That’s Holly Dunn’s Daddy’s Hands*:
I remember Daddy’s hands folded silently in prayer
That’s Holly Dunn’s Daddy’s Hands*:
I remember Daddy’s hands folded silently in prayer
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
LifeOnWry, “Every Breath You Take” is a song about a STALKER.
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.”
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.
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.
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)
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.
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!”
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.
There’s a “Lost Verse” to ** This Land is Your Land. **NPR 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.
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.
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.
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
Born a Woman%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: