I think the age of consent in England in the 1960s was 16.
What’s wrong with those songs? Sure, they’re about trans people, and some of the first ones, but they aren’t denigrating but rather neutral about them.
“Young Girl” by Gary Puckett. Actually, a lot of songs by Gary Puckett.
And don’t even get me started on “Civilization” by Danny Kaye & The Andrews Sisters.
These days “Walk on the Wild Side” may be more problematic for the reference to “the colored girls”.
Under My Thumb, also by the Stones.
It’s down to me, yes it is
The way she does just what she’s told
Down to me, the change has come
She’s under my thumb
And a lot of other Stones songs too. See, I’m a big Stones fan, but I could make a long list of misogynistic songs they did, "Stupid Girl, “Yesterday’s Paper”, “Out Of Time”, “Some Girls” (racist too). And what about “Stray Cat Blues” about sex with a 15 year old groupie (13 years in the live version from “Get Your Ya-Ya’s Out”)?
ETA: and yes, “Under My Thumb” too, forgot to put it on my list.
Paul Anka and Conway Twitty are the epitome of skeeve.
Mac Davis too.
As for a particular song, Oogha Chucka might be racist. (Or whatever it’s name was)
Hooked On A Feeling by Blue Swede.
I don’t know about the ‘ooga-chaka’ lyric. On one hand, it does sound like stereotypical ‘African Native’ gibberish. On the other hand, it serves the same purpose as ‘sha-la-la-la’ or ‘oom-papa, oom-papa’.
Worth noting that “Hooked on a Feeling” by Blue Swede was a cover. The original was by B.J. Thomas, and did not include the “ooga-chakas.”
I’d add The Beatles Run For Your Life. I really don’t see any double meaning, it seems pretty clear cut.
And for the older folk, The Andrew Sisters Rum and Coca-Cola.
Island Girl by Elton John and Dreadlock Holiday by 10CC.
Please, Mr. Custer probably won’t be covered any time soon
Also “You Can’t Do That”, John Lennon was pathologically jealous and didn’t hide it. See “Jealous Guy”. Another song in that vein is “My Way” by Eddie Cochran (not the Paul Anka/Frank Sinatra song), later covered by the Who.
Funky Cold Medina by Tone Loc.
It touches on transphobia, slipping aphrodisiacs into your date’s drink, and giving the aphrodisiac to your pet.
King Houdini’s 1939 calypso hit that went to the top of the R&B charts and #7 on the pop charts, “Stone Cold Dead In The Market” is a catchy number about spousal abuse and death.*
*i discovered my parents’ copy of the record during my dissolute youth.
“Faggot” in Great Britain actually means “cigarette”, or at least it originally did.
“The Homecoming Queen’s Got A Gun” was not played on MTV, but it was played on the much looser “Night Flight” on the USA Network.
This doesn’t condone domestic violence, then or now, but it sure has been misinterpreted over the years.
That one was banned on the radio when it came out, in the '40s. Isn’t it an ironic twist that today the offensive part is the faux Trinidadian patois, but the references to alcohol and prostitution are now considered tame?
~Max
And of course, there’s “Hey Joe.”
The the moment I saw this thread I thought of Rod Stewart singing “Stay With Me”. Totally makes me cringe, especially since when it first came out I was a lot younger and didn’t listen to lyrics all that carefully. So partially cringing for myself.
In many of those songs, it’s sung from the perspective of a boy or young man who’s about the same age.
The one that got its own thread here in recent days?