Dated song lyrics

Try listening to a few rap songs if you want to hear something really offensive - these old songs are tame in comparison.

So many songs would be lost to us if we start censoring retrospectively. Would we start with songs about drugs such as Golden Brown, Mr Brownstone, Back to Black, and a million others? Eminems albums would be straight out of play if we censor songs about violence to women.
I can't think it would be more to the point to keep them and use them as a discussion point about the attitudes towards drugs, violence, slavery, etc.
The only time I think songs should be banned retrospectively is when the singer/songwriter has been convicted of a crime like Gary Glitter. They should not be allowed to collect the royalties.

Having mentioned the content of this thread to my DH, he has suggested the song Hold On, I'm Coming by Sam and Dave should be included......

Chinese Girl by Bowie
Turning Japanese by - can't remember

Sparklefizz

There's no mistaking domestic violence with the lyrics of Delilah (I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more!!!)

I didn't know that Golden Brown by the Stones was about drugs until about 40 years later

Golden Brown was by The Stranglers

Summer Lovin' from Grease:

"Did she put up a fight?"

Well, I loved ‘Young Girl’ and still do.

I always interpreted it as she was a nubile, but under-age girl who he fancied, but knew his feelings must go no further, despite being tempted.

When was it, about 1967/1968?

55 years ago, we all know times have changed, but it all seemed far more innocent back in those heady teenage days.

And ‘Lola’ would be frowned on now!

I loved Melting Pot by Blue Mink and actually it’s another one which is clearly promoting racial tolerance.

Obviously the language used to describe certain nationalities would raise a few eyebrows now but the message portrayed is clear.

It was a huge hit, probably before the politically correct brigade of today were even born!

Maggiemaybe it’s probably just as well the sound systems weren’t that good back in the day then. I would have been permanently enraged.

Bella23

I suppose that was why" Je''taime "was banned by all the radio stations. They interpreted it even in the late 60s as a step too far. But most of us can remember it and sing along and the tune was lovely, it can still make me swallow when Jane Birkin died lat weak.
My mother pointed out the inappropriateness of "I'll be watching you", it had been played at a funeral she had attended and she said it was about haunting not Christian values.

I was MUCH too embarrassed by the words of "Je t'aime moi non plus" to sing along with them!
My French was quite good even then!

Granmarderby10

No Sparklefizz it was Brown Sugar by the stones. Golden Brown was by the Stranglers.
No idea what that was about either and don’t really care just like the toon. 😂

Brown Sugar is about black prostitutes.

Golden Brown is about heroin.

We don’t have to listen to any lyrics we don’t like, of course we don’t. But are we really happy with this sort of sentiment being normalised? Still played regularly on the radio.

It's down to me
The difference in the clothes she wears
Down to me, the change has come
She's under my thumb
And ain't it the truth babe?
Under my thumb
It's a squirmin' dog who's just had her day
Under my thumb
A girl who has just changed her ways
It's down to me
Yes it is
The way she does just what she's told down to me
The change has come
She's under my thumb
Ah, ah, say it's alright
Under my thumb
Is a Siamese cat of a girl
Under my thumb
She's the sweetest, hm, pet in the world
It's down to me
The way she talks when she's spoken to
Down to me, the change has come
She's under my thumb
Ah, take it easy babe
Yeah
It's down to me, oh yeah
The way she talks when she's spoken to
Down to me, the change has come
She's under my thumb
Yeah, it feels alright
Under my thumb
Her eyes are just kept to herself
Under my thumb, well I
I can still look at someone else
It's down to me, oh, that's what I said
The way she talks when she's spoken to
Down to me, the change has come
She's under my thumb.

No Sparklefizz it was Brown Sugar by the stones. Golden Brown was by the Stranglers.
No idea what that was about either and don’t really care just like the toon. 😂

Granmarderby10 - loved this song years ago. It was obviously a "hot sticky summer type" song. 🙄

This is the great thing about subtitles (if they are accurate) and lyric sites.
Many songs I could never understand the lyrics to until very recently
Means I can “shower- sing 🎶 “ correctly now 😀

Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley.

There's no mistaking domestic violence with the lyrics of Delilah (I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more!!!)

I didn't know that Golden Brown by the Stones was about drugs until about 40 years later

Ha! I used to love In the Summertime. I remember singing it all the way down to Cornwall one summer.

In The Summertime by Mungo Jerry… “have a drink have a drive” er NO And …go out and see what you can find! Uhh?
🎶
“If her Daddies rich, take her out for a meal
If her Daddies poor, just do what you feel” 😲

When I think of some of the stuff I used to listen to in my punk heyday, there was some of it which I'm sure people on here would find truly offensive. But hey, it's like TV - if you don't like it or it offends you, no-one is forcing you to watch or listen.

It’s alleged that for Elvis, 14 was the ‘magic number’

Yes, Fanny, He met Priscilla in Germany when she was 14 and her parents were happy for him to take her back to the US with him. Yikes!!

"Relax" was banned wasn't it?

Yes, Lathyrus, I was going to post about "Livin' Doll" (Gonna lock her up in a trunk so no big hunk can steal her away from me ...) sung by squeaky clean Cliff Richard.

Maybe I've got the 'message' completely wrong but I've always felt uncomfortable with Britney Spears ('Hit me) Baby One More Time'

The Beatles can do no wrong for me. However
'I used to be cruel to my woman, I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved'.

Are the songs any better today, if we the oldies really listened or in that matter could hear what was being sung?

Lathyrus try the Young Ones version😆