The BBC's Musical Ban in the 1960s: Hits and Humor

In the 1960s, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) played a significant role in shaping popular music culture, but not in the way one would immediately suspect. It is widely known that the BBC banned various songs, often inadvertently amplifying their popularity and boosting sales. This article delves into these fascinating cases, highlighting the era's unique blend of censors and cultural curators.

Publicity and Sales: A Double-Edged Sword

During the 1960s, the BBC's ban on youth-oriented music became a source of amusement and infamy. Whenever a song was deemed inappropriate or offensive, it not only received more publicity but also guaranteed a boost in sales. The BBC, instead of dampening the music scene, often inadvertently propelled these tracks into mainstream consciousness. This trend persisted throughout the decade, as a variety of songs faced temporary bans, which often meant they would get more airplay and attention.

A Case Study: The Kinks and "Lola"

The Kinks' hit song "Lola" encountered a small but significant modification when they tried to air it on BBC. In 1970, the band had to change "Coca Cola" to "Cherry Cola" to ensure it could be broadcast. This minor change not only underscored the BBC's stringent censorship rules but also provided a humorous anecdote to music history. Interestingly, the change was necessitated not during the initial release but later, demonstrating that even well-established hits faced scrutiny and potential bans.

Music and Censorship: The Ed Sullivan Show Example

On the other side of the Atlantic, the American Ed Sullivan Show experienced its own censorship episode. The Rolling Stones' song "Let's Spend the Night Together" was temporarily banned because of its sexual connotations, with the network demanding the band change the title to "Some Time Together." This case is particularly noteworthy as it illustrates how distributors sometimes amplified perceived offenses to bureaucrats, ultimately reinforcing the song's notoriety.

Ancient Banning Practices: Beyond Lyrics

The most famous example of the BBC banning a record was the case of Jane Firkin and Serge Forward's Je tuam moi non plus. Despite its apparent innocuousness, the song faced a ban based on the rationale that its French content implied illicit activities, particularly considered offensive in the context of French culture's associations with such behaviors. The reasoning was flawed, as the lyrics were in a language many couldn't comprehend. Interestingly, the band's reaction to being banned was hilarious: the BBC considered the recording to be so prohibitive that DJs were instructed to only refer to it as "a record by Max Romeo" during chart run-downs. The ban, in reality, became the song's sole redeeming quality.

Other Notable Banned Songs

Dozens of songs were subject to temporary bans from various networks. A notable mention is the banning of songs like Je T'aime by Serge Gainsbourg and The Beatles' A Day in the Life. Interestingly, some songs were banned initially but later had their bans lifted when they managed to succeed commercially. For instance, the song Monster Mash was banned on its first release but later became a hit and charted in the 1970s when re-released. This demonstrates how networks' decisions could sometimes be overturned by the commercial realities of the music industry.

Wet Dream by Max Romeo is another song that faced a severe ban. It was so explicit that DJs were instructed not to even mention the song by name, but only identify it as "a record by Max Romeo" during the chart run-down. This strict labeling emphasized the extreme nature of the content and the BBC's desire to maintain a line between controversy and public decency. The ban, paradoxically, also heightened the intrigue and made the song a point of curiosity for many.

These instances from the 1960s highlight the complex interplay between censorship and cultural phenomena. The BBC's seemingly arbitrary bans often backfired, creating more publicity and demand than intended. In the process, they helped shape the music culture of an important era in the 20th century, demonstrating that sometimes, the very act of censorship can elevate the status and influence of banned songs.