General Chat

Following on from Terry's thread re the Ding Dong song...I've just had a discussion with my Dad about it...I started off quite resigned to the fact that though I find it disgusting...I'm against censorship...so on balance I thought it probably should be played on the BBC.

He's just put the cat amongst the pigeons for me (as he does sometimes lol)...by saying...ok...what if the BNP managed to get a song to Number 1 also for deeply distasteful reasons or somebody decided to write a song celebrating Hitler or the holocaust what would your feelings be about censorship be then.

I haven't formulated my answer to the question yet....but I guess if I followed my instinct for no censorship anything else would have to played wouldn't it? Whatever it says ...whoever it offends

What do you think?

Your Dad has a good point!

We do have various laws in this country regarding racism and discrimination, incitement to this that and the other.
If an article, song etc doesn’t contravene a current law, then they shouldn’t be censured even if many people think it to be in bad taste.

i think there was a problem with the sex pistols god save the queen but at the last moment another song sold really well (poss tom jones) and so as it had dropped in the charts there was no need to pay it

Censorship is almost impossible to impose today thanks to the internet.

Any song back in the day that was banned by the BBC generally went to number 1 in the charts as loads of people wanted to hear what we weren't supposed to listen to. :-D

We live in a country that has freedom of speech and expression, sometimes that freedom is abused by fanatics, the misguided or attention seekers, but that is the price of freedom I suppose.

xx

Terrj

You are right about the Sex Pistols 'God Save The Queen' record reaching number one then being overtaken by another record being top of the charts.

At the time there were accusations that the BBC had used a different source than usual to oust the Sex Pistols from the top spot.

You cant cherrypick censorship just because isnt isnt pink and fluffy,if you dont belive in censorship then as in all things you have to stick with your convictions there is no middle ground.

Censorship is used when you feel offended on behalf of someone else.

Mrs T I'm sure would have felt in high esteem,,,,,,not only has she managed in death to cause more disruption of feelings,a 1930s song reaches No 1 on her behalf and will be the cause of many discussions for years to come,,,,,,,,,,assuring her name will never be forgotten,,,,,,,, :-D.I could understand had the song been written in the last week or so,,,,,,,but 1930s.!!!

Elton John was more deflamotry about her.as it was written about her,

I'm not sure the BBC is quite as powerful as it thinks it is in todays world.

In the days of 3 channels, maybe they were dominant, but with the advent of Sky and now Freeview, they may not be as influentiall as they once were.

Maybe one day we can stop paying the dreaded TV license fee and they can either sink or swim :-D while watching pigs flying .

xx

I also long for the day when I can stop paying the bl**dy license fee Kitty.

That's kind of where I am Kay......if it's no censorship on this.....it has to be the same for any other song that doesn't break any laws regardless of the reasons behind it in the future....he just made me think a bit and really question my stance..but I think my dislike of censorship overcomes any other consideration having thought on a bit more about it.

If you dont listen on Sunday Muffs then privately you made your own stance by not supporting the beeps radio station. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D.

but bet your bottom dollar,,,it will be played next week from ,phones etc in central London,
:-D

:-D :-D :-D :-D I can't remember the last time I listened to the top forty on the radio Kay !!!!!...probably sometime during the early 90s :-S :-D :-D :-D :-D

This is an old song from a 'fairy story'. Therefore it is not offensive in itself. If people want to associate it with a certain person, that's up to them. I find it a bit pathetic and pointless, but not offensive (to me anyway). I think the BBC should just keep schtum and let the 'hysteria' pass. BTW who has the copyright for the song??

wish I did :-D

Just had a look around online and it seems according to Guido Fawkes' blog... *shareholders in the multi-national corporations EMI Feist, and their owner, Sony who bought it from Citi, the world’s largest bank, in a £2.5 billion deal*… will be the ones to get the royalties....

"Censorship of a language is an excuse to prevent a 'perceived' hurt".

I really hope that Lady Thatcher's funeral is not exploited by anyone in any fashion.

Who didn't like Frankie's 'Relax'?

This was the group's debut single and was banned by the BBC in 1984 while at number six in the charts and subsequently topped the UK singles chart for five consecutive weeks, ultimately becoming the seventh best-selling UK single of all time

BBC over the years have censored lots of things in this so called free society,giving the reason as being mostly on 'moral grounds',and we all know of various acts/comedians etc....of course lots were in different eras and when there were different standards....
The BBC organisation is still respected (mostly) world wide and has to think of certain guidances.

I don't like this song being used in the way it is BUT afraid it's all too easy for some to download it...don't even have to trip to the record store..... :-|

I agree with Mau on this, don,t like how this song
Is used re MT.

Like Det said Muffy your dad raised a good point.

As I have no control on what is written in the papers
or shown on TV or broadcast on the radio I choose
what I want to read or hear about, my own form of censorship.

Emma

As you say Muffyxx, I can't remember when I last listed to the top 40 either - however, somehow I think there may well be more listeners this week just to see what happens.

I am (obviously) against 'hate speech" used to incite violence against, or hatred of, any group or individual based on race, colour or creed etc, but I'm not really in favour of censorship generally.

I've just been looking at the headline

"Chilling images from inside the mass indoctrination ceremonies where communist 'cult' leaders poison North Korea's children"....

I am pretty sure that censorship of any alternative view is total there. Free speech and the right to have alternate views is essential to democracy, whether one agrees with them or not, it is necessary to have the option to think for ones self.

No one has to listen to the charts this week if they object to the song any more than I have to watch any programme about Mrs Thatcher :-)

The BBC have decided to play 4-5 seconds of the record it has been decided today.

I think that as long as they make no connection with the demise of Mrs Thatcher,in the broadcast,

its just another "song"


Mind you I guess that most of us have songs/tunes that remind us of occurences in our past???