7 more songs you won’t believe were banned by radio stations
There’s so much to be angry about in the world every day. War, slavery, inequality, famine, corrupt governments. But screw all that, because sometimes musicians go way too far and dare to release a song that offends the sensibilities of a few. These classic songs and artists were removed from airwaves for various reasons (we’ve taken a look at a few before), but a spoiler alert – most of them have to do with sex.
1. “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” – Jimmy Boyd, 1952
This oft-forgotten Christmas carol was attacked by the Roman Catholic Church shortly after it reached the number one spot on America’s Billboard chart. The Boston-based church didn’t like that the song, sung by a 13-year-old, mingled Christmas and kissing.
2. “Wake Up Little Susie” – The Everly Brothers
Imagine the horror or being a teenager out on a date, and accidentally falling asleep and missing your curfew. Despite the Everly Brothers’ wholesome image, the Roman Catholic Church of Boston once again took issue with the song’s sex-adjacent content.
3. “God Only Knows” – The Beach Boys
Truly one of the sweetest songs about love for another person, this hit was banned by some radio stations in America for the crime of blasphemy, with some taking issue with the casual use of “God”.
4. “Travelin’ Soldier” – The Dixie Chicks
In 2003, The Dixie Chicks had the number one album and single on the US Country Charts, but everything changed overnight, when lead singer Natalie Maines criticised then-President George W. Bush’s invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq. Country music fans supposedly called to demand that radio stations stop playing the group’s music. Maines received multiple death threats, but the band continued with their stadium tour across the country. The song “Not Ready to Make Nice” was written about the experience, and the song and their next album netted the Dixie Chicks five Grammy awards.
5 “Brown Eyed Girl” – Van Morrison
Perish the thought that radio stations allow any kind of reference to human sexuality. This massive hit was banned by some radio stations for the line, “Making love in the green grass.”
6. “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” – The Shirelles
Making history as the first number one hit by a black female group, this pining classic was removed from airwaves by many stations because it was about a woman reflecting on her recent one-night stand.
7. “Ding-Dong! The Witch is Dead” – from The Wizard of Oz
In 2013, when former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher died, citizens who had opposed and fought against her political career began an organised effort to see this ditty atop the BBC Radio One charts. The song reached number two, but BBC refused to air the song, stating that it was “clearly a celebration of death”.