Have you ever wondered why radios have to bleep everything? Or why some CDs can not be sold to get? Or why there's just a little "Parental Advisory" sticker on some albums? If you answered "yes" to everyone of these questions, then stick around, because for another 5 minutes, I will explain to you why the censorship on our music is way too harsh. Censorship in music should be reconsidered because of many points such as political views, the fact that musicians are willing to fight for his or her own music, and the majority of all, freedom of speech!
There's a song that comes to mind when I believe about political censorship. A song called "Not Ready To Make Nice" by Dixie Chicks. The song won three Grammies in the types of Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals. The song is about how they, the band, felt about the invasion of Iraq, and the responses to their position upon this situation. Natalie Maines, the main vocalist of the group, was quoted as saying that "[they] don't want this war, this violence, and [they're] ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas. " A number of the lines in the song are about the death threats that the band had received in 2003. "How on earth can the words that I said send somebody so over the edge that they'd write me a letter saying that I better shut up and sing or my entire life will be over. " Another line in the song "from the sad sad story whenever a mother will teach her daughter that she ought'a hate a perfect stranger, " refers to an incident where a mother is actually egging on her young child to state to the band "screw 'em!" Think about that.
The next song that I believe of is American Idiot by Green Day. From the beginning, this song was opposed by most people in the US due to open lyrics that express the author's feelings towards President George W. Bush, and certain political issues. Some assume that the song is "anti-American" as a result of title. However, if you actually pay attention to the lyrics, you may observe how patriotic the song really is. The title refers to the authors' opinion of how politicians nowadays are telling people what to do, buy, and believe, and how they're constantly dooped by each one of these commercials and campaigns that eventually turn is into, for insufficient a better term, "American Idiot"[s]. Inside the song, the singer, Billie Joe Armstrong, says that he doesn't want his nation to become idiots, and doesn't desire to be "part of any redneck agenda", and doesn't want this country to be hated because of decisions made by the federal government. "Welcome to a fresh kind of tension, all across the alienation. "
For this next topic, let me offer you some background information. The committee that labels CDs as "inappropriate" and put the Parental Advisory stickers on CDs is called the Parents Music Resource Center, PMRC. It was founded in 1985 by Tipper Gore. It had been created with a goal of "increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed [by an unknown source] to be violent, have drug use or be sexual. " The people to whom I will be referring to are John Denver, a famous musician during the 70s, and Dee Snider, the lead singer for the band Twisted Sister. These people were called to a senate hearing about the PMRC, and explained their opinions on this issue.
John Denver had prepared an official statement for the hearing. After he previously given his statement, he spoke off the record, saying "in my experience, sir, all around the globe, one of the very most interesting reasons for having music that teenagers are hearing, is it gives us as adults a very clear insight as to what is certainly going on in their minds. We are able to really know what they're thinking by listening to the music they surround themselves with. " To me, this totally is practical. It's a simple method for parents to communicate, and understand what their children are feeling, and thinking. He goes on to talk about "the troubled children" he's talked to, and the troubles they have about "an inability to talk to their parents. " This might all be fixed if parents could just understand what their kids are feeling and thinking by just listening every once and a while.
This next man, Mr. Dee Snider, is quite an amazing and humble man. He starts out his official statement by saying, "I am 30 years old, I am married, I have a 3 year old son. I was created and raised a Christian and I still abide by those principles. Contrary to popular belief, I do not smoke, I really do not drink, and I do not do drugs. " Does this sound like a guy who needs to be censored? I didn't think so. In his statement, Mr. Snider talks about how precisely he was attacked three different times because of his music. The first one, Tipper Gore had written articles in a Long Island newspaper where she "claimed one of [his] songs, 'Under the Blade, ' had lyrics encouraging sadomasochism, bondage, and rape. " He actually discusses those lyrics and says that the lyrics are about the fear that individuals get before they go into surgery. Attack number 2, Twisted Sister's song "We're Not Gonna Take It" was called rated V because of "violent lyrical content, " when Snider assures everyone that "there is no violence of any type either sung about or implied any place in the song. " Lastly, Mr. Snider was accused of sexism because of a T-shirt Tipper Gore thought she saw. In response to this, Snider says "we have always taken great pains to stay away from sexism in our merchandise, records, stage show, and personal lives. " Clearly, the PMRC is wanting to make up stories to get their way.
"Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of individuals peaceably to put together, and petition the Government for a redress of grievances. " These are the precise words of the first amendment of the Bill of Rights. Basically, congress can't make any laws saying that folks can't speak their minds. If you ask me, congress has done that by censoring our music. I think that music is the main and powerful form of expression that both entertains and informs. So, why hide it? Moral values? Racial implications? Fear? The actual censoring of music commenced in the 1950s when traditional conservative values were part of the peoples' mindset. People during that time believed in those morals, and strived to determine what is "acceptable" for people to listen to. By the end of the 1950s, members of the society witnessed many young adults and teens expressing new attitudes about topics like sex and drugs. This movement started breaking down the "traditional moral order" in many ways, but especially in music.
It may seem off that race will be a element in music censorship, but it actually is a huge problem, especially in the 50s and 60s when rhythm and blues was initially introduced to the entire world. Some older white people believed that R&B was a threat that corrupted the young people who paid attention to it, and that it promoted "immoral behavior. " This prompted authorities to do this. A good example of these actions; after obtaining an array of angry letter from listeners, a Chicago radio station promised to censor "any controversial music, especially R&B". A more recent example of racial censorship in music would be MTV refusing to experiment with music videos from black artists. During a live interview in 1983, famous musician David Bowie asked, "Why is there practically no black artists on the network?" Good question, Mr. Bowie. I'm sure everybody else was thinking the same thing.
"Censorship is based on fear. " A fear that music will affect us negatively. A fear that music will prevent us from attaining a morally acceptable life. A fear that society changes significantly. Not for the better. The folks who made a decision to censor OUR music are afraid of the unknown, and our music seems to hold that unknown and uncertainty. There's a song from 1975 called "The Pill" by Loretta Lynn that was censored on many radio stations for more than a decade after birth control pills became popular. People did this because they were afraid of the unknown, and thought that all their kids would start acting out, and going out of control. So, each one of these folks who are afraid of our music just make an effort to cover up the condition rather than facing it like adults.
To end this speech, censorship in music should be reconsidered because of several points such as political views, the fact that musicians are willing to fight for his or her own music, and most of all, the freedom of speech. Now, instead of leaving it like this, I'll leave you all with a quote from R. Andre Hall. "From your Vietnam War to today's Iraq War, and from the advent of the sexual revolution to today's "culture wars, " music is recognized as a potential way to obtain capacity to change values, ideas, and beliefs- as well concerning influence actions. Those who fear this change try to stop it by censorship, even though, as history has shown us, censorship is futile when change is inevitable. "
