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Quiz about Songs Banned or Censored in the 50s and 60s
Quiz about Songs Banned or Censored in the 50s and 60s

Songs Banned or Censored in the 50s and 60s Quiz

A more tolerant society now exists when compared to that of a half-century ago and you may be amazed at what criteria was used to ban or modify the following ten hit records.

A multiple-choice quiz by muffin1708. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
muffin1708
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
370,615
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
755
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. What 1959 number one Billboard hit by Johnny Horton was censored by the "Beeb" (The BBC) in London, when it directed that a word be deleted because it did not comply with proper language in that day and age? Hint


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Question 2 of 10
2. Can you name the 1961 number one Billboard hit by Jimmy Dean that was required, in some quarters, to have the closing statement modified to comply with their standards? Hint


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Question 3 of 10
3. A 1956 number eight Billboard hit by Nervous Norvus, a.k.a. Jimmy Drake, had subject matter and the accompanying lyrics that were deemed distasteful by many radio stations in the US and so was refused play-time by them. What was its name? Hint


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Question 4 of 10
4. In 1958 The Playmates scored a number four hit on the Billboard charts, but because of the lyrics containing brand names they had to be changed so as to get air-play across the Atlantic. Can you name this song? Hint


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Question 5 of 10
5. The 1958 number three hit by Bobby Darin was guilty of nothing more than the actions of the singer after he had carried out an everyday undertaking. So what song could have given him such a towelling? Hint


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Question 6 of 10
6. With Rock'n'Roll still in its infancy, and forever coming into criticism across the board as a very bad influence for young people, a 1957 top Billboard song by the Everly Brothers gave the doomsday crowd a bit of ammunition against the wholesome side that was being projected. Can you name this tune?

 Hint


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Question 7 of 10
7. A record by Gene McDaniels that ranked number three on the Billboard charts in 1961 was banned by BBC Radio because it was deemed degrading to women. What is its name? Hint


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Question 8 of 10
8. One classic Beatles song from the "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album came under notice for drug use just by a close examination of the title itself. Can you identify the title with this perceived interpretation which led it to be banned? Hint


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Question 9 of 10
9. A 1959 number two Billboard Top 100 entry by the Coasters was banned by guess who? - yes the good old BBC London, for actions unbecoming by a young person, but they lifted the ban two weeks later following a public outcry. What was this reprieved song? Hint


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Question 10 of 10
10. Can you name a 1967 number 14 Billboard Charts record by Janis Ian that was banned in some quarters for its lyrics suggesting interracial dating? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. What 1959 number one Billboard hit by Johnny Horton was censored by the "Beeb" (The BBC) in London, when it directed that a word be deleted because it did not comply with proper language in that day and age?

Answer: The Battle of New Orleans

 The offending word in "The Battle of New Orleans" occured in the opening verse of the song which read (in part) - "We took a little bacon and we took a little beans and we caught the 'BLOODY' British in the town of New Orleans". So to comply with proper protocol the word was deleted for air-play in the UK and Australia, to name just a couple of areas.
2. Can you name the 1961 number one Billboard hit by Jimmy Dean that was required, in some quarters, to have the closing statement modified to comply with their standards?

Answer: Big Bad John

 Incredibly, the final stanza of "Big Bad John" said - "At the bottom of this mine lies one hell of a man" which, in Australia at least, was altered to "At the bottom of this mine lies a big, big man.
3. A 1956 number eight Billboard hit by Nervous Norvus, a.k.a. Jimmy Drake, had subject matter and the accompanying lyrics that were deemed distasteful by many radio stations in the US and so was refused play-time by them. What was its name?

Answer: Transfusion

 The song "Transfusion" concerns a serial motor accident perpetrator who constantly ends up in hospital on the drip and vows never ever to speed again. Some of the utterings by this character are - "Shoot the juice to me Bruce", "Pass the claret to me Barrett" and "Slip the blood to me Bud".
4. In 1958 The Playmates scored a number four hit on the Billboard charts, but because of the lyrics containing brand names they had to be changed so as to get air-play across the Atlantic. Can you name this song?

Answer: Beep Beep

 The advertising names "Cadillac" and "Nash Rambler" in the song "Beep Beep" were unacceptable to the BBC in Britain and so the names of the cars were changed to "Limousine" and "Bubble Car" to comply.
5. The 1958 number three hit by Bobby Darin was guilty of nothing more than the actions of the singer after he had carried out an everyday undertaking. So what song could have given him such a towelling?

Answer: Splish Splash

 The lyrics of "Splish Splash" say that when he got out of the tub and wrapped a towel around himself and opened the door, he jumped back in the tub when he realised there was a party going on. The inference then in some quarters was, as the lyrics suggest, he joined the party with no mention of getting dressed and perceived nudity was sufficient reason for some radio stations in the US and elsewhere to stop playing it.
6. With Rock'n'Roll still in its infancy, and forever coming into criticism across the board as a very bad influence for young people, a 1957 top Billboard song by the Everly Brothers gave the doomsday crowd a bit of ammunition against the wholesome side that was being projected. Can you name this tune?

Answer: Wake Up Little Susie

 "Wake Up Little Susie" had some people believing that sex may have been involved even though the lyrics said that they had fallen asleep at the movies. That was enough to have Boston radio stations banning it because of "suggestive" lyrics.
7. A record by Gene McDaniels that ranked number three on the Billboard charts in 1961 was banned by BBC Radio because it was deemed degrading to women. What is its name?

Answer: 100 Pounds of Clay

 The song "100 Pounds of Clay" was refused air-play in Britain because of its reference to women being created from building material, and was considered blasphemous.
8. One classic Beatles song from the "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album came under notice for drug use just by a close examination of the title itself. Can you identify the title with this perceived interpretation which led it to be banned?

Answer: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

 Over the years people have been manipulating records with variable speeds, playing them in reverse and closely scrutinising lyrics to discover hidden meanings. Incredibly, this song was named in a nursery school drawing by John Lennon's son Julian that he named "Lucy-in the sky with diamonds".

But after the song's release speculation arose that the first letter of the title nouns deliberately spelled LSD, and the song was banned by the BBC.
9. A 1959 number two Billboard Top 100 entry by the Coasters was banned by guess who? - yes the good old BBC London, for actions unbecoming by a young person, but they lifted the ban two weeks later following a public outcry. What was this reprieved song?

Answer: Charlie Brown

 Yes it was that young student Charlie Brown who performed the unspeakable act of throwing spitballs and so earned the wrath of the "Beeb", albeit temporarily.
10. Can you name a 1967 number 14 Billboard Charts record by Janis Ian that was banned in some quarters for its lyrics suggesting interracial dating?

Answer: Society's Child

 "Society's Child"'s lyrical content in that day and age was definitely taboo and many radio stations banned it from their playlists. The song had Janis Ian suffering hate mail and death threats. She was stigmatised until a more tolerant society made her 1975 song "At Seventeen" a major hit by reaching number three on the Billboard Charts.
Source: Author muffin1708

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Referenced Topics
Music   Movies   History   People   Languages   Vocabulary   Australian Geography   Albums   History of Music   Names   London   John Lennon   Diamonds   Banned or Censored Music   Everly Brothers   Brown   Bobby Darin   Boston   Johnny Horton  

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