Well, maybe YOUR playlist. None of these songs are on mine (okay, maybe 3 of them), not because they are offensive, it’s because I don’t like them all that much.
Two USA Today writers compiled a list of songs that YOU SHOULDN’T BE LISTENING TO! Not because they suck – like the excruciating Ebony and Ivory – but because they aren’t approved by the self-appointed arbiters of acceptableness- THEM.
20 politically incorrect songs that’d be wildly controversial today.
I’m not sure what “wildly” controversial means. Either something is controversial or it’s not. My guess is that when the right is offended by something it possesses a lesser degree of controversy, as opposed to when the left is offended, then it’s WILDLY controversial.
Here are the songs from the list that I’m familiar with.
–Kung Fu Fighting: There was funky Billy Chin and little Sammy Chung. Stereotypically Asian-sounding last names isn’t exactly a nuanced appreciation of the culture.
And if they sang Billy Deluca and Sammy Epstein it would be a head scratcher, no? Using Asian sounding last names in order to name Asian characters is not racism, you morons.
– Brown Sugar: misogyny and outright references to raping slaves make this a low point in the Stones’ discography.
They were writing a song about “Jungle Fever” when Spike Lee was 4 years old. It’s about the hypocrisy of treating humans like animals, yet the white slave owner lusts after the black women. It’s art. Nothing wrong with it.
– Under My Thumb: the song about a woman who’s been molded to “talk when she’s spoken to” is an embarrassment for even existing.
That’s not what the song is about. The song opens with the woman doing to him what he ends up doing to her. It’s a “the worm has turned” story.
– Do They Know It’s Christmas?: a song that declares the entire continent of Africa is bereft of water, trees or joy.
That’s how you get people to send money, morons.
–Turning Japanese: it wouldn’t be acceptable today to hear a group of white guys assuming the identity of Asian people.
Why? Explain.
–Island Girl: ode to a New York City prostitute who’s “black as coal but she burn like a fire” is cringeworthy.
Why? Is it the “black as coal” descriptor? What if she was black as coal? Now what? Isn’t it more offensive to think that that is offensive?
–Ebony and Ivory: would be interpreted as hilariously naïve by the more woke factions of today’s cultural discourse.
I have no idea what the frig you are saying. The song says we are all the same we should all live together in perfect harmony. Besides being Pollyannaish, what is the offensive part?
-Rape Me: We get it. Kurt Cobain was a deeply tortured soul. He probably, in retrospect, could’ve expressed this one better.
His art. His expression. Do you want to go back in time and hold artists brushes for them and change the paintings?
What am I saying? Of course you do.
–Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright): “Don’t say a word, my virgin child, just let your inhibitions run wild.” Stewart woos a faceless young woman and leads her up to his bedroom before she says in French, “I’m a little scared. What is my mother going to say?”
Guess what? Every woman who is not a virgin, they once were. Why can’t there be a song about the night a woman loses her virginity? Why do I get the feeling you’d applaud a song about some dude losing his be-hyman?
–Kissin’ Cousins: “Well I’ve got a gal, she’s as cute as she can be / She’s a distant cousin but she’s not too distant with me.” Nothing like a little casual incest to get the crowd up and dancing.
Distant cousin. DISTANT. That’s not illegal, nor biological unsafe. This is like you idiots inability to differentiate between legal immigration and illegal immigration.
For people with such strident opinions, you really don’t know the meanings of words, do ya?
–Walk on the Wild Side: In a song filled with racy anecdotes, this reference to Holly Woodlawn, a transgender actress who was bullied as a teenager and ran away from home, is alarmingly tone-deaf.
Making a reference to a transgender is tone deaf? Okay, we will never talk about them again. DEAL?
–Money for Nothing: A slight at effeminate rock stars, once again using “gay” as an insult.
I think people are offended that homosexuals hijacked the word gay. And hijacking the rainbow? That was just gay.
–Dude (Looks Like a Lady): makes us think that it’s not the homage to the LGBTQ community that he intended.
I thought we decided that we would never make reference to ‘Ts” again?
But if you insist, why should any song that references a transgender be an “homage”?
I demand any song that references a white guy be an homage.
Of course no rap, no Beyonce, etc.
Exactly why the left hates capitalism. The market determines what is out there. If you don’t like it your vote is not buying it not bitching and trying to ban what you don’t like to hear.
The radio station I listen to (classic rock/”oldies”) still plays several of those songs. And I like several of those songs. Grow up and get over it snowflakes.
How about “Night Moves”?
“Turning Japanese” By the Vapors
Turn all those up to 11!
Black Betty
White Christmas
Sister Christian
Well, I’m grateful that Lou Reed’s “Heroin” isn’t on their list because I have a lot of Lou Reed on my playlist and want to be politically correct.
I think BFH is trying to get a new playlist. 😉
I can’t believe Lola is not on the list just of the last line.: “…I’m glad I’m a man, and so is Lola.”
Hey U.S.A. today, I will respond with the great Alice Cooper singing,” you can kiss my ass!”
Well, if they’d bothered to ever listen to anything beside radio poop music, they’d have a wider range of real music to REALLY, REALLY, REALLY be offended by, ….Frank Zappa would top the list.
They put so much effort into finding offense in the unoffensive…..it must be so sad to be them.
What about “I’m a Cranky Old Yank in a Clanky Old Tank on the Streets of Yokohama With My Honolulu Mama Doin’ Those Beat-O, Beat-O Flat-On-My-Seat-O, Hirohito Blues”*, by Hoagy Carmichael (1945)?
* – Listed by the Guinness book of World Records as one of the longest song titles in the world, and an actual song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyye06skfbE
😉
I’m surprised the entire sound track of My Fair Lady wasn’t trashed.
Vietvet, love the song by Hoagy Carmichael sung by Bing Crosby. Another good one would be Der Fuhrer’s Face by Spike Jones and His City Slickers.
And of course anything by Tom Lehrer, just because.
What about Tom Jones? Whoa oh oh.. Hhmmm? Libby’s just Luvv him, and Celine Dionne.
Mammy
-Al Jolson
Lola
-The Kinks
Take a Walk on the Wild Side
-Lou Reed
Mexican Radio
-Wall of Voodoo
“I wish I was in Tiajuana, eating barbequed iguana”
If I were a rich man. Aspires to belong to the 1%.
I fought the law. Wut dat shit bout popo winnin man?
Freakin at the freakers ball.
Dr Hook.
No wait – gays love musicals so it’s OK
Send Lawyers, Guns, and Money
banned for the children
“–Turning Japanese: it wouldn’t be acceptable today to hear a group of white guys assuming the identity of Asian people.”
I thought liberals were all good with people “identifying” as races/genders other than the one they were born.
Wyatt, I like Lou Reed too. Rock and Roll Animal is one of the best live albums in my opinion. Heroin one of the better songs on the album.
Eric Clapton’s version of “Cocaine”
Pat Traver’s version of “Boom, Boom, Out Go the Lights”
Stuart by the Dead Milkmen. Do you know what the queers are doing to the soil?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=71PNZH1OaW0
@geoff the aardvark: As you might guess, I have a number of albums by Spike Jones, Tom Lehrer, Allan Sherman, etc., so I’m very familiar with their material.
Here’s another one that probably wouldn’t pass the PC test with Liberals:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_butiv7zKtk
You probably remember it, too.
🙂
I watched the very first episode of Laugh In yesterday (it’s on Amazon Prime). Racy, sexy, pretty damn funny. And filled with triggering terms!
I like Chinese: Monte Python
@joe6pack: Concur – Rock and Roll Animal was my first Lou Reed album, and Heroin became my favorite song after I got tired of Sweet Jane.
How about Istanbul, Not Constantinople.
A woke review on songs from the Racist Hinterland:
Stand by your Man: As if!
I saw the Light: How dare these Hillbillies invoke their racist God?
Red Necks, White Socks and Blue Ribbon Beer: Like I have to explain that one.
Working Man Blues: So you won’t be on welfare? Racist Capitalist drone!
Chantilly Lace: Yeah we know what you like; Hetero-normative Rape Culture!
Old Dogs and Children and Watermelon Wine: They play this one at Klan Rallies
Daddy Sang Bass: Fine, Bible Thumping Hillbilly Von-Trapp Nazi wannabe’s
If you’re running down our Country Hoss you’re walking on the Fighting side of Me.
Cat Scratch Fever…gives the #MeToo movement the vapors
Almost forgot this Monty Python song. No one could be as offensive as they could, all the while doing it in a high-class English accent:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxsZN8_l7cc
Our playlist may be racist, offensive and unwoke, but at least it’s mostly literate, sensible and listenable.
Your shit is not even music. Peanut butter filled mouths mumbling over tape loops and auto tuned idiocy. The only thing I hear is WHOOMPING bass interspersed with an occasional expletive.
They need to turn off their music and go watch Blazing Saddles.
“I’m on a mexican radio” I think they were called voodoo chili – awesome song
I love all the songs – I guess I am unwoke – dang! lol
@jeff Rutherford. Wall of Voodoo.
“How can I miss you if you won’t go away?”
Followed by the classic “When your phone doesn’t ring, you’ll know it’s me.”
Hit me with your best shot- Pat Benatar.
lol
Instead of being a cultural revolution of sensitivity this is an attempt to shame you into disliking everything from your past, or being too afraid to even reminisce about our past.
These people perpetuating this historical cleansing ultimately intend to kill us all.
Mark my words.
If we’re going with older music, then anything by 2 Live Crew should have been on that list.
Drive a wedge between Man and God, Man and anything resembling patriotism, make love of self and validation from strangers a virtue, and release the pandemic.
Take out the old farts who can and will remind folks about how it was in America
Well, it’s the first decent night since October in central Virginia so I’m itching to fire up the Harmon Kardon Bluetooth speaker (excellent) and Spotify on the patio with a shot of Makers Mark. Time to get lost in unwoke music.
Several suggestions here so far.
Keep them coming.
Oh – and just one more, from The National Lampoon Radio Hour, The Middle Class Liberal Well Intentioned Blues:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqr-fQf-CVE
Written almost fifty years ago, this is more relevant today than ever.
The Godless left probably like this one. While not Godless nor left, I do too.
She Left Me For Jesus – Hayes Carll
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5D6dUhkoWc
Great stuff @vietvet. Loves me some old national lampoon.
But tonight I’m looking for true escapism.
I don’t want to hear about liberals, Comey, Hillary, Mueller, Obama or any of that shit.
It’ll wait until tomorrow. I’m up to here with russiarussiarussia, Syria, Iran, Democrats idiots, auto driving cars, masterbaiters, bloviators, mischief makers, total fakers, bogus automakers.
I just want to enjoy an evening on the patio listening to music.
Now who did that great song about wooden tits?
Was that The Beach Boys?
Suicidal Tendencies- You can’t Bring Me Down 1990 excerpt:
“Just cause you don’t understand what’s going on
…don’t mean it don’t make no sense
And just cause you don’t like it,…don’t mean it aint no good
And let me tell you something
Before you go taking a walk in my world,
…you better take a look at the real world
Cause this aint no Mr. Rogers Neighborhood
Can you say “feel like shit?”
Yea maybe sometimes I do feel like shit
I aint happy about it, but I’d rather feel like shit
…than be full of shit!
And if I offended you, Oh I’m sorry
But, maybe you needed to be offended
But here’s my apology and one more thing…Fuck you!
Cause you can’t bring me down”
Just what these morons deserve…
“Turning Japanese: it wouldn’t be acceptable today to hear a group of white guys assuming the identity of Asian people.”
Heh, that song was about masturbation. Some things never get old. Guess that reference just sailed over the heads of another generation of scolds. Wankers, the lot of them.
Hurry up everybody. The patio is rocking tonight.
Zeppelin, Clash, Hendrix, Stones. Soon to be Wall of Voodoo.
I always enjoyed Wall of Voodoo’s album Call of the West (which contains the hit song “Mexican Radio”)
The first song “Tomorrow”, a story of ignoring the plight of today’s insanity until tomorrow. Because.
That’s me tonight. I’m exhausted by too much today. And Friday says take a break. It’s too much sometimes and a break is necessary.
‘Brown Sugar’ was about a relationship Jagger was having w/ a black maid … sheesh
btw, guess ‘Ubangi Stomp’ is totally out ….
aaaaaaaaaaand ….. if ‘Kung Fu Fighting’ is on your Playlist, you seriously need to re-access your life
aaaaaaaaaaand ….. it’s still legal to marry your cousin in many states, including Maryland & Virginia … but not West Virginia … go figure
Nobody cares but it’s time to move on the pixies.
Patio night is happy time. Weather here has been major suckage for a long time.
Mike (2 comments above) is right. Turning Japanese is about jerkin’ the gherkin and going blind.
How incredibly twisted your logic must be to feign outrage at these songs and say nothing about the garbage that is rap and hiphop “culture”. Some serious mental gymnastics.
Well all of a sudden the rock n roll convert means nothing.
Concert. You get it.
She’s Only 17 – Winger
“Daddy says she’s too young but she’s old enough for me”
You have to remember that this is USA Today. They’re no more an actual newspaper then CNN is a news network. Their business model is the same though. Give your papers away for free in hotels and rely on advertising. I wouldn’t be surprised if they, like CNN, paid clients to take their papers. USA Today is the paper that somebody reads until they get out for breakfast and can buy a real one.
@PHenry (at 7:27 pm):
You mean this one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD4sxxoJGkA
🙂
P.S. – That song Stuart by the Dead Milkmen, it was…I mean, it was really…you know, it’s hard to put into words here, but it was kinda like…well, you know what I mean. Right?
😉
“They don’t make Jews like Jesus anymore” by Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys
How about “Old Man River” and “Dixie”?
You got it @vietvet. Haha.
I don’t have a play list. I listen to songs in the order that they are on the album.
@Wiredog1837: Actually “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews…”.
(Not to be a nitpicker or anything, of course.) 🙂
Also good is The Ballad of Charles Whitman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlBuoBV-Sa0&list=PLwazLxAjCdhqV7hvC0ddmRKQ9nBtmtHRg