark, looping synthesizer beat, and powerful, haunting lyrics. Among other things, the lyrics refer to the ArmaLite rifle used mainly by the IRA. The music video for "Invisible Sun" features a collection of video clips taken from the conflict in Northern Ireland. Due to its subject matter, it was banned by the BBC.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[iamthewalrus28]

"Bankrobber" is a song by The Clash. It was not released on any of their studio albums, instead appearing on their compilation Black Market Clash. Upon its 1980 release it peaked at #12 on the UK Singles Chart. The song haphazardly chronicles the life of the narrator's father, the bankrobber of the song's title (who "never hurt nobody"), concentrating on the theme of the drudgery of many working class jobs.
Famously, young Ian Brown and John Squire of The Stone Roses was in attendance at the studio recording session of this single.[1]
The Clash filmed a low-budget video for the song, depicting members of the band wearing bandanas over their faces
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia

 

[Rebel Yell]

A list of songs that were banned from the radio due to 9/11, and the song having 'questionable lyrics'.

AC/DC-Highway to Hell
The Animals-We gotta get out of this place
Arthur Brown-Fire
The BAngles-Walk like an egyptian
Beastie Boys-Sabotage
The Beatles-Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Billy Joel-Only the good die young
Black Sabbath-War Pigs
Bruce Springsteen-Goin down
Carole King-I feel the earth move
Cat Stevens-Morning has broken
Dave Matthews Band-Crash into me
Foo Fighters-Learn to fly
Jan and Dean-Dead man's curve
Led Zeppelin-Stairway to heaven
Nine Inch Nails- Head like a hole
Peter, Paul and Mary-Leavin' on a jet plane
Queen-Another one bites the dust
RHCP-Aeroplane
REM-It's the end of the world as we know it(and I feel fine)
Simon and Garfunkel-Bridge over troubled water
Surfaris-Wipe out
U2-Bloody Sunday
ALL rage against the machine songs.

(from Q's 'Greatest Rock & Pop Miscellany ever!')

 

[Rebel Yell]

These songs were controversial because apparantly rumors were floating around that the songs were masking some messages through backmasking, messages that can only be heard when played backwards...

The Eagles-Hotel California
Led Zeppelin-Stairway to Heavem
Judas Priest- Better by you better than me

 

[Rebel Yell]

And this is a list of records banned during the gulf war..
Abba-Waterloo
Bangles-Walk like an egyptian
The Beatles-Back in the USSR
Phil Collins-In the air tonight
Cutting Crew-I just died in your arms tonight
Duran Duran-A view to kill
Eddie Grant-Living on the frontline
Elton Jogn-Saturday night's alright for fighting
Donny Osmond-Soldier of love
Bruce Springsteen-I'm on fire
Status Quo-In the army now
10CC-Rubber bullets

(taken from same source as original post)

 

[Rebel Yell]

Some beatles songs that apparantly held some secret messages alluding to the much-speculated 'death' of Paul McCartney from the late 60's. (It was a hoax but people still believe there are inevitable clues and that Paul McCartney is dead and someone is pretending to be him, etc etc etc.)
Some people still insist that Paul McCartney was killed in a car crash in 1966.

I suppose these songs could be 'controversial' for that urban legend..

'Yesterday'-Paul sings that yesterday came suddenly, that he's no longer the man he used to be, and that there's a shadow hanging over him-the shadow of death, perhaps..

'And your bird can sing'-Paul sings 'You can't see me' and 'You can't hear me'-because he's dead?

'Got to get you into my life'-Paul sings 'I took a ride, I didn't know what I would find there' could indicate that ride was his last one, and death was what he found.

'A day in the life'-John sings 'He blew his mind out in a car. HE didn't notice that the lights had changed', describing the death of his friend and colleague.

'All you need is love'-At the end, John sings something that SOUNDs like 'Yes, he's dead'

(taken from same source)

 

[m.j.]

These songs were controversial because apparantly rumors were floating around that the songs were masking some messages through backmasking, messages that can only be heard when played backwards...

The Eagles-Hotel California
Led Zeppelin-Stairway to Heavem
Judas Priest- Better by you better than me

actually, hotel california still scares me,cos there are lines like: You can always check out,but you can never leave...'
and the rummor is that the name of the song is also a name os satanic church...
there is also 'you can't kill the baest'... that song is scary....

many, many bands are or were attacked by catholic church, through years.
the stones,the doors, they all worshiped devil... it was like a popular thing in the late 60's ,early 70's.
even bryan adams' 'Summer of 69' is a song i just a bit too much, cos at the summer of 1969 the Manson familly killed over 30 people,cos their lider Charles Manson thought he was Jesus himself.... the group killed Roman Polanski's pregnant wife Sharon Tate among others. The same Charles Manson released several songs from prison,that actually were popular.

in order not to be so dark in this post, i always laugh when i hear lennon's How Do You Sleep... for those who don't know, the song is an attack to Paul and his lifestyle.

 

[m.j.]

Some beatles songs that apparantly held some secret messages alluding to the much-speculated 'death' of Paul McCartney from the late 60's. (It was a hoax but people still believe there are inevitable clues and that Paul McCartney is dead and someone is pretending to be him, etc etc etc.)
Some people still insist that Paul McCartney was killed in a car crash in 1966.

I suppose these songs could be 'controversial' for that urban legend..

'Yesterday'-Paul sings that yesterday came suddenly, that he's no longer the man he used to be, and that there's a shadow hanging over him-the shadow of death, perhaps..

'And your bird can sing'-Paul sings 'You can't see me' and 'You can't hear me'-because he's dead?

'Got to get you into my life'-Paul sings 'I took a ride, I didn't know what I would find there' could indicate that ride was his last one, and death was what he found.

'A day in the life'-John sings 'He blew his mind out in a car. HE didn't notice that the lights had changed', describing the death of his friend and colleague.

'All you need is love'-At the end, John sings something that SOUNDs like 'Yes, he's dead'

(taken from same source)

wow,you just gave me some unknown infos... it is sad that we won't know the truth behind many,many The Beatles songs... was it all just a game, just lyrics that rhyme, or there is more than just that....

 

[mellowdrama]

even bryan adams' 'Summer of 69' is a song i just a bit too much, cos at the summer of 1969 the Manson familly killed over 30 people,cos their lider Charles Manson thought he was Jesus himself.... the group killed Roman Polanski's pregnant wife Sharon Tate among others. The same Charles Manson released several songs from prison,that actually were popular.

Let's not forget Manson's claims of being directed by lyrics from the Beatles' White Album, "Piggies" and "Helter Skelter" coming to mind. Seems folks did way too many drugs and read too much significance into things while on those drugs. I'm believing the current generation is less prone to this than the 60's kids. We have Snopes.com to sort things out, plus I don't think some of those drugs make the rounds anymore, which is probably a good thing.

Anyway, here's John Cage performing "Water Walk" on I've Got A Secret in 1960:

 

[mellowdrama]

Another controversial song with a Charles Manson reference is John Cale's "Leaving It Up To You", for which I can't find any online audio or video link that works. The song has the line "I know we could all feel safe like Sharon Tate", which caused his label to omit the song from the album--1974's Helen of Troy.

It's a hair-raising, noisy-***ed creepy tune which always puts a smile on my face when it rolls around on the old mp3 roulette.