Library of the Forbidden!

No, I'm not getting all Lovecraft on you, just thinking about censored songs. Not stuff that was censored but is now widely available like "Louie Louie", but songs that are still hard to come by, or taken out of circulation.

There's all the copyright issues, uncleared samples and such, e.g. the KLF's "1987," an album that will never see the light of day. But what I'm really interested in is stuff like:

"Cop Killer" Body Count - Still not on the album (tho there's a live version on a DVD or sumthin.)

"Qu'ran" Eno/Byrne - wasn't really a copyright issue (the Koran is in public domain) but according to Byrne: "they [a Muslim group] said, 'We consider this blasphemy that you put grooves to the chanting of the Holy Book.' And we thought, 'Okay, in deference to somebody's religion, we'll take it off.' You could probably argue for and against monkeying with something like that. But I think we were certainly feeling very cautious about this whole thing." And it hasn't been made available since.

So "Carbona Not Glue" is available again? Does "Combat Rock" have the toilet cleaner commercial now?

[as perhaps the resident clash geek]

The "2000 flushes version" of Inoculated City was only gone from '86 to '99, and only on the US versions. Rather than a remix, Epic just snipped the song down to 2:11 for the album on vinyl format (but leaving the original version on 7" b-sides). This version was used on the earliest US CDs as well, until '99.

There are still a bunch of Clash tracks that've never been given a digital release.



Post Edited (03-23-11 01:28)

(server doubleposted, wtf?)



Post Edited (02-11-11 21:35)

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So "Carbona Not Glue" is available again?

Really?

In a box somewhere, I've preseved a copy of that nifty bootleg pressing of that tune that's made to look like one of those SubPop Singles of the Month club things.

Can you even still buy Carbona anymore? I need some for ... work.

I just wish my college radio station, XPN would explore the Suicide/Alan Vega catalog. There's one song about a guy killing his family and himself so they steer clear of the entire catalog? Jeez, clear your ears!

The BBC has a long history of censoring (or rejecting) songs that include lyrical references to commercial products. I've read that Ray Davies had to fly back to London from the U.S. during a tour, just to re-record one line in "Lola" before the Kinks' record company could release it as a single in the UK. (The original line referred to champagne that tasted like Coca-Cola; since that's a commercial product, the song never would've gotten airplay on the Beeb if he hadn't changed it to "cherry cola.") Then he flew back to rejoin the Kinks on tour.

Tina Turner had to record a different vocal for "Private Dancer," to replace the reference to American Express with a line about "pounds sterling." I'm sure there are plenty of others.

(I think we've probably heard of Lola but thanks for the detail)

the negativland U2 track SST got sued for

self-censorship -- Peace Train by 10,000 Maniacs. They took it off In My Tribe because of the former Stevens' support of the Rushdie fatwa.

maybe someTPer already mentioned it before, i dunno.
justified (and ancient) ancients of mu mu- ABBers 'dancin queen'

"Kill The -resident" by The Offspring

"(I Want to) Kill Somebody" by S*M*A*S*H* was only available in the shops for one day in 1994. I've not looked to see if it's available now, probably not, now the Tories are back in.

I'm pretty sure that "Gunbarrel Highway" from the Aussie (proper) version of Diesel and Dust has never been officially released in the U.S. The one-time use of the word "shit" was apparently too much for Columbia Records.

This was, of course, was the same Columbia Records that released Licensed to Ill the previous year.

The Strokes "New York City Cops" (still not available on American copies; is available on imports)

I love the ones that get censored by corporate bullying like the Negativland single and the Melvins' Lysol. My job requires me to protect my company's brand - and I always ask myself before I take such action, "Do I want to wind up in the liner notes of some indie band's LP?"

"Gunbarrel Highway" has been added to the 2008 reissue of D&D.

[url="[url]http://www.gilligansisle.com/mp3/stairway.mp3"[/url];] Stairway - Little Roger and the Goosebumps [/url]

[url="[www.youtube.com];] Farewell to John Denver - Monty Python[/url]

[url="[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf2oyXqCqzo"[/url];] Stevie - the Rotters [/url]

Didn't Sonic Youth have a b-side or outtake called "I Killed Robert Christgau With My Big Fucking Dick?"

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Didn't Sonic Youth have a b-side

In the 80s Thurston just used this title to introduce the Kill Yr Idols encore, so it's either the live jam or alt-title of that song.

Cocksucker Blues (the song AND the movie).

Mojo Nixon had a song initially left off his 1995 "Whereabouts Unknown" album:

"the controversial "Bring Me the Head of David Geffen," which was ultimately released on a B-side collection due to pressure from album distributors."

Considering how many celebs/big shots have been targeted in Mojo's songs, why would a song about David Geffen spook 'em so much? Hell, even Don Henley had a sense of humor about the Mojo tune that attacked him.

"I just wish my college radio station, XPN would explore the Suicide/Alan Vega catalog. There's one song about a guy killing his family and himself so they steer clear of the entire catalog? Jeez, clear your ears!"

Actually, I can't listen to "Frankie Teardrop." It's just too messed up. Both the 1st Suicide and Saturn Strip are 2 of my faves... I have to skip Frankie...too messed up.