Who knows why “In the Air Tonight” was banned during the Gulf War and again after 9/11? But nevertheless, the song about suffering through jilted love was deemed too sensitive for airplay during wartime. Perhaps the line, “It’s all been a pack of lies,” was posthumously interpreted to refer to the reasons for the wars.
It would make sense if Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War” was blacklisted, but it wasn’t. Instead, “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” made the list. The censorship was brought to us by the BBC and Clear Channel Communications.
"Splish Splash" by Bobby Darin
Back in 1958, when “Splish Splash” was a lively pop singles sensation, some radio stations found the tune too suggestive. Being in the bath suggests the singer is naked. Not only that, but the explicit language about walking into a house party in just a towel was way too evocative. (Oh, if only the expurgators knew Lady Gaga was coming!)
When he finally joins the party, he only mentions putting his dancing shoes on! (Now, there’s a visual.) Bobby Darin hardly suffered from censorship. The 22-year-old Bronx-born singer-songwriter became a teen idol overnight, with "Splish Splash" reaching No. 3 on the pop singles chart.
"Royals" by Lorde
This song was banned for, quite possibly, the dumbest reason. “Royals” was released in 2013. By the time the 2014 World Series rolled around, the 16-year-old Lorde’s No. 1 chart-topping song had become an anthem, of sorts, to Kansas City Royals fans. When the Royals matched up with the San Francisco Giants, overzealous Giants fans had a problem with the song playing during the Series.
In response, Bay Area KFOG banned it saying, “No offense, Lorde, but for the duration of the World Series, KFOG Radio will be a Royals-free zone.” Other S.F. stations removed the song from playlists as well.
"Wake Up Little Susie" by The Everly Brothers
“Wake Up Little Susie” was a No. 1 chart-topper in 1957, but that didn’t stop a Boston radio station from banning it. The censors claimed the song implies the teenage couple had an intimate relationship. The content, in general, staying out late with a boyfriend, was too sensitive for the Fifties. It’s almost impossible to fathom that reaction in our era.
The song was a huge hit. While campaigning for the presidency, George W. Bush told Oprah that Buddy Holly’s version of “Wake Up Little Susie” was his favorite song. The songwriters who wrote most of The Everly Brothers songs were Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, a husband and wife team who also wrote ditties for Elvis, Bob Dylan, and Buddy Holly.
"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" by The Shirelles
This song, written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, was originally recorded by The Shirelles, an all-girl foursome. Rumor had it that it is about a girl ready to be intimate with a boy for the first time due to the lyrics, “So tell me now, and I won’t ask again, will you still love me tomorrow?” (How, exactly, is beyond our imagination). But several U.S. radio stations spotted the line and banned the song.
In 1960, the mere hint of suggestion was enough to trigger the alarms. The bans were not enough, however, to stop the song from the first black all-girl band from topping the U.S. charts and hitting No. 4 in the U.K.