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Tuesday, April 11, 2006
STONED IN CHINA  It seems to be big news that the Rolling Stones were forced to change the lyrics of a song. It seems some, accurately, assume that it contains sexual content. But, I need you to know it was not China that first censored it. The song: "Let's Spend The Night Together" was altered by US Television snippers in 1967. The Stones agreed to change "Let's Spend The Night Together" to "Let's Spend Some Time Together." In order to perform it recently in Shanghai for a mostly (80%) expatriate crowd of 8,500 in they were asked to leave it off the evening's list. CNN, Bloomburg and others have blasted the Chinese government for banning five of the hundreds of songs in their repertoire. It is the Stones first trip to China. Most Chinese don't know who these leather faced (or in Keith Richard's case, walking dead) are! Bloomburg went so far as to say "First its people, then the Internet, now the Rolling Stones. Is there anyone or anything China won't try to censor?" What crap! This is the low road! Bloomburg even included in the title of one article: "Even the Stones bowed" to China. They "bowed 29 years ago to America. Years ago there was a Billie Holiday song by the name of "Love For Sale," that radio stations were prohibited to play it because of sexual content. And the world knows about 1957 when Ed Sullivan censored Elvis Presley's performance. Camera men were instructed not to film any of Elvis's lower body because his pelvis was a sexual weapon. In April of 1971 Public Officials in Illinois released a list of benign songs that allegedly contained drug references. The list included:"Puff The Magic Dragon" and the Beatles "Yellow Submarine." In 1981 Olivia Newton John's song "Physical" was banned because it was considered to be sexually inappropriate for the Mormons. In 1985 Tipper Gore was central to a group called The Parents Music Resource Group. These folks (Democrats?) supported censorship in music. The main taget was rap. Rap seems to take the rap for most free speech abuses. I am sure many of you Remember 2 Live Crew getting arrested at a concert for indecency. In 1964 the state of Indiana banned the song " Louie Louie" because of supposed sexual content. I am here to confess that I and my friends listened to that song in various states of consciousness and still could not get it to titilate. Bloomburg! CNN! Wake up! Find a new demon! Why the hell are you not running daily articles on Cisco, Yahoo! and GAGgle? Why are you not calling for the release of one of your own in Hao Wu? The Chinese ban, Bloomburg reports, prompted Jagger to poke fun at the government, saying he was ``pleased the Ministry of Culture is doing so much to protect the morals of expatriate bankers and their girlfriends.'' Tickets cost up to $375.00. The cost of a seat would have been five weeks wages for an average blue collar worker in Shanghai. In February, the Stones played to a million Rio De Janeiro residents for nothing! It was the biggest concert in their history. This was a monumental event. It was not long ago that foreign bands and their western music were forbidden in the Middle Kingdom. Ms Yue has no clue who The Beatles or the Rolling Stones are and she is 45 years old. It might have been ncie for her to see these fossils before they petrify or start collecting moss. Jagger should have taken his smug remarks and offered up a free China (word play intended) concert in celebration of openness. And Bloomburg and CNN should be taking a meta-view of this situation and not looking to capitalize on the world's new country-we-love-to-hate hysteria. Media should be looking at the real issues that need addressed.  Elvis China Asia Blogging China Blogs China Blog Blogging Bloggers Rights Freedom of Speech Censorship Banned Blogs Rolling Stones CNN Bloomburg Lonnie Hodge Music Cartoons Humor China Blogs China Blog ONEMANBANDWIDTH Blogger News Network is advertiser-supported, and your visits to our advertisers help BNN to meet its expenses. Help keep us afloat! posted by Lonnie at 9:34 AM |
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