RADIO TURN OFFS

CONTROVERSIAL number one Ebeneezer Goode was banned by BBC bores 30 years ago this week.

The Shamen’s 1992 track hit the top of the charts but was blocked by the Beeb on TV and radio for its “endorsement of recreational drug-taking”. The song referenced the common use of cannabis and ecstasy, as well as referring to joints – “Vera Lynns”, slang for skins or rolling papers. But, Sian Hewitt asks, how much do you know about these other risqué top tracks?

(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction The Rolling Stones

This classic was banned from the airwaves over its sexual innuendos.

But when the band performed in the US at the Super Bowl in 2006, it ended up being one of the few songs that didn’t have to be censored during their set.

Like a Prayer – Madonna

The Pope blasted the video for its “blasphemous imagery” and urged people to boycott Madge’s concerts.

Global debate over the track led to Pepsi cancelling an entire advertising campaign featuring the song in 1989.

Madonna is still banned in Egypt and her music severely restricted in places like Russia.

Lola – The Kinks

The tale of a romantic encounter with a transvestite wasn’t the controversial bit…

The line “where they drink Champagne and it tastes just like Coca-Cola” was deemed free advertising for a strictly non-commercial radio station. Ray Davies had to make a 6,000-mile round-trip from New York to London to change the words to a generic “cherry cola”. Rolling In the Deep – Adele Amid fears the word “ship” in lyrics sounded like swearing, the song was pulled until a new version was put out. Adele still changes it to “stuff” at gigs.

Light My Fire – The Doors

The group was banned from The Ed Sullivan Show in 1967 after refusing to change the line “girl, we couldn’t get much higher”. Bosses said it sounded like they were referencing drug use. The BBC later cancelled the tune during the Gulf War because of the word “fire.” Physical – Olivia Newton-John

The Grease star’s sexy hit managed to offend plenty of people. The line “there’s nothing left to talk about unless it’s horizontally” was censored and the track banned from a number of radio stations.

Also, the music video showed a gay couple holding hands. Even MTV decided to censor the promo and lyrics.

Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison

A lyric about “making love in the green grass” led to the feelgood song being pulled from radio stations in 1967.

Fans still loved the hit, however, so radio stations released a version that replaced the offending words with “laughin’ and a runnin’ hey hey” – still played on stations today.

Love Game Lady Gaga

This recent hit was banned for its use of the lyric “disco stick”. The US pop star has also been banned in Lebanon for her song Judas, which was deemed to be offensive to Christianity.

The Real Slim Shady Eminem

Radio bosses put guidelines in place stating that a track’s “context and innuendo alone” can get a radio station in trouble for violating decency standards.

Every single line proved to be problematic in this one, so it was banned.