Cencorship on the wadio
The two songs are "Oliver's Army" by Elvis Costello and "money" by Pink Floyd.
In the former song the word "nigger" was deleted in the line " one less white nigger" and in the latter the word "shit" was deleted from the line " do goody good bullshit". I understand that the first word could be seen as very inflammatory (although I don't quite understand what Elvis Costello was actually referring to or meaning) but this second can be heard in various songs played extensively over the airwaves, one being "Going Underground" by The Jam.
I've never before heard either song being doctored & just wondered whether this is a new policy by that certain radio station. I'd be interested to know whether anyone else has come across this recently.
Comments
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Olivers Army been beeped by other stations for years.2
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My understanding of the Oliver's Army lyric is that it's an anti-colonial song and that the phrase used was a derogatory term for the Irish used by the army. As a result, the phrase should probably be left in as it's in context.
Apparently, it was censored by the BBC a few years ago and this received a wave of criticism and protest that far outweighed any complaints they ever received when they left the phrase in.
In short golfie, I don't know why they bleeped it, sorry!
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Going over the lyrics in my head I can't remember where "bullshit" features in Going Underground.
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Bullshit is bullshit is on Beat Surrender by The Jam0
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ThanksMrOneLung said:Bullshit is bullshit is on Beat Surrender by The Jam
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I've always taken Oliver's Army to be about young working class men ("the boys from the Mersey and the Thames and the Tyne") being sent off to fight around the world ("we can send you to Johannesburg") but their lives and deaths ("one more widow") having little value to those who control them ("one less white nigger")
So it could be seen as a statement that poor white working class kids are oppressed in a similar way to black people or as a inappropriate use of a racial slur by a white artist.
Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.4 -
Please update the title it is making my teeth itch.2
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Done :-)Clem_Snide said:Please update the title it is making my teeth itch.
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You may well be right there henners. I have wondered if Costello maybe meant it as a comment on one thing, like working class boys going to war, but then happily embraced the idea of it being about something else too, like colonialism etc.
I don't think the offending phrase was written as a racist slur but, as you say, maybe it was an unwise choice of words, but also indicative of language at the time.
Whatever. I think it's a good song.
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I think Olivers Army was primarily about mercenaries ; I think EC put in the sleevenotes to one of his compilations that Rock and Roll was the only profession that sent more unsuitable people out representing their country.0
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Going Underground features the line "Spraying shit from my tv screen"0
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John Lennon also used it in a song title in the early seventies about the oppression of women.lordromford said:You may well be right there henners. I have wondered if Costello maybe meant it as a comment on one thing, like working class boys going to war, but then happily embraced the idea of it being about something else too, like colonialism etc.
I don't think the offending phrase was written as a racist slur but, as you say, maybe it was an unwise choice of words, but also indicative of language at the time.
Whatever. I think it's a good song.
I don't think Elvis uses it as a racial slur although it is a slur (cue rap singers use it blah blah blah) but as a way of emphasising the situation of young working class men dying in Ireland and elsewhere (the song came out in what 1980?)
Very good song.0 -
The beauty of Elvis Costello's lyrics is that they are always open to interpretation.
A lot of the military references on the Armed Forces album are metaphors for personal relationships.
Having said that, my simplistic take on Oliver's Army is that it is about mercenaries.
The line about white niggers I have always taken to be a reference to a "tame" leader bankrolled by the west.0 -
"These braying sheep on my TV screenchurch-lane said:Going Underground features the line "Spraying shit from my tv screen"
Make this boy shout, make this boy scream!"
@church-lane0 -
The references to "Careers Information" and "It's a professional career" echo the army recruitment of the time.Six-a-bag-of-nuts said:The beauty of Elvis Costello's lyrics is that they are always open to interpretation.
A lot of the military references on the Armed Forces album are metaphors for personal relationships.
Having said that, my simplistic take on Oliver's Army is that it is about mercenaries.
The line about white niggers I have always taken to be a reference to a "tame" leader bankrolled by the west.
Don't start that talking
I could talk all night
My mind was sleepwalking
While I'm putting the world to rights
Call careers information
Have you got yourself an occupation?
Oliver's army is here to stay
Oliver's army are on their way
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today
There was a Checkpoint Charlie
He didn't crack a smile
But it's no laughing party
When you've been on the murder mile
All it takes is one itchy trigger
One more widow, one less white nigger
Oliver's Army is here to stay
Oliver's army are on their way
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today
Hong Kong is up for grabs
London is full of Arabs
We could be in Palestine
Overrun by a Chinese line
With the boys from the Mersey and the Thames and the Tyne
But there's no danger
It's a professional career
Though it could be arranged
With just a word in Mr. Churchill's ear
If you're out of luck or out of work
We could send you to Johannesburg
Oliver's Army is here to stay
Oliver's army are on their way
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
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We have had both of those songs censored at the radio station I work for, although Oliver's Army has now been restored to it's original state, for a few years we had Fairytale of New York heavily edited, the 'scumbag' verse was removed, something I thought was ridiculous, as leading radio stations have always played the full version, finally sanity was restored after a few arguments and we now have the full version.
You can play more risque music later in the evening these days, much the same as TV there is a bit of a watershed.
Ofcom actually published a document recently on words we can us on air and not, hilarious reading, radio does seem to be less tolerant than TV, on TV you can get a way with a lot, on radio very little, I have been reported to OFCOM two or three times in the last few years after complaints about things I have said, thankfully after investigation and an explanation from us the complaints were dropped.1 -
DisgracefulPeteF said:We have had both of those songs censored at the radio station I work for, although Oliver's Army has now been restored to it's original state, for a few years we had Fairytale of New York heavily edited, the 'scumbag' verse was removed, something I thought was ridiculous, as leading radio stations have always played the full version, finally sanity was restored after a few arguments and we now have the full version.
You can play more risque music later in the evening these days, much the same as TV there is a bit of a watershed.
Ofcom actually published a document recently on words we can us on air and not, hilarious reading, radio does seem to be less tolerant than TV, on TV you can get a way with a lot, on radio very little, I have been reported to OFCOM two or three times in the last few years after complaints about things I have said, thankfully after investigation and an explanation from us the complaints were dropped.
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This makes me chuckle, radio 4 air plays laced with obscenity yet these songs get spoiled by censorship.
As an aside, I clearly remember listening to the top 40 show one Sunday and someone had either gone rogue or just not got the right CD out and the record by ODB got your money, which is a swear fest was played, in full, in its unedited version for 4 minutes in a Sunday afternoon. And that very much made me laugh0 -
That's the one I was referring to.Henry Irving said:
"These braying sheep on my TV screenchurch-lane said:Going Underground features the line "Spraying shit from my tv screen"
Make this boy shout, make this boy scream!"
@church-lane0 -
I find it strange that most radio stations censor songs for offensive words yet Radio 4 just yesterday had a programme on called Kitchen confidential, a sort of comedy piece about working in a busy restaurant. the words asshole, bullshit, shit, dickhead were all used, the word shit several times and this was on around 11am. I wasn't shocked as Radio 4 often allow swearing and even racial slurs (in context) to be broadcast, it's just strange that others on the BBC and on advertising radio cant utter the word balls without having to apologise profusely.1
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I always thought Olivers army was Oliver Cromwell's new model army.
An army based on aptitude as opposed to birthright.3 -
Used to play the uncut version of Won't get fooled again on a Saturday morning, ah those were the days ;-) Heard London Greek Radio play the uncut version of Don't marry her once.1
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Both songs have had the audio muted at that point on Absolute too, certainly during the day at least.harveys_gardener said:Olivers Army been beeped by other stations for years.
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I noticed on the radio the other day that Bruno Mars track 'That's what I like' had been edited to delete the lyric 'sex by the fire at night'. What is the problem with that? Unless it's unfair on those that don't possess a fire.2
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Thank goodness someone has done the right thing and changed the lyric. I mean... "one less"? As everyone knows it should be "one fewer".5
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Because of the word 'less' in that lyric I always took it to be a n***** who wasn't as white as they used to be, which made absolutely no sense.Chizz said:Thank goodness someone has done the right thing and changed the lyric. I mean... "one less"? As everyone knows it should be "one fewer".
I get it now.2 -
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.....and while we on the subject of lyrics, check out Mott the Hoople All The Way To Memphis.
There is a part where the writer is chastised by a citizen for not taking more care of his guitar.0 -
clever dick.Baldybonce said:I always thought Olivers army was Oliver Cromwell's new model army.
An army based on aptitude as opposed to birthright.1 -
The target audience of radio 4 are intellectually robust and generally middle class enough to hear such vulgaraties whilst remaining well rounded, wholesome folk.Karim_myBagheri said:I find it strange that most radio stations censor songs for offensive words yet Radio 4 just yesterday had a programme on called Kitchen confidential, a sort of comedy piece about working in a busy restaurant. the words asshole, bullshit, shit, dickhead were all used, the word shit several times and this was on around 11am. I wasn't shocked as Radio 4 often allow swearing and even racial slurs (in context) to be broadcast, it's just strange that others on the BBC and on advertising radio cant utter the word balls without having to apologise profusely.
Whereas the demographic who listen to popular music just need to hear the slightest bit of cussing on the airwaves and they'll be out burning stuff and rioting before you can say cheeky nandos.
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