Blast from the Past: Dirty Pop! (Naughty Songs)

I got to thinking of this topic when walking today, hearing two songs with the word "fuck" in them, one over 20 years old, the other over 30. It isn't unusual these days for pop songs to have curse words or racy material in them, though they are often edited on the radio. But, I'll bet kids today would be surprised that Roger Daltry was cursing on the radio in 1978.

1. Who are You? - The Who - This is the one that got the ball rolling for me. "Fuck" can be heard--if you believe Wikipedia--twice, but I think it's in there more than that. Now, it's just the theme song to CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

2. Unbelievable - EMF - Though a one-hit-wonder, this song continues to get airplay, and I've never heard the many (many, many) "what the fucks" get edited out on the radio.


3. Strokin' - Clarence Carter - This jukebox favorite only contains one bad word, "shit." But the subject matter, and other words that are alluded to? Fabulously filthy!

4. Closer - Nine Inch Nails - I once saw two lipstick lesbians dancing to this one at a gay bar. I'm a gay guy, but whoa, they were smokin'! I don't even know why they try to play this one in edited form.

5. Human Nature - Madonna - Sure, Madonna has always flirted with profanity (some might say too much), but this one--which contained the line, "I'm not your bitch, don't hang your shit on me," was radically altered for radio. Even this clip edits out "shit" with a thump.

6. Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood - There isn't any swearing in this song. But the words, the sounds, the implication? "When you wanna suck it to it, when you wanna come?" Filthy!

7. Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5 - It seems like Adam Levine can't sing a single that doesn't include something that needs to be bleeped on the radio. Makes Me Wonder if all of those tattoos and swearing is "tough guy" compensation for turning out so pretty? Hah! I can't find an uncensored version, but you get the idea.

8. Sugar Walls - Sheena Easton - It doesn't take much imagination to figure out what she's singing about, and even easier when you figure out that Prince wrote it.

9. Fuck You - Lily Allen - We'll finish with a pair of songs with the dirty right in the titles, first this one with it plainly spelled out, and plainly directed at George W. Bush and the like-minded.

10. F-Me Pumps - Amy Winehouse - And this one, with the word only implied but the meaning clear, the late Amy Winehouse brings this edition of Blast from the Past to a close.

And now that you're feeling all Tourette's Syndrome-y, let's start a new week. Happy Monday!

Frivolity Break (Vulgar Edition): Better Off Ted Outtakes

Apropos of absolutely nothing (except for a complete disinterest in politics and news today, and a free Netflix trial), here is an extremely funny--but utterly not safe for work (NSFW)--clip from the sadly under appreciated, cancelled ABC comedy, Better Off Ted. It's a huge favorite of mine, from one of the funnier episodes. A bit of explanation: the aired version contained insults and epithets that were aired on broadcast television, and thus not truly vulgar. This clip allowed the actors to run wild with the most off-color profanities they could think of. The results are hilarious. But don't say I didn't warn you.

Meanwhile, I'll try to get more into the swing of blogging again on Thursday night. Probably.

F Word Now Cool on TV?

It is often said that we're somewhat puritanical in the United States, and I think it's pretty much true. While television is no longer trying to push a Leave it to Beaver-type illusion of America, there are still things you just cannot say or do on tv. Which is kind of silly, when you consider that it is a rare US citizen who hasn't been exposed to profanity or nudity. . .and participated in large part.  So why can't a person react and speak in a realistic way on the teevee?  I get it in the early evening. I even understand it on broadcast television in most venues.  But in the evening, overnight, and especially on cable, I just don't get the uptight rules.

It's especially weird on expanded cable channels like Logo, when you hear "God" bleeped when put together with "damn." I mean what the f**k? Ok, what the fuck?  Now I'm not saying that Whoopi Goldberg should bring her standup vocabulary daily to The View, or that Lisa Lampanelli be given an unexpergated prime-time slot on Nickelodeon. But when it is organic to the situation, I think profanity and even some limited nudity should be just fine, within reason. I just wish George Carlin were alive to see it.

[Excerpt]

FCC Swear Word Censorship Policy Tossed By Federal Court

A federal appeals court on Tuesday struck down a government policy that can lead to broadcasters being fined for allowing even a single curse word on live television, saying it is unconstitutionally vague and threatens speech "at the heart of the First Amendment. . ."

Read more at: Huffington Post

Better Off Ted Gets Dirty

I've already made an appeal for this brilliant, but almost certainly cancelled show. Better Off Ted packs more laughs into a single episode than entire season runs of some others (*cough* According to Jim *cough*). But what if they got to take the restraints off, and went all HBO with the material? Hilarity, that's what. Check it out. NOTE: Definitely not safe for work (NSFW) unless you have headphones!

One More George Carlin Post: The 7 Dirty Words

Because I'm still verklempt.

Jane Fonda's Little Oopsie on the Today Show

Actually, if she'd have called it "a little oopsie," she wouldn't have right-wing world in a frenzy. But let's be frank. It isn't that Jane Fonda said the C-word (you know the one, the word you never, ever utter around any women for fear of death). No, they're still all out of sorts for her politics in the 60s early 70s. Give it up, conservatives! Not only has she apologized repeatedly, it was [nearly] 40 freaking years ago.

Would you want to be held responsible for everything you did so long ago? Would George W. Bush even be President if we held him to the same standard? Would any politician? Honestly, with every unearthing of "Hanoi Jane," you'd think no conservative ever committed an offense. And please check Snopes to weed out the things you believe she did, from those she actually did.

WARNING: This clip contains the offensive C-word, um, multiple times. Do NOT turn the sound up if you're at work.



EDITOR'S NOTE: This post has been edited to fix two errors. First, Jane Fonda's actions took place in 1972, not the 60s, so it was 35+ years ago, not 40. I should have taken my own advice and read the Snopes.com page before publishing my post! My opinion, however, still stands. Viet Nam was even more contentious than the occupation of Iraq is now, with many more US deaths. I don't necessarily support Jane Fonda's actions in 1972, but it was 36 years ago. I was 6 years old, and even I remember the wave of anti-war sentiment. You couldn't check the internet in those days. The anti-war movement of the early 70s was much more organic, much more emotional; making it very easy to get swept up in the wave of it. All just my opinion, of course. As I said, I was only 6.

It's out of character for Snopes, but even their piece seemed a little hysterical to me. The presumed consequences of her actions don't seem to have much evidence. But what Fonda did do reads pretty badly. And I understand her taking her lumps at the time. Maybe even on into the 80s. Right now, though, we're in another unpopular war. Anti-war sentiment is now higher than it's been since Viet Nam. At some point, shouldn't some sort of dispensation kick in for Jane Fonda? She certainly shouldn't be held responsible for the things she's didn't actually do.