Chapter 7 - Banning Music

This posting is in reference to Chapter 7 in Popular Music in Theory: an Introduction. I would like to start by stating my utter shock and disbelief in the regulation of music that occurred in Nazi Germany. I guess it seems understandable what with everything else the Nazis’ regulated, but we did not hear as much about the regulation of music as the physical and mental abuse the Jews endured. Within the text, it states that, “musicologists were…called upon to investigate and identify ‘Germanness’ in music” (203). If the components of music were in any sort of way related to a foreign country, it was banned and considered propaganda. This included instruments, composers, song artists, singers, and players. During ancient Greece, “Plato argued that the social effects of music often went unnoticed because it appeared to be a rather innocent aspect of ‘play.’ [He also] worried that music might generate lawlessness” (200). I think that Plato was on to something.

After looking at various parts of this chapter, I am compelled to think about music that has been banned or regulated in the United States. Immediately, I go in search for some of these songs or experiences, and this is a sample of what I found:

• In 1962, a catholic school forbid students to dance to “The Twist,” because it is associated moves are un-christian (P.A).
• Same year, “Bob Dylan refuses to perform on the Ed Sullivan Show…after producers tell him he cannot sing ‘Talking John Birch Paranoid Blues.’ Dylan is never invited to perform on the show again” (P.A).
• In 1990, “a Tennessee judge rules that 2 Live Crew's Nasty As They Wanna Be and N.W.A.'s Straight Outta Compton are obscene under state law. Anyone arrested for selling the records could face fines from $10,000 to $100,000, depending upon the involvement of minors in the offense” (P.A).
• In 2000, “A private school in San Antonio, Texas, suspends four students for attending a Backstreet Boys concert in March. The students are suspended for one day for violating a school policy forbidding "involvement in inappropriate music [or] dancing” (P.A).
• In 2001, “MTV decides to air the popular tune “Because I Got High”—but only in certain day parts because of its drug theme. The network says it will not air the video during its popular teen show, ‘Total Request Live’” (P.A).

Our society has seen its fair share of trying to regulate and/or ban some aspect of music – i.e. production, sales, airing of songs, concerts. I think that Plato was right in suggesting that music, whether it be the beat or message, can have a negative affect on society. However, I also think that U.S. citizens have the right to listen to any music they please (freedom of choice). I DO think it is advisable to have “warning” stickers on alum covers, as some music is not appropriate for younger children, much like PG-13 and R rated movies.

The thing is, a big chunk of America liked a lot of this music that has been banned or regulated over time. How does one draw the line between what is and is not appropriate for society? Who decides that? It is not that black and white. If singers / songwriters have a message they want to convey via music, it is their right to do so. However, I also think it is the right of the radio stations, music distribution centers, DJs, and television networks to decide whether they want to associate themselves with this song/album. Every type of art (painting, film, photograph, song) has a certain message the creator wishes to convey. But there are always multiple interpretations behind the meaning of the song and can lead many different directions (as mentioned in the beginning of this chapter); this makes it difficult to argue that a song is solely meant to create rebellion or some other form of negative response amongst society.

Works Cited

Parental Advisory: Music Censorship in America

http://www.ericnuzum.com/banned/incidents/90s.html