"Offensive" controversies pre political correctness

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“Political correctness” became a phenomenon in the late 80s then petered out for a while before coming back with vengeance the last few years with the SJW phenomenon a “cool” cooperations passing speech codes and boycotting states that have passed laws deemed offensive.

45 years before some Italian-Americans complained about removal of Columbus statues some Italian-Americans protested the movie “The Godfather” on the basis it stereotyped Italian-Americans as crude Mafia, an ethnic group that had assimilated by then. In Kansas City Italian America groups bought up tickets where the movie was playing. In New York it did not go so well, Joe Columbo of mafia fame was shot at a protest. Then as now the protests did not work as “The Godfather” remains one of the most revered and popular films.

Feminists were holding protests at porn film showings back in the 70s, that has not gone well either.

Many have protested popular music as corrupting young people with sex, Satan and violence since time immemorial but there also have been complaints about offense.


They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! By Napoleon XIV
Background
In the 1960s the “crazy” were usually institutionalized. In 1966 recording engineer Jerry Samuels scored this novelty hit that climbed to number 3 on the charts

Lyrics
Remember when you ran away and I got on my knees and begged you not to leave because I'd go berzerk?
Well, you left me anyhow and the days got worse and worse and now you see I've gone completely out of my mind.
And They're coming to take me away Ha Ha
They're coming to take me away ho ho he he ha ha
to the funny farm where life is beautiful all the time, and I'll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats
and they're coming to take me away ha ha
You thought it was joke and so you laughed, you laughed when I had said that losing you would make me flip my lid, right? You know you laughed, I heard you laugh, you laughed, you laughed and laughed and then you left, but now you know I'm utterly mad.
And they're coming to take me away Ha Ha
They're coming to take me away ho ho he he ha ha
To the happy home with trees and flowers and chirping birds and basket weavers who sit and smile and twiddle their thumbs and toes
They're coming to take me away ha ha...

Controversy
Many radio stations pulled the song forcing a week one week drop of 33 places on the chart. Teenagers in New York protested top 40 radio station WMCA’s decision to pull the song by carrying signs such as ”We're coming to take WMCA away! Unfair to Napoleon in every way."

Aftermath
Several answer type songs followed and the song while only lightly played on oldies stations but is somewhat of a cult classic

My Take
Funny song. From a 2017 perspective probably more sexist with its “Mangy Mutt” women as “b***h” reference.


“Short People” by Randy Newman
Background
This was a number 2 hit for Randy Newman a respected satirical singer-songwriter in 1978. He wrote the song from the perspective of a bigot with the intent to mock them

Lyrics
Short People got no reason
Short People got no reason
Short People got no reason
To live

They got little hands
Little eyes
They walk around
Tellin' great big lies
They got little noses
And tiny little teeth
They wear platform shoes
On their nasty little feet

Well, I don't want no Short People
Don't want no Short People
Don't want no Short People
`Round here

Short People are just the same
As you and I
(A Fool Such As I)
All men are brothers
Until the day they die
(It's A Wonderful World)

Short People got nobody
Short People got nobody
Short People got nobody
To love

They got little baby legs
That stand so low
You got to pick 'em up
Just to say hello
They got little cars
That go beep, beep, beep
They got little voices
Goin' peep, peep, peep
They got grubby little fingers
And dirty little minds
They're gonna get you every time
Well, I don't want no Short People
Don't want no Short People
Don't want no Short People
'Round here

Controversy
Some radio stations did pull the song over perceived mocking of Short People but it did not have much effect. Newman was perplexed that people would misinterpret the song that was so over the top.

Aftermath
Oldies stations have the song in light or no rotation. The controversy did not seem to have much effect on his career.

My Take
I am 5’4”. I was in college at the time just a few years removed from a lot of bullying due in large part to being the shortest boy in class. I was quite offended. Hearing “short people have no reason to live” and those other lyrics constantly on the radio was hurtful. Now that I know Newman’s intent I am not offended but I have to admit I still cringe a bit.



"Money For Nothing" by Dire Straits
BackgroundI
In the 1980s the “Second British Invasion” of “gender bending” "New wave” acts had largely replaced the macho rock acts due in large part because of MTV. Mark Knofler penned the lyrics largely verbatim from the words of a New York appliance store worker he observed watching MTV. The song went to number 1 in 1985 for 3 weeks.

Lyrics
Now look at them yo-yo's that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and chicks for free
Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Lemme tell ya them guys ain't dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb

We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these colour TV's

See the little fa***t with the earring and the makeup
Yeah buddy that's his own hair
That little fa***t got his own jet airplane
That little fa***t he's a millionaire

We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchens deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these colour TV's

I shoulda learned to play the guitar
I shoulda learned to play them drums
Look at that mama, she got it stickin' in the camera
Man we could have some fun
And he's up there, what's that? Hawaiian noises?
Bangin' on the bongoes like a chimpanzee
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Get your money for nothin' get your chicks for free

We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these colour TV's, Lord

Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free
Money for nothin' and chicks for free

Controversy
The use of the homophobic slur “fa***t” was enough of an issue at the time that he was asked about it.

Aftermath
American "Hair Metal" which also had "cross dressing" but was the opposite of New Wave in most every way
“Money For Nothing” is a staple of classic rock radio but “fa***t” is usually edited out

My Take
At the time I viewed it as largely anti MTV and consumerism song and was bemused that MTV would play it and Dire Straits would so enthusiastically use the channel to market the song. As far as the “fa***t” stuff the protagonist was clearly getting “chicks”. I viewed the protagonist as resenting that hetro guys pretending to be effeminate were getting both rich and obtaining sex from many women.


Today's problem is not people being offended or not wanting to offend, it is overkill

"Money for Nothing" was a gigantic hit; it wouldn't have made sense for MTV to not play it. I even think it's possible that this particular song, with its innovative video, made MTV's survival inevitable. In 1985, more people had cable TV, so they had more access to MTV. MTV was difficult to get when it started in 1981, since it was a "UHF" channel.

MTV was iconoclastic at the time, too. They were anti-"PC." They didn't care, I believe that Dire Straits were mocking them. Paradoxically, they might have gloried in it.

"Short People" was a gigantic hit, too. I heard it played constantly. I am 5 foot 4 3/4--I'm short. People used to mock me using the lyrics of the song. I didn't love the song---but it was okay. I wasn't offended by it.

I know "They're coming to take me away." I heard it played on the radio a few times in the late 1960s. I was too young to understand the controversy of it, since I was 5 years old when it came out, and nonverbal at the beginning of the year. It became quite a cult favorite in the 1970s, played by Dr Demento, most notably.

Michael Jackson and Rick James and other black artists had huge hits and MTV did not play them at first.


MTV was not anti PC, PC as we think of it that was still a few years in the future. They played videos of people doing things that are getting people fired today. It was a different world then. "fa***t" was still used often in casual conversation and in Heavy Metal music magazines to describe "English Haircut" bands. Having underage groupies made you a cool band, my company brought strippers in for favored employees birthdays and for the Christmas parties and the owner often used language that was openly suggestive to female employees. "Guy talk" was not all that dissimilar to the Hollywood Access tape

Last edited by ASPartOfMe on 04 Dec 2017, 11:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

You're right....MTV seemed to have been "racist" at the time.

They were stupid----imagine how much money they would have made if they played "Billie Jean" and songs of that ilk?"

And "You're a Very Kinky Girl" by Rick James----a gigantic hit?

MTV screwed themselves over in the early days by being "racist."

Re: racist MTV

It got BET their start.

Supposedly they were forced to play "black" music because CBS said to them if you do not play Michael Jackson we are pulling all our videos. This was right after Disco Demolition Night and as Marc Goodman implied in the video they and "white" rock stations feared a violent backlash if they played "black music". It was and is different in the UK where they idolize American black music.

It is pretty much a fact that MTV refused to play people like Michael Jackson and Rick James very early on.

Disco Demolition night was in mid-1979---it was at Comiskey Park in Chicago, during a baseball game. It's definitely true that this event caused the demise of the name "disco"--but not the music.

MTV started in August, 1981.

The name of the song by Rick James is "Super Freak". Probably his biggest hit. But yeah...MTV was dumb (as well as being possibly racist) if they didn't play it.

Of course...."Super Freak!"