# Most controversial songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 7, 2007, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171 "2007-06-07T20:08:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/1 "2007-06-07T20:08:55Z")
So, last night I was driving along in my car in which I had recently removed the stereo. Thus, I had no music to listen to. After a few moments, I realized that I had Ice T/Body Count’s **Cop Killer** stuck in my head. This got me thinking back to when the song first came out, and how much controversy surrounded it. Turns out, there were some folks around who weren’t too crazy about rappers making music about murdering law enforcement for some reason. At any rate, I started wondering if there were other songs out there that had generated such a great stir because of its content, and I knew that the Doper crowd was the right place to turn. I’m not just looking for violent content – any old reason for controversy will do. So, I’ve started it off with “Cop Killer.” I remember that NWA’s **Fuck Tha Police** was also very controversial, as much for the language as for the attitude, but I don’t think it rose to the same level as “Cop Killer” did. I’m not old enough to remember, but I wonder if Marvin Gaye’s **Sexual Healing** generated a lot of news in its day. What can you guys think of? ---
**Author:** ![Smitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Smitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smitty)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/2 "2007-06-07T20:28:52Z")
Well, it was for more than just one song, but **The 2 Live Crew** generated a lot of controversy when they were arrested for publicly performing songs that the powers-that-be weren’t very fond of at the time. [Cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_Live_Crew) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/3 "2007-06-07T20:30:23Z")
**Jesus Christ Superstar** was protested when it first came out :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/4 "2007-06-07T20:32:32Z")
I cant recall specifics, but I’m pretty sure “Brown Sugar” was met with some controversy. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/5 "2007-06-07T20:33:01Z")
This topic always makes me think of _Louie, Louie_. Didn’t they think it was full of sexual word that you couldn’t discern? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/6 "2007-06-07T20:33:22Z")
**Louie Louie** 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/7 "2007-06-07T20:34:48Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] **Louie Louie** 😃 [/QUOTE] Why you little… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/8 "2007-06-07T20:36:55Z")
IIRC, Madona’s “Justify My Love” was controversial for it’s sexual content and “Like A Prayer” for it’s religeous overtones. I’m sure Prodigy’s “Smack My Bitch Up” must have pissed someone off. ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/9 "2007-06-07T20:37:40Z")
I remember Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” causing quite a stir when it came out. ETA: Madonna simulpost! Someone call **kungfulola**! ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/10 "2007-06-07T20:42:42Z")
According to my Mom, \*Wake Up, Little Susie \* was considered quite racy when it first came out. Looks like Rolling Stone magazine’s web site agrees: > [@](#): > > Though it sounds quaint today, “Wake Up Little Susie,” the tale of a teen couple who fall asleep at a drive-in, stirred up controversy in 1957. The song was banned in Boston but became the Everlys’ first Number One. ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/11 "2007-06-07T20:45:50Z")
“Justify My Love” and “Like a Prayer” were mostly controversial because of their videos. The songs themselves got a fair amount of radio play when they were new. The Cure’s “Killing an Arab” was controversial, but only because Casey Kasem took offense to it, not realizing it was a reference to Camus’ _The Stranger_. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/12 "2007-06-07T21:04:46Z")
“Frankie and Johnny” is said to have caused riots in turn-of-the-century New Orleans. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/13 "2007-06-07T21:38:09Z")
[QUOTE=Indygrrl] This topic always makes me think of _Louie, Louie_. Didn’t they think it was full of sexual word that you couldn’t discern? [/QUOTE] [What are the REAL lyrics to “Louie Louie”?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_316.html) ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/14 "2007-06-07T21:40:09Z")
I’m showing my age here, but Barry Maguire’s Eve of Destruction and Janis Ian’s Society’s Child were controversial in the 60s. Banned in some places, if I recall correctly. ---
**Author:** ![smhanse751](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@smhanse751](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smhanse751)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/15 "2007-06-07T21:47:38Z")
sex pistols: God save the Queen ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/16 "2007-06-07T21:48:34Z")
While it didn’t stir up all the suicides UL says it did [Gloomy Sunday](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloomy_Sunday) did create its own share of controversy. ---
**Author:** ![PerditaX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@PerditaX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PerditaX)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/17 "2007-06-07T22:23:06Z")
I confess to having been pretty darned shocked by Sheena Easton’s **Sugar Walls**. :eek: :eek: It’s my understanding that it has since been almost universally banned. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/18 "2007-06-07T22:31:52Z")
[QUOTE=msmith537] IIRC, Madona’s “Justify My Love” was controversial for it’s sexual content and “Like A Prayer” for it’s religeous overtones. I’m sure Prodigy’s “Smack My Bitch Up” must have pissed someone off. [/QUOTE] Those Madonna songs in themselves weren’t very objectionable, but the videos sure set off alarms. CNN’s CROSSFIRE even did an ep on the “Justify…” video uproar- which caused Mark Russell to later challenge them “Justify that show!” ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/19 "2007-06-07T22:56:47Z")
[QUOTE=PerditaX] I confess to having been pretty darned shocked by Sheena Easton’s **Sugar Walls**. :eek: :eek: It’s my understanding that it has since been almost universally banned. [/QUOTE] I’ve heard it on the radio plenty of times. Maybe it was banned for a bit back in the day, but not anymore. They play “Darling Nikki” all the time too, and that was the song that startd the whole hoopdeedoo that ended with naughty albums being labeled with the Parental Advisory sticker, which was a helpful device in letting kids know which albums they _really_ wanted to buy. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171/20 "2007-06-07T23:06:45Z")
[QUOTE=cbawlmer] I’ve heard it on the radio plenty of times. Maybe it was banned for a bit back in the day, but not anymore. They play “Darling Nikki” all the time too, and that was the song that startd the whole hoopdeedoo that ended with naughty albums being labeled with the Parental Advisory sticker, which was a helpful device in letting kids know which albums they _really_ wanted to buy. [/QUOTE] Nothing like a good, hard banning to increase desire. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-controversial-songs/407171.md?page=2)