Making fun of music, one song at a time. Since the year 2000.
Check out the two amIright misheard lyrics books including one book devoted to misheard lyrics of the 1980s.
Music Trivia -> Songs That Are Banned -> T
Can you think of a song that was specifically banned by a radio station, tv station, or government?
Entries Beginning with T
"Talking Body," Tove Lo
She just won't take her eyes off explicit music videos. This time, clothes off.
ILoveMusic
"Talking John Birch Paranoid Blues," Bob Dylan
In February 1963 Bob Dylan refuses to perform on "The Ed Sullivan Show" when the show's producers don't allow Dylan to perform the tune. Bob Dylan would not be invited back to the show.
Peter
"Teach Me Tiger," April Stevens
The song was released in 1959 and caused a furore due to the sexually suggestiveness of the lyrics and was banned from being played on many radio stations in Utah.
Flyin' Bryan
"Teenage Dirtbag," Wheatus
In the year before this song's release, there was a shooting at a school in Columbine so in the line "He brings a gun to school" the word "gun" was edited out on the radio version.
A Stranger
"Tell Laura I Love Her," Ray Peterson
In October 1960 many radio stations refused to play the tune with dj's calling it the "Death Disk".
Peter
"Tell Me Baby," Red Hot Chili Peppers
In the censored version, the line "Life can be a little s****y" is changed to "Life can be a little kitty."
dxman
"That Boy John," The Raindrops
Song written and performed by Ellie Greenwich and Barry Mann released just days before the JFK assassination. Banned from radio because some people might think the song's lyrics referred to John Kennedy.
Jack Ortizano
"Their music," Deicide
Due to their songs' overtly Satanic messages and inflammatory remarks against Christianity, the band was barred from performing on certain venues and their music was of course banned for that matter. Unlike most metal bands whose use of dark imagery is largely confined as a gimmick to sell records (Tom Araya of Slayer is a devout Catholic and the Black Sabbath members wanted nothing to do with actual Satanism despite the devil being their recurring subject matter), Deicide are indeed committed Satanists.
Packie McReary
"Their Satanic Majesties Request (Album)," The Rolling Stones
The original title of this album was supposed to be "Her Satanic Majesties Request" a pun on the Queen Of England. Needless to say, the Stones decided to drop that title, fearing bad things would come...
GlamRockNinjaLord
"Theme from "Shaft"," Issac Hayes
The top-40 radio single version of this song had the vocal track edited (besides edits to reduce the playing time from 4:34 to 3:15). They changed the call and response that was originally "They say this cat Shaft is a bad mother..." "Shut your mouth!" -- to -- "They say this cat Shaft is a bad [silence in vocal track]" "Shut your mouth!" How do I know? I own a copy of the edited single, and the original soundtrack album. They just play the original "album" version now.
qlinkaardvark
"There Stands The Glass," Webb Pierce
This song is banned from radio because the lyrics are thought to condone heavy drinking.
Peter
"There's A Riot Goin' On.," Sly And The Family Stone
This song was banned in either the late 60's or very very 70's. I know I had an acid cut of that song.
tony
"These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)," Tony Bennett
In 1953, when Tony Bennett records this song (and makes a hit out of it) originally written in 1936 by Jack Strachey and Harry Link, the phrase "gardenia perfume linger on a pillow" is alterted to "a seaplane rising from an ocean billow."
Peter
"They Don't Really Care About Us," Michael Jackson
MTV banned this video because they felt that it was anti-semetic in particular the line "j*w me, sue me, don't you ever do me. Kick me, k*ke me, don't you black or white me."
Celeste
"They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!," Napoleon XIV
A recording engineer named Jerry Samuels, who billed himself as Napoleon XIV, hits #3 on the Billboard HOT 100 singles charts with this novelty song (It had one of the fastest rises to that high on the charts with only three weeks to reach to #3). In it's third week of national release, the song is banned by many U.S. radio stations because it seemed to make fun of the insane. (After the radio stations do this, the song has the fastest known plunge on the Billboard HOT 100 charts: It moves from #3 all the way out of the charts on it's fourth week of national release).
Peter
"This Is Gonna Hurt (Album)," Sixx AM
Banned from Wal-Mart, due to the cover art depicting a heart with a bunch of needles in it.
GlamRockNinjaLord
"The Thunder Rolls," Garth Brooks
There is an obliterated third verse in which the wife shot her cheating husband.
Princess J
"The Thunder Rolls," Garth Brooks
In 1991, Country Music Television and its parent company The Nashville Network both ban Garth Brooks' video for "The Thunder Rolls" because it graphically depicts domestic violence.
Peter
"To Hell With The Devil (Album)," Stryper
This album's original cover art depicted four angels throwing the Devil into a fiery pit. Some people objected to it and, like Motley Crue's "Shout At The Devil" album, the cover was changed to only feature the band logo and album name.
GlamRockNinjaLord
"Tonight's The Night," Rod Stewart
Back in 1976, this song was removed from RKO's radio stations playlist until the line, "spread your wings and let me come inside" was edited out.
Peter
"Too Drunk To F***," The Dead Kennedys
First top 40 hit in the UK to have the F word in the title. Not surprisingly, Radio 1 and Top of the Pops refused to have anything to do with it. Many chart listings just called it "Too Drunk To" and Top 40 presenter Tony Blackburn called it "A record by the Dead Kennedys"
Ra'akone
"Too Much Blood," Rolling Stones
The song and video are a parody of horror movies but the lyrics describing an actual event where this Japanese man living in Paris decapitates, cuts up and cannibalizes his GF, and an enacted scene where Mick has a mannequin doll (and other things) in his fridge as well as the hallucinations of this woman who is watching all this on her TV. She then 'sees' blood in virtually everything, even when she unplugs the TV set (bleeding socket!) and then she tries to smash the set on the wall. No use, so she hurls it out the window and the CRT explodes, with a ghost image of the screaming Mick Jagger hovering outside. Needless to say, this song and video airplay were very restricted on radio and MTV.
I Got Stoned 2X at Ohio State University
"Transfusion," Nervous Norvus
The correct artist for this song is Nervous Norvus. Dot and Diamond are the two record labels upon which the single was released!
MikeM
"Transfusion," Dot & Diamond
In 1956, ABC, CBS and NBC radio networks band this novelty hit. According to one NBC executive, "There is nothing funny about a blood transfusion."
Peter
"Truly Yours," Kool G. & D.J. Polo
After protests from the gay community, in September 1989, Los Angeles radio station KDAY pulls from rotation this song.
Peter
"Try It," The Standells
In 1969, this song by The Standells was banned by Texan radio chain mogul, Gordon McLendon, a Christian fundamentalist, who considered the song's lyrics to be obscene. Even though the record was the number one seller in many markets, including in Los Angeles, most of the radio stations followed McLendon's lead and refused to play it. The Standells even debated the Texan on Art Linkletter's "Let's Talk" television show, and by most accounts defeated him handily by pointing out his hypocrisy. But it was to no avail. The song died and so did the group's popularity and hopes of another hit record.
Peter
"Tubthumping," Chumbawamba
Some commercial radio stations in the UK banned this shortly after the death of Princess Diana due to the line 'I get knocked down...'
pickle
"The Twist," Chubby Checker
In 1962, Catholic school students in New York are forbidden to Chubby Checker's version of "The Twist", by Bishop Burke, who considers it and other dance craze songs to be "un-Christian".
Peter
"Typical Male," Tina Turner
Not the song itself but the video was edited for airing on Brazilian TV. Near the end before she seduces the lawyer and they are holding hands, Tina gives the viewer the 'OK' gesture. That gesture is VERY offensive in Brazil. It means "You asshole!" in their culture so that scene was clipped out for Brazilian TV broadcasts.
Reaction Giver
New entries in this section are currently reviewed by Indy Gent. Previous editors (if any) are listed on the editors page.
Submissions
If you have a creative/humorous idea, please submit it.