Banned songs

[matt1]

The Raspberries final 45 single "Cruisin' Music" (tribute to The Beach Boys) failed to chart in January of 1975. They reunited (after a 29 year absent) back on November 26, 2004 at the "House Of Blues" in their hometown of Cleveland. Went to the "Scene Pavillion" when I saw The Raspberries (with special guest The Knack with the late Doug Fieger) back on July 15, 2005. The group broke up for good in April of 2010 during a "Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame" private concert in Cleveland.

[ChrisWL1980]

The BBC banned Paul Simon's "Kodachrome" in 1973, probably more because the lyrics mention a commercial product than for the word "crap" in verse one. A number of U.S. stations didn't ban the song but did censor that word.
I don't know how many of the "death discs" of the early '60s ("Teen Angel," "Tell Laura I Love Her," "Last Kiss," etc.) were actually banned, but they were certainly controversial. The Shangri-Las' "Leader of the Pack" did get banned by the BBC, IIRC.
A song called "In the Summer of His Years" was recorded and released by a number of artists following the assassination of JFK. The highest-charting version on Billboard was by Connie Francis, but the song was banned by a number of radio stations who felt capitalizing on a national tragedy was in bad taste. Nevertheless, Connie announced she was donating all the proceeds from the single sales to the family of J.D. Tippit, the Dallas police officer who was also murdered by Oswald on 11/22/63.

[matt1]

The late J. Frank Wilson (who died on October 4, 1991) & The Cavaliers did the original "Last Kiss" that went to # 2 in 1964. Then that song returned to the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at # 92 in January of 1974. Also Oshawa, Ontario, Canadian group Wednesday did the remake in January of 1974 on Sussex Records peaking at # 34. Also Wednesday did the remake of the late Mark Dinning (who died on March 22, 1986) 1960 # 1 song "Teen Angel" peaking at # 79 in May of 1974. Wednesday also did the late Ray Peterson (died on January 25, 2005) 1960 song "Tell Laura I Love Her" (from the 1974 "Last Kiss" album). Unidisc in Canada has 4 more bonus tracks on the CD because Sussex in the US had 10 songs on the album & all are remakes. Their 1976 2nd album "Loving You Baby" title track was written by Elton John & Bernie Taupin BUT the US did not release it. The female trio Dusk song "Angel Baby" (Bell Records) which went to # 57 in March 1971 almost sounds like The Shangri-Las 1964 # 1 song "Leader Of The Pack"!!

[matt1]

Dusk "Angel Baby": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJV5mGo ... =The45Prof

[matt1]

Raspberries (Wally Bryson on vocal) "Party's Over" (from 1974 "Starting Over" album track & B 45 flip side "Cruisin' Music") "I'm crazy but I don't give a shit" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5ZXLsI ... ries-Topic

[matt1]

Raspberries (Scott McCarl & Wally Bryson on vocals) "Hands On You" (from 1974 "Starting Over" album track & B 45 flip side of "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)") https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSfhctc ... ries-Topic

[matt1]

Raspberries "Starting Over" (Eric Carmen on vocal) (from 1974 "Starting Over" album track) "Used to feel so fuckin' optimistic" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXk6TBQ ... ries-Topic

[matt1]

By the way, Rolling Stone magazine back in January of 1975 named The Raspberries "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" the Best Song Of 1974 by rock critics!! Also George McCrae's "Rock Your Baby" was also!! In the Summer issue back in 1988 of "The Top 100 Songs Of The Past 25 Years", that song was # 90 out of the Top 100. The Rolling Stones 1965 song "Satisfaction" was # 1, followed by Bob Dylan 1965 song "Like A Rolling Stone" at # 2 & The Beatles February 1964 "I Want To Hold Your Hand" at # 3. The last 2 or 3 issues of Rolling Stone magazine does NOT have The Razzies in The Top 500 Songs Of All Time though. Though Spin magazine either in 1988 or 1989 had The Raspberries 1972 song "Go All The Way" at # 996 out of the Top 1,000 Songs Of All Time.

[matt1]

Also The Raspberries when Todd Rundgren saw them performing live in New York City at Carniege Hall in November of 1973, they performed "The Loco-Motion" & Rundgren wanted The Razzies to do the remake for their next album BUT they turned it down. Then it was Flint's Grand Funk (Railroad) who did the remake & they hit # 1 for 2 weeks in May of 1974 which Rundgren produced their album "Shinin' On" (Rundgren also produced 1973 album "We're An American Band").

[matt1]

The Raspberries did NOT toured the state of Michigan during 1972 - early 1975 as well as their comeback tour in late 2004 till early 2010 BUT Eric Carmen made only 1 appearance either in June OR July of 2000 during Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band tour at DTE Energy Music Theater (Pine Knob). Eric was about to tour "A Walk Down Abbey Road" with the late Jack Bruce, Alan Parsons & Christopher Cross in the Summer of 2002 (I was there at DTE on August 2002) BUT Eric was dropped off. Eric did toured solo to promote his first album for Arista (Magic the backing group) with special guest Sweet ("Fox On The Run") back around 1976 in Flint (Whiting Auditorium).

[tc]

This wasn't quite banned but... Casey Kasim refused to say the title to Geroge Michael's 1987 hit I want your sex. I believe a few stations in The US refused to play the song.

I worked at a radio station when that song came out, we were told to say "The new song by George Michael" or whatever, but not the title. I think that was only for a little while though.

[matt1]

Back in September of 2008!! https://www.tmz.com/2008/09/10/hungry-bloodshot-eyes/

[matt1]

Also this: https://www.tmz.com/2009/04/15/hungry-e ... -sentence/

[kager]

Also this: https://www.tmz.com/2009/04/15/hungry-e ... -sentence/

That's quite a tack you've got on the 'berries there, Matt1. And/or Carmen.

Must have been one heck of a show w/ The Knack back in ought-5.

Thanks for sharing your memories.

[matt1]

Too bad that The Razzies did NOT came to Michigan though in the 70's or the 2000's.