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Music has always been a source of controversy, from "Puff the Magic Dragon" to "Cop Killer," Elvis to Eminem, Dylan to the Dixie Chicks, and Madonna to Marilyn Manson. Filled with several centuries' worth of raunchy sex ditties, morbid murder bailads, blasphemous satanic songs, paeans to intoxicating substances, and outrageous political antics, this unique compendium uncovers the stories of censors' efforts to squelch these acts of expression. It examines the various societal forces - such as repressive governments, busybody community organisations, and self-appointed moral guardians - that have worked to limit how artists are allowed to express themselves, and makes clearer what censorship means for all. Milestones include: The U.S. government's troubling anti-music moves since the 9/11 terrorist incidents; An early-'60s campaign to outlaw electric guitars; The proposed 1933 congressional bill that would have mandated the incarceration of fans "intoxicated" by jazz - a plan echoed in '98 when various law enforcement organisations proposed forced hospitalisation for fans of the popular Shock-Rock band, Marilyn Manson; And, the ancient Roman law of 451 BC that defined the singing of bawdy songs as "a disruption of public order" - an infraction punishable by death.
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An American Book With Global Relevance...,
By A Customer
This review is from: Taboo Tunes: A History of Banned Bands and Censored Songs (Paperback)
Recent notices in The Guardian, Mojo, Q, and Record Collector had already piqued my interest in this book, but then an entertaining BBC interview with its American author became the tipping point. The author has an uncanny knack for balancing somewhere between an academic historian and a punk-rocker with just enough edgy attitude to present this incredibly timely topic in a truly interesting way. Taboo presents a splendid overview of the ancient origins of music censorship along with an eye-opening global survey of its various subsequent manifestations. Told in a breezy and quite humorous (if indignant) manner, our own history is thus laid out before us: Henry V's royal decree against rebellious tavern ditties; a 1543 ban on songs that might "subtilly and craftily instruct the king's people and especially the youth of the realm;" BBC bans on everything from risque Music Hall tunes in the 1930s, to Beatles "drug songs" in the Sixties, to the Sex Pistols and other punks in the '70s and Eighties, a whole list of pop numbers during the 1991 Gulf War; and on and on... That said, the book does mainly focus on US censorship (and certainly no quarter is offered either Bush Administration) but even all this stateside history makes for compelling reading. Spiced-up with images of numerous banned LPs and CDs, and rare photographs, Taboo also covers literally hundreds of artists and their controversial songs -- and even includes hundreds of lyrical couplets (the naughty / censored / banned bits of course!!!). A fine work that features an incredible subject index (and detailed reference notes to assist those who may be interested in further research), this unique book's greatest contributions are probably that of offering a definitive telling of a hidden facet of history and helping the reader make sense of censorious trends still with us today. All this accomplished in a fast-paced, exciting, highly-readable manner. Taboo Tunes is unique and an instant classic. To the "toppermost of the poppermost" with this one!
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Great idea, could have been done a whole lot better.,
By
This review is from: Taboo Tunes: A History of Banned Bands and Censored Songs (Paperback)
If, like me, you expect this book to be an encylopedia of banned songs/bands, you'll be dissapointed. There really aren't that many examples of the lyrics banned. Ok, so a rapper called Ice T got a record banned. Fancy giving us an example of why?I read a couple of books a month, so while I may not be a walking brain, I think I'm a fairly good reader. This is not an easy read. Peter Blecha often seems to try and prove how intellectual he is by using needlessly complicated words. Worth a look, but don't blame me if you find yourself skipping 30-40 pages at a time.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
3.7 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews) 30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Naughty, but nice!,
By S.A. - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Taboo Tunes: A History of Banned Bands and Censored Songs (Paperback)
Taboo Tunes is not the first book ever published on music censorship, but FINALLY we get one written with skill, serious spunk, attitude, and flair. The author lays out the basics of what arts-censorship is, the deep history of the practice as a socio-political tool of the powerful, a brief survey of modern-day censorship in a global context, and then gets down to business: relating the story of censorship in America. Written in a humorous, fun, and wickedly wild style, Taboo Tunes' author sure knows what he's talking about. From the banning of early dance steps like the Waltz and Tango nearly a century ago, to radio bans on early jazz, rock `n' roll, and hip-hop, this book covers a lot of ground at a good lively clip. Nothing is over-looked: I almost died laughing while reading this telling of the FBI's silly investigation of the Kingsmen's "Louie Louie" -- and nearly wept reading how the Nazi's suppressed the German jazz and classical scenes - and how America's government harassed artists like Billie Holiday, paul Robeson, and Woody Guthrie. Tipper Gore gets no mercy for her role in the 1980's PMRC incidents just as Nixon is excoriated for letting the FBI harass John Lennon, Jim Morrison, and other musicians with a political bent. Taboo Tunes makes clear exactly what happened during the Ice-T "Cop Killer" scandal in the `90s, and distills into entertaining form all the uproars in recent years over record "Warning Labels," satanic "back-masking," radio payola, censored album jackets, banned MTV videos, and controversial artists like Madonna, Rage Against The Machine, and the Dixie Chicks. Speaking of which: perhaps the book's strongest point is the even-handed way it presents the history of political dissent (in song) and the amazing things that have happened to various bands who have spoken out against war since 9/11. Scary stuff! Just raced through the book and can't imagine a finer telling of all this history of sex, drugs, dissent, and, yes, Rock N Roll. I'm going to read it again. Right now. Highly Recommended!
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
While we do value every Reader's opinion...,
By Avid Reader - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Taboo Tunes: A History of Banned Bands and Censored Songs (Paperback)
...I would like to offer a review of "Taboo Tunes" and also weigh in on the impossibly contradictory reviews posted here by other reviewers. I have now had a chance to read this book and "Parental Advisory" (another book about music censorship, as referenced in those reviews). First of all: both books are worthwhile and have their own merits. However, some of the snarky attacks on "Taboo Tunes" by "A Reader" are downright untrue and ought to be addressed for the sake of Amazon.com customers. Let's examine the points raised: Yes, "Parental Advisory" was published first. And, it was a fine book that covered a lot of the topic's basics (though its format - narrative first, and then restating all that information a second time by presenting it in a chronological time-line form makes the book repetitive and exactly twice the length it needed to be). But the notion that "Taboo Tunes" used Nuzum's book as its "one source" of information, is flatly false. Blecha's book covers far more historical ground, a fact that puts the lie to the statement that "Parental Advisory" is "much more thorough and conprehensive" (sic). While Eric Nuzum devoted much more attention to the one historic incident of Tipper Gore's mid-1980s PMRC crusade, Peter Blecha covers that period as well and goes much further in documenting the deeper history of censorship over the centuries and around the globe. Regarding that undeniably superior breadth of story-telling, "A Reader" misleads again by posting the quip that "Taboo Tunes" includes "a few things" that Nuzum "missed or chose not to include." Well, that's putting it lightly: In fact, "Taboo Tunes" - which does share 4 out of 90 photo images with "Parental Advisory" - was published four full years later, and so it includes plenty of information that Nuzum was simply not in the position to cover in his book. "Taboo Tunes" digs deeper into the history, and also succeeds in bringing that history up to current times. "Parental Advisory" was a commendable introduction to the topic, but as a professional historian and writer, Blecha has the skills to frame the big picture in a form that is compelling and up to date. In sum, "A Reader's" review amounts to an unfair attack, an inaccurate analysis, and a bit of naked propaganda that does Amazon.com customers a disservice through its not-so-hidden agenda.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Light reading on a heavy topic,
By A librarian - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Taboo Tunes: A History of Banned Bands and Censored Songs (Paperback)
After hearing a recent NPR interview with the author I ordered Taboo Tunes and have been totally charmed by it. Music censorship is an issue that has always interested me, and I've read and enjoyed a few others books about the topic -- including Eric Nuzum's good contribution from a few years back -- but there is just no doubt that Blecha's book shines. He brings to the table a distinct voice, an eye for meaningful detail, a background as a professional music historian and museum curator, but also a sense of fun. The author explicates the deep historical background of the music (and musicians) who have faced scorn for producing challenging music or lyrics, and he accomplishes this in a witty (if occasionally sarcastic) way that will attract even those who don't usually gravitate to history books. Because it was written with obvious commitment to rigorous scholarly standards (the Source and Reference citations run to 15 long pages) the book includes info about hundreds of controversial songs that, to my knowledge, haven't been documented in any one other place. The inclusion of many photographs of censored album covers and vintage sheet music spices up the book visually, but what keeps you reading is the "tongue in cheek" (and sometimes "laugh out loud") humor of the author. I'll view Taboo as a most unusual case of a masterful research effort that has resulted in a remarkably fun summer read.
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