# Songs that just wouldn't fly today **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 11, 2003, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283 "2003-02-11T04:12:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/41 "2003-02-11T21:31:08Z")
That’s Holly Dunn’s _Daddy’s Hands_\*: I remember Daddy’s hands folded silently in prayer ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/42 "2003-02-11T21:31:09Z")
That’s Holly Dunn’s _Daddy’s Hands_\*: I remember Daddy’s hands folded silently in prayer ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/43 "2003-02-11T21:35:16Z")
OK, I have NO idea how that happened. Anyhow, that song is not even remotely about child abuse. The only line that even comes close to “abuse” was “Daddy’s hands were hard as steel when I’d done wrong.” The rest of the song is about remembering a man who wasn’t vocal, but who demonstrated his love for his family through what he did with his hands: prayer, work, a pat on the back, comforting a child with a nightmare, and yep, applying a swat when he felt it was needed. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/44 "2003-02-11T21:40:00Z")
Down here, lots of us got spanked by dad when we were kids. We just realize it really did hurt him more than it hurt us. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/45 "2003-02-11T21:51:25Z")
> [@](#): > > This Land Is Your Land - Woody Guthrie - Written as his answer to the song “God Bless America.” In his song (originally titled “God Blessed America”) Guthrie expressed his belief that America, and the responsibility for taking care of it and its people, belong to the people. Not in the Bush age. Bush 41 (father of Bush 43, the current “president”) actually used _This Land is Your Land_ as a campaign song in 1988, apparently without conscious irony. Republican asshole. Has anybody mentioned “Come to Daddy”? Though really, none of these songs would cause significant protest today, although some do show how much popular culture has changed. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/46 "2003-02-11T22:06:39Z")
How about “Heroin” by the Velvet Underground? I don’t imagine it getting much airplay: …'cause it makes me feel like I’m a man when I put a spike into my vein… …'cause when the blood begins to flow when it shoots up the dropper’s neck when I’m closing in on death… …Heroin, be the death of me Heroin, it’s my wife and it’s my life because a mainer to my vein leads to a center in my head and then I’m better off than dead… …because when the smack begins to flow then I really don’t care anymore… Anybody heard that one on a Classic Rock station lately? ---
**Author:** ![Dryga\_Yes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Dryga\_Yes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dryga_Yes)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/47 "2003-02-11T22:23:51Z")
Well, it’s not like Heroin got a lot of airplay back in '67 either. And that noise freak-out in the last minutes of the song didn’t made it very radio-friendly to begin with. Also, gobear, read the second post I made a minute later. I meant to include it in my first post, but accidentally hit submit. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/48 "2003-02-11T22:37:12Z")
**LifeOnWry** , “Every Breath You Take” is a song about a STALKER. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/49 "2003-02-11T22:38:22Z")
Another song that I always get a little weird about singing a certain part is “Mexicali Blues” by the Dead. “So instead I’ve got a bottle and a girl who’s just 14, and a damn good case of the Mexicali Blues, yeah.” ---
**Author:** ![Roadfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Roadfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadfood)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/50 "2003-02-11T22:49:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LifeOnWry \* > **RealityChuck, Every Breath You Take just comes across as more, well, wistful and romantic, than the Run For Your Life song.** In my experience, the controversy over _Every Breath You Take_ tends to split along gender lines (notice, I said “tends to”, not that it’s always true). Women tend to think that it’s a beautiful romantic song about a guy who worships a woman. Men tend to think that it’s about a guy who’s a stalker. Me, I can’t see how it’s anything but a stalker song: “Every breath you take, every move you make, I’ll be watching you.” “Oh can’t you see? You belong to me.” I just don’t see much romantic about those lines. ---
**Author:** ![jack\_ss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c77e96/32.png) [@jack\_ss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jack_ss)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/51 "2003-02-11T23:08:28Z")
I read an interview Sting did for a magazine back in 1984 in which he stated that the song was about a stalker. Sorry, can’t remember the magazine or issue. ---
**Author:** ![Phoenix\_Dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Phoenix\_Dragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phoenix_Dragon)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/52 "2003-02-11T23:13:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KRC \* > \*\*“The Homecoming Queen’s Got a Gun” by Julie Brown, c. 1984. > > Lines like “Debbie’s really having a blast/ She’s wasting half of the class” just wouldn’t go over well after Columbine. \*\* If that’s the one I remember, I don’t think it was meant to be serious 🙂 I think it’s funny, anyway… (At least, I think so. Can’t remember it well, now) ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/53 "2003-02-11T23:21:38Z")
Ok, folks, I get the message. Every Breath You Take is a stalker song. And yes, the Homecoming Queen’s Got a Gun was supposed to be a comedy song - but it’s a perfect example of what I meant in the OP. It was funny - until some kid opened fire. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/54 "2003-02-12T00:22:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duckster \* > **This Land Is Your Land** […] Not in the Bush age. Then again, there was always this little variant of the lyrics I learned while at Y-camp: _“This land is my land, It isn’t your land, I’ve got a shotgun And you don’t got one. If you don’t get off, I’ll blow your head off. This land is private proper-teee!”_ ---
**Author:** ![DirkGntly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DirkGntly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DirkGntly)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/55 "2003-02-12T00:38:10Z")
Not only is “Every Breath You Take” a stalker song…it’s a stalker with intent to murder… “…and now my poor heart aches with every breath you take…” So, what’s he intend to _DO_ about it, hmmmm…? He apparently wants her to stop _breathing._ ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/56 "2003-02-12T00:52:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tracer \* > \*\*Then again, there was always this little variant of the lyrics I learned while at Y-camp: > _“This land is my land, > It isn’t your land, > I’ve got a shotgun > And you don’t got one. > If you don’t get off, > I’ll blow your head off. > This land is private proper-teee!”_ \*\* There’s a “Lost Verse” to \*\* This Land is Your Land. \*\*[NPR](http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/atc/20000703.atc.05.ram) had a very interesting piece on this song. Guthrie intended it to be a protest against private property, fencing off the beauty of America. The lost verse discusses who Gurthrie came upon a a “Keep Out” sign, and jumped the fence anyway. Of course, that verse is tactfully edited out when the song is sung by school children. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/57 "2003-02-12T01:42:03Z")
Coming Into Los Angles by Arlo Guthrie - not only for the stoner, drug smuggling lyrics, but “Don’t touch my bags if you please, Mr. Customs Man” is down right archaic these days. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/58 "2003-02-12T12:13:06Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by RealityChuck_ > Songs with blatant drug references don’t fly today. Consider Strike a Match and Light Another. > > When your feet are in the stirrups and your ass is on the ground > Cause the grass that you’ve been eatin’ is the finest stuff around. > Oh, let us now remember boys, let us not forget > Strike a match and light another marijuana cigarette. So, “Because I Got High” by Afroman wasn’t a hit in America? I think some people in this thread haven’t been listening to the radio recently. And BTW, R.E.M.'s _Losing My Religion_ and _Strange Currencies_ were both radio hits and both are stalker songs. ---
**Author:** ![curly\_chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@curly\_chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curly_chick)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/59 "2003-02-12T13:56:33Z")
Mary Coughlan had a Porter Grainger song out a while ago and there was consternation over this lyric in it I’d rather my man would hit me Than for him to jump up and quit me But it ain’t nobody’s business what I do So she swapped hit and quit around ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283/60 "2003-02-12T15:25:44Z")
[_ **Born a Woman** _](http://www.leoslyrics.com/listlyrics.php?sid=%C7)%C3l%3B%10L%5C) by Sandy Posey (1966) fits the bill, especially this bit: “Well I was born a woman I didn’t have no say And when my man finally comes home He makes me glad it happened that way” :rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-just-wouldnt-fly-today/154283.md?page=4)