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Music Trivia -> Songs That Are Banned -> G
Can you think of a song that was specifically banned by a radio station, tv station, or government?
Entries Beginning with G
"Gay Bar," Electric Six
Released in 2003, the lyric "Let's start a war/Start a nuclear war" would be censored due to the War on Terror, either by muting out parts of the said lyric or redoing it with "Let's do an edit/Do a radio edit".
Archie
"George Jackson," Bob Dylan
Radio stations across the U.S. ban this Dylan song over concerns about the songs political theme and the word "shit" in the lyrics.
Peter
"Get In The Ring," Guns N' Roses
In a jukebox near me, back in the early 90s, this song was banned and wasn't allowed to be played on the 'Use Your Illusion II' album as apparently it drew in complaints. So it's a small ban... but it's still a ban! And a public ban too!
Lee
"The Gift," INXS
Banned by MTV due to graphic violence and there is a message @ the start saying in my own words this video contains distubing material that offend parental discretion is advised for minors. [Ed.'s note: I wonder why we even need these advisories anymore since the TV-MA rating was supposed to end all that.]
Iesha
"Girl From Germany," Sparks
Banned by some US radio stations in 1972 due to Hitler references, despite being a song decrying postwar Germanophobia.
Horatio
"Girls On Film," Duran Duran
Duran Duran had the dubious distinction of being the very first band to have one of their music videos banned by MTV.
Celeste
"Girls, Girls, Girls," Motley Crue
The version released as DLC for the video game "Guitar Hero 5" features a completely silent gap, after "I've got those photos..."
GlamRockNinjaLord
"Give Ireland Back To The Irish," Paul McCartney
On February 19, 1972, Paul McCartney releases this song, his commentary about the Britain-Ireland conflict. The song is immediately banned by the BBC, but the notoriety the song receives from the banning only increases it's popularity in the U.K. and it soars into the Top 20.
Peter
"Give It Away," Red Hot Chili Peppers
On the Simpsons, Krusty asked the Red Hot Chili Peppers to change the line "What I got you gotta get and put it in ya," which is a parody of "Girl we couldn't get much higher" on Ed Sullivan. However, we mortals did not hear that, only their underwear dance.
Witterquick
"Gloomy Sunday," Various / Rezso Serres (composer)
Even though to this day the" Hungarian Suicide Song" legend has not been proved true or false. It has been banned before. (Now, I will say that personally, I think the instrumental version is the creepiest.)
James
"Gloria," Them
In 1966, Chicago's WLS radio commissions a local group to re-record the Them's hit because they object to the lyrics. Station management feels the lyric, "she comes in my room" is too suggestive to broadcast. The local band, the Shadows of Knight, re-record the song and that version becomes a national top ten hit. The Them's original stalls at #71 on the charts.
Peter
"God Damn Evil," Stryper
That's right, folks. STRYPER - that 'Christian metal' band puts out an album with this title and it has a title track as well. 'Christian' stores and the ever-hypocritical Walmart refuses to stock the album. Sounds like an ugly gimmick on behalf of the band - Creed (CRUD) had the same controversy over the use of the 'GD' word in 'What This Life's For' in 1998. Creed sucks and Stryper always was a bunch of pretentious pompous wankers anyway.
Gimme Real Honest Music Anyday!
"God Only Knows," The Beach Boys
Banned from radio at the time of release for containing the word "god." Stupid, isn't it?
dxman
"God Save The Queen," The Sex Pistols
Two weeks after signing the Sex Pistols, Virgin Records releases this song to coincide with Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee celebration in June 1977. The song is banned from British airplay because of its "treasonous sentiments." Nonetheless, the song becomes a Number One record in the U. K., listed in some reports with a blank line where the title should be.
Peter
"Godzilla (live)," Blue Oyster Cult
That's right, it's on THEIR OWN 1982 live album 'Extraterrestrial Live'. The singer gives his introduction to the song and on the CD you hear, 'Holy *BEEP*, it's Godzilla!'. they didn't need to censor themselves here.
I Saw BOC Live Twice for FREE!
"Gold Digger," Kanye West
In radio airplay, the n-word is replaced every time by the word "broke"; other inappropriate words are censored during radio broadcast and MTV plays as well.
dxman
"Goodbye," Mimi Webb
While the official lyrics state "...God knows this part isn't fun", sometimes when she performs it live she changes it to "...God knows this s#!t isn't fun". Think the official line was to make it radio friendly.
Dongquan
"Got Ur Self A...," Nas
Original: "Got Ur Self A Gun." The radio edit has echo after the word "a."
dxman
"Greased Lightning," John Travolta
The line "It ain't no s***, I'm gonna get some t**" is not often played on the radio, and when the movie has been aired on network TV it's been snipped off, too.
Genesis Biker
"Greased Lightning," John Travolta
The line "It ain't no shit" is not often played in radio broadcasts.
dxman
"Green Grass," Gary Lewis & The Playboys
An urban legend about this song at the time of its release alleged that the title was a marijuana reference. Consequently, many deejays wouldn't play it.
Bob
"Green Green Grass," George Ezra
At the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June 2022, Ezra had to omit the words "on the day that I die" from the chorus.
Dongquan
"Green Green Grass," George Ezra
At the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June 2022, Ezra had to omit the words "on the day that I die" from the chorus.
Dongquan
"Greenback Dollar," The Kingston Trio
When this came out in 1963, the unedited version, with its repeated chorus starting out "And I don't give a damn about a greenback dollar." was not played on the radio. Instead, a radio edit version had the word "damn" blocked out. How different from today those days were, when singing "damn" was "pushing the envelope" too much!
Adrienne Ramseur
"Guns In The Sky," INXS
Hutch rails about weapons in outer space and all the economic waste and inequality and the superstar worship that diverts people's attention away from the problems that plaque planet Earth (still holds true today, doesn't it? It's worse than ever!).Then he slams it all with the line, "Well I'm sick of it! It's a load of s***!". That last word is either blanked (video and radio) or replaced with clashing cymbals.
INXS is Heaven Sent
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