I understand British radio broadcasting does not permit the mention of trademarked terms in song lyrics (that get radio play). For example, the Kinks’ “Lola” has a British version mentioning “cherry cola” in place of “Coca-Cola” mentioned in the US version. So, it just dawned on me the song “Come Together” by the Beatles mentions “Coca-Cola”. Did this song only play outside the UK? I am unaware of a UK version with a substitute lyric for “Coca-Cola”. How did this fly in the UK?
It’s funny you ask this. I was listening to Breakfast with the Beatles or something like that recently and this exact topic came up. Apparently, the BBC wouldn’t play the song at first because of that. Don’t know how it got resolved, unfortunately.
ETA: Here’s a cite: Every song by The Beatles that the BBC banned
I asked almost exactly the same question 2.5 years ago:
The answer then: “Come Together” actually was banned by the BBC.
ETA: the cite for this from the old thread:
https://gigwise.com/photos/104379/the-best-13-songs-that-were-banned-by-the-bbc
If I was Coca-Cola, I’d want the prestige of being mentioned in the song of a world famous band.
In 1969, the Beatles and rock in general still weren’t family friendly in the eyes of the mainstream, and Coca-Cola was all about being family friendly. Times changed, and 15 years later Pepsi paid Michael Jackson buttloads of dollars to promote the brand.
ETA: and what @Elmer_J.Fudd says. Coca-Cola didn’t object, but the BBC.
It wasn’t an objection by Coca-Cola that would get a song banned. As a governmental (non-commercial) entity the BBC couldn’t be seen promoting any branded products.
Though I think Jasmine may be joking, I’m sure the Cola-Cola company wasn’t too crazy about the mention of their flagship product in a Beatles song, in which a long-haired, toe-jammed, monkey-fingered joker would ‘shoot Coca-Cola’. I imagine they despised the not-subtle drug reference, especially since the Coca-Cola company has long been sensitive to the association with cocaine.
Even on many BBC shows today, they will say “there are my similar products of high quality from other brands” if a brand name is mentioned.
On the other hand, I don’t recall hearing about Coca-Cola objecting when the Andrews Sisters recorded their hit “Rum and Coca-Cola” in 1945, which included the following lyrics:
Drinkin’ rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin’ for the Yankee dollar
If that wasn’t explicit enough, the Lord Invader* recording that preceded the Andrews Sisters’ cover had even gamier lyrics:
And when the Yankees first went to Trinidad
Some of the young girls were more than glad
They said that the Yankees treat them nice
And they give them a better price
*Lord Invader and the song’s composer Lionel Belaso won a plagiarism case after the Andrews SIsters version was released without crediting or compensating them. Morey Amsterdam was one of the defendants.
It was all about the BBC. Coca-Cola not only had nothing to do with it, but couldn’t have gotten a mention in if they wanted to.
When I saw the title of this thread, I thought the topic was going to be the “Tit tit tit tit” chorus on “Girl.”
Cool! I see many of us think alike! Thanks for the replies!
Not to mention, the “rich fag Jew” business in the ending chorus of “Baby You’re a Rich Man.” Amazes me sometimes, the things those four got away with…
Yes, this. The BBC isn’t as uptight as it used to be about these things, but on live broadcast TV and radio, when a guest mentions a brand, such as ‘Twitter’ or ‘Mars Bar’, the host will say, often very tongue-in-cheek but clearly under directive, ‘other online social media forums/chocolate bars are available’.
Commercial TV will also be cautious about too much reference to brand names, in case they upset the companies who pay to advertise a competing product. So the pub in Granada’s Coronation Street offers the beer of an entirely fictitious brewery - just as the pub in the BBC’s EastEnders does…
On the other hand, BBC radio once had an item in a news magazine programme about Coca-Cola dropping a long-established advertising theme. So it’s a murky area.
Remember when Johnny Carson guests had to say “on another network” about the TV show they were promoting?
I remember in his final weeks, Johnny Carson said, “You know what…just tell us.”
The guest told him it was on ABC.
Johnny, “There you go folks. It’s on ABC.”
I think in a fairly quick time after, late night shows began allowing guests to just tell everyone what network their show aired on.
I guess if it falls under the banner of ‘news’, then it’s ok
On the BBC 1 cooking show Saturday Kitchen if there’s a jar or can of some name-brand ingredient on the counter they will either tape over the brand name or have it turned away from the camera. But then, after each cooking demo the wine expert pulls out a bottle and they show a closeup image of the label, talk about what it is and where it’s from and go on to say which shop they bought it from and for how much.
Very true! Also love how the celebrity guests are encouraged to drink at 10am on a Saturday morning