# Song lyrics changed to make them PC **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 9, 2008, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720 "2008-05-09T16:52:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/21 "2008-05-09T22:22:44Z")
Two jumped out at me: _The Devil Went Down To Georgia_: “I told you once you son of a bitch…” to “I told you once you son of a gun…” on AM radio, and _Brown Eyed Girl_: “Making love in the green grass…” to “Having fun in the green grass…” ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/22 "2008-05-09T22:53:50Z")
Jimmy Buffett’s _Come Monday_ Original: “…that’s the reason I just let you go…” New: “…that’s the reason we just had to go…” ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/23 "2008-05-10T03:03:17Z")
Lil’ Jon’s “Get Low” appears in the game _Need for Speed: Underground_. But since EA is very PC, they’ve removed all of the drug and sex references, leaving not much of a song behind. What they didn’t realize is that “skeet” is slang for “shoot sperm all over.” So the chorus, instead of being “Down skeet skeet muthafucka, down skeet skeet goddamn” becomes “Down skeet skeet skeet skeet skeet…” There’s also a song by Sly Boogy and one by DMX that have large chunks removed because of violent or drug-related content. It’s almost hilarious listening to the long gaps in the songs. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/24 "2008-05-10T03:21:43Z")
Another un-PC Cole Porter one, before the birds, bees, and educated fleas: Chinks do it, Japs do it, Even up it Lapland Lapps do it, Let’s do it, let’s fall in love. _You’re A Grand Old Flag_ was originally _You’re A Grand Old Rag_, but it was changed because it was considered offensive to refer to the American flag as a rag. Rhyming “flag” with “flag” kind of messes up the clever rhyme of the original: “You’re a grand old rag, you’re a high-flying flag…” ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/25 "2008-05-10T04:40:36Z")
Wasn’t _Let’s Get It Started_ by Black Eyed Peas originally released as _Let’s Get Retarded_? ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/26 "2008-05-10T12:14:09Z")
“Let there be Peace on Earth” has been changed from “brothers all our we” to “family all our we” or something like that. I refuse to sing it that way. In “Amazing Grace” “…that saved a wretch like me.” has been changed to “that saved a good person with some minor, correctible psychological shortcomings.” Okay, I’m kidding about the last one. ---
**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:** [May 10, 2008, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/27 "2008-05-10T12:45:46Z")
[QUOTE=PunditLisa] “Let there be Peace on Earth” has been changed from “brothers all our we” to “family all our we” or something like that. I refuse to sing it that way. In “Amazing Grace” “…that saved a wretch like me.” has been changed to “that saved a good person with some minor, correctible psychological shortcomings.” Okay, I’m kidding about the last one. [/QUOTE] I’ve heard “Amazing Grace” where “wretch” has been replaced by “soul” or “child”. I don’t like it. The change to “Let there be Peace”, however, does fit a bit better, though I admire your refusal. I’d totally refuse to sing the revised Christmas Carols mentioned above. ---
**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:** [May 10, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/28 "2008-05-10T12:52:48Z")
In the movie Evita, the lyric “She’s a new world Madonna with the golden touch” was changed to “She’s our lady of the new world with the golden touch.” Evita was portrayed by Madonna, and I wish the original lyric had been kept. ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/29 "2008-05-10T12:59:38Z")
This thread reminds me of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on the Simpsons: Krusty: Now boys, the network has a problem with some of your lyrics. Do you mind changing them for the show? Anthony: Forget you, clown. Chad: Yeah, our lyrics are like our children, man. No way. Krusty: Well okay, but here where it says, “What I got you gotta get and put it in ya,” how about just, “What I’d like is I’d like to hug and kiss ya.” Flea: Wow. That’s much better. Arik: Everyone can enjoy that. ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/30 "2008-05-10T13:07:04Z")
Not sure if it was changed for PC or other reasons, but when Leadbelly sings “In the Pines,” he sings “Black girl, black girl, don’t lie to me”. When Kurt Cobain sings it, it’s “My girl, my girl…” ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/31 "2008-05-10T13:14:45Z")
Not lyrics, but sound effects. Sri Lankan hip hop artiste MIA has a slightly amateurish, but strangely alluring, track called [Paper Planes](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sei-eEjy4g) (original mix) - about her disdain for the moneygrabbing attitude of some fellow immigrants. The chorus has sound effects that go: “All I wanna do is [four gunshots] And [ka ching!] And take your money” When she performed it live on _Letterman_ the sound of gunshots was censored merely to be clicks. Not only did this kinda ruin the ethos of the song, but if you watch the clip, you can see that [she clearly wasn’t told about the alteration](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaxIELjpDxc). ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/32 "2008-05-10T13:28:05Z")
It’s not really a PC change, but The Connells did a cover of “Insane in the Brain” (I first heard this song on XM Saturday Night on Lucy) on a compilation of weird covers called “When Pigs Fly - Songs You Never Thought You’d Hear”. Since the Connells are an all-white band from North Carolina, they changed several of the lyrics; for instance, “Cause a nigga like me is going insane” becomes “Cause a cracker like me is going insane” which made me laugh so hard it made it a little difficult to drive the car. ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/33 "2008-05-10T13:46:36Z")
“Peaches” by the Stranglers. The line “is she trying to get out of that clitoris” was replaced by “is she trying to get out of that bikini” on the radio version, “oh shit” with “oh no” and “what a bummer” with “what a summer”. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/34 "2008-05-10T13:48:08Z")
Speaking of _Brown-Eyed Girl_ (somebody did, up above, right?), I understand that Van Morrison had originally titled the song _Brown-Skinned Girl_. Apparently the record company execs felt it would risk offense to fewer uhhhh, _demographics_ if they had the oblique reference to interracial dating toned down. ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/35 "2008-05-10T13:53:50Z")
While I was growing up ‘Tie me kangaroo down sport’ was popular children’s song. [http://www.rolfharris.com/Music/lyrics/lyrics\_tieme.htm](http://www.rolfharris.com/Music/lyrics/lyrics_tieme.htm) It wasn’t untill a couple of years ago that I realised that the original song included these lyrics > [@](#): > > Let me abo’s go loose, Lew > Let me abo’s go loose > They’re of no further use, Lew > So let me abo’s go loose > Altogether now! :eek: (Abo=Aboriginal) Rolf says sorry: [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20878429-2,00.html](http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20878429-2,00.html) The most recent times I have listened to the song there is now no mention of the stockman dying or his hide being tanned and hung on the shed (I always thought that was the best bit of the song and sung it extra loud) MRW ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/36 "2008-05-10T13:55:51Z")
[QUOTE=rayh] The line “is she trying to get out of that clitoris” was replaced by “is she trying to get out of that bikini” on the radio version [/QUOTE] I’ve never been sure if that was changed because it was rude, or because the uncensored version _doesn’t make any fucking sense._ ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/37 "2008-05-10T14:00:40Z")
You beat me to it, **madrabbitwoman**! [QUOTE=madrabbitwoman] The most recent times I have listened to the song there is now no mention of the stockman dying or his hide being tanned and hung on the shed (I always thought that was the best bit of the song and sung it extra loud) [/QUOTE] The version I have does have the dying stockman and the hide on the shed bits. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/38 "2008-05-10T23:40:06Z")
Puttin’ On The Ritz was originally about Thursday nights in harlem when the servants of the well to do had the night off. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/39 "2008-05-10T23:55:34Z")
[QUOTE=jimmmy] This thread reminds me of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on the Simpsons: Krusty: Now boys, the network has a problem with some of your lyrics. Do you mind changing them for the show? [/QUOTE] And your post reminds me of post #4. Anyway, it’s a reference to when the Rolling Stones performed “Let’s Spend [del]the Night[/del] Some Time Together” on Ed Sullivan’s show. Didn’t the final words to The Flinstones theme change from “a gay old time” to “a great old time” at some point? ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2008, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720/40 "2008-05-11T00:24:54Z")
Son and Daughter by Queen. “Buckle down and shovel shit” was changed at times to"Buckle down and a-shovel it" [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-changed-to-make-them-pc/448720.md?page=3)