# Songs Where the "Clean" Version Is Better Than The Unedited One **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 27, 2012, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557 "2012-07-27T12:42:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/1 "2012-07-27T12:42:10Z")
After reading the couple of recent threads recently about songs that toss in one or two curse words, I got to thinking about the way those kind of songs are edited for radio. In general, when a song with not-safe-for-radio words gets released as a single, the editing is clumsy and tends to call attention to the fact that _there used to be a dirty word here_, seemingly achieving the opposite of what was intended. I was able to think of two recent songs, however, where i’ve heard both the original and the edited version, and I like the bowdlerized version _better_ than the song the artist originally recorded: “Fuckin’ Perfect”, by Pink - I heard the radio version of this many many times before I even heard the unedited version. Upon hearing it, it seemed to me like the titular F-bomb was just plain gratuitous. “Payphone”, by Maroon 5 - I heard the unedited version before the radio one. In this case, the radio version changes the couplet “All these fairy tales are full of shit, one more fuckin’ love song i’ll be sick” to “All these fairy tales are full of _it_, one more _stupid_ love song i’ll be sick” - which to me seems to flow better and make the song sound more sincere and less whiny. (The radio version also removes the guest verse from Wiz Khalifa, of whom I think I can say that no song has ever been _improved_ by his presence, but that’s a topic for another time.) Anyone else ever found a song where they preferred the edited version to the original? ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/2 "2012-07-27T14:47:44Z")
Not really my genre, but I’d pick the **Black Eyed Peas** Let’s Get It Started over the original Let’s Get _Retarded_. Just something about the word “Retarded” being repeated over and over is a bit grating. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/3 "2012-07-27T14:50:24Z")
Anything by The Doors. The radio edits are tighter and keep the song flowing, while the unedited versions sag because of Morrison’s blatherings. “Break On Through (To the Other Side)” and “The End” are the most notable examples. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/4 "2012-07-27T14:58:00Z")
> [@lost4life](#): > > Not really my genre, but I’d pick the **Black Eyed Peas** Let’s Get It Started over the original Let’s Get _Retarded_. Just something about the word “Retarded” being repeated over and over is a bit grating. Yikes, me too. Does Cee Lo Green actually say “Fuck You” in an unedited version of the song? Because I actually like “ **Forget** You”, it’s fun to sing along badly to while driving. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/5 "2012-07-27T14:58:32Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Anything by The Doors. The radio edits are tighter and keep the song flowing, while the unedited versions sag because of Morrison’s blatherings. “Break On Through (To the Other Side)” and “The End” are the most notable examples. Uh, what? There’s no such thing as a radio edit of “The End,” and the single version of “Break On Through” was the same length as the album version–less than two and a half minutes. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/6 "2012-07-27T15:01:02Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > Yikes, me too. > > Does Cee Lo Green actually say “Fuck You” in an unedited version of the song? Because I actually like “ **Forget** You”, it’s fun to sing along badly to while driving. Yeah, the first time I heard the “Forget You” version was the Glee version. I thought it really dumbed down the song. My favorite censored song though is Prince’s “Sexy MF”. Instead of “fucker”, Prince yelps “uhUhUHT!”. It’s silly awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/7 "2012-07-27T15:34:57Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > Yikes, me too. > > Does Cee Lo Green actually say “Fuck You” in an unedited version of the song? Because I actually like “ **Forget** You”, it’s fun to sing along badly to while driving. “Fuck you” works much better. Its the contrast between theangry lyrics and the upbeat music that makes the song. “Forget you” is too antiseptic. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2012, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/8 "2012-07-27T15:37:24Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Uh, what? There’s no such thing as a radio edit of “The End,” and the single version of “Break On Through” was the same length as the album version–less than two and a half minutes. “Break On Through” has two versions. They are both the same length. The original radio edit just cuts the vocals a bit to “She gets…” rather than “She gets high.” The additional word ruins the rhythm. The recorded version IS the radio edit. Have you ever heard the live version? Total garbage as Morrison lets loose his demons. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/9 "2012-07-27T15:43:27Z")
Enrique Iglesias has a song that has two versions: “Tonight I’m loving you” and “Tonight I’m fucking you.” I’m not a prude but that’s just crass. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Righteous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Dr.Righteous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Righteous)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/10 "2012-07-27T16:05:53Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > “Fuck you” works much better. Its the contrast between theangry lyrics and the upbeat music that makes the song. “Forget you” is too antiseptic. I have to disagree, but not because of the meaning of the words. I feel that in that song 3 syllables (“for-get you”) sounds much better to my ears than 2 (“fuck you”). ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/11 "2012-07-27T16:35:28Z")
Nine Inch Nails, **Closer**. I prefer having the edited version in mixes - having the unedited version just appear in a mix and hearing him discuss how he wants to fuck me like an animal…it just requires a more specific context, that’s all 😉 ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/12 "2012-07-27T16:40:56Z")
The song “Officer Krupke” from WEST SIDE STORY: > [@Stage Version](#): > > My father is a bastard, > My ma’s an S.O.B. > My grandpa’s always plastered, > My grandma pushes tea. … > [@Movie Version (cleaned)](#): > > My Daddy beats my Mommy, > My Mommy clobbers me, > My Grandpa is a Commie, > My Grandma pushes tea. … I personally think the cleaned up version is better in the first two lines, but then they’re stuck with the rhyme of “Commie” > [@Stage Version](#): > > Dear kindly social worker, > They say go earn a buck. > Like be a soda jerker, > Which means like be a schumck. > It’s not I’m anti-social, > I’m only anti-work. > Gloryosky! That’s why I’m a jerk! > [@Movie Version (cleaned up)](#): > > Dear kindly social worker, > They tell me get a job, > Like be a soda-jerker, > Which means like be a slob. > It’s not I’m anti-social, > I’m only anti-work. > Gloryosky, that’s why I’m a jerk! I dunno, I think the first is slightly more pertinent (“schmuck” rather than “slob”) but “get a job” seems more realistic than “earn a buck.”) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/13 "2012-07-27T16:44:06Z")
> [@Dr.Righteous](#): > > I have to disagree, but not because of the meaning of the words. I feel that in that song 3 syllables (“for-get you”) sounds much better to my ears than 2 (“fuck you”). Agreed. I like the radio edit of Madonna’s ''Human Nature," which is my favorite Madonna song of all time. The original lyrics are, ''I’m not your bitch, don’t hang your shit on me" but the radio edit replaces “bitch” and “shit” with a sort of muffled thumping sound. I feel like it more closely drives home the meaning of the song, because the song itself is about struggling against censorship. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/14 "2012-07-27T16:44:16Z")
> [@Dr.Righteous](#): > > I have to disagree, but not because of the meaning of the words. I feel that in that song 3 syllables (“for-get you”) sounds much better to my ears than 2 (“fuck you”). That’s funny because I like the unedited version for the exact same reason. The two syllables sounds better to me. I suspect the difference comes from which version you heard first. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/15 "2012-07-27T16:58:26Z")
Low Fidelity All Stars - **Battleflag**. The edited version has a computerized stutter inserted in the “get down on your k-n-n-n-n-n-n-nees” refrain. The stutter covers up a “motherfucking”. The edited version sounds cool and spacy; the original sounds like a 9-year-old who just discovered YouTube videos have cussing and has to repeat everything he hears. I’m another one who thinks the extra syllable makes Cee-lo’s song easier to sing along with. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/16 "2012-07-27T17:17:09Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > “Payphone”, by Maroon 5 - I heard the unedited version before the radio one. In this case, the radio version changes the couplet “All these fairy tales are full of shit, one more fuckin’ love song i’ll be sick” to “All these fairy tales are full of _it_, one more _stupid_ love song i’ll be sick” - which to me seems to flow better and make the song sound more sincere and less whiny. (The radio version also removes the guest verse from Wiz Khalifa, of whom I think I can say that no song has ever been _improved_ by his presence, but that’s a topic for another time.) About a month ago I heard the unedited version for the first time. I said the the wife, “Wow, this is a surprisingly vulgar song.” I had no idea. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/17 "2012-07-27T17:21:59Z")
> [@lost4life](#): > > Not really my genre, but I’d pick the **Black Eyed Peas** Let’s Get It Started over the original Let’s Get _Retarded_. Just something about the word “Retarded” being repeated over and over is a bit grating. Dude, it’s the Black Eyed Peas. Their songs are grating no matter what. I think that every single one of their songs should [song like this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HypmW4Yd7SY). They take their lyrical cues from Rage Against the Machine, except poppier. “Hey guys, I wrote a cool line!” “Awesome! One small change, write ‘repeat 40x’ on the bottom!” > [@silenus](#): > > Anything by The Doors. The radio edits are tighter and keep the song flowing, while the unedited versions sag because of Morrison’s blatherings. “Break On Through (To the Other Side)” and “The End” are the most notable examples. Wait, where does he swear in “Break on Through”? I’m not talking about some live version, I mean if there is swearing on the album version, I don’t hear it, and radio the same. “The End” has some muttered “fuckfuckfuckyeah” in some versions which you wouldn’t notice unless pointed out. And it makes up like 1/100 of the song’s length. If you heard a live version, then yeah, maybe Jim’s drunken ramblings are a bit profane, like his seminal hit, “Fuck Her in the Ass” (sic). On the other hand, if the Doors just started, MTV and/or the radio would probably censor “she gets high.” I wish that were a joke. And if you mean that this has nothing to do with swearing and the radio version of “Light My Fire” is better, I might agree. But it’s not what the OP asked. ---
**Author:** ![BomTek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bomtek/32/21364_2.png) [@BomTek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BomTek)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/18 "2012-07-27T17:38:19Z")
I like my women feisty and foul-mouthed, and Miranda Lambert is about as feisty as they come in mainstream country, but I’ve got to mention her song “Baggage Claim.” At the end of the song, she repeats the line, “Come and get it,” a couple times. On the album version, the very second time she ends it with, “Come and get your shit.” The problem is that the word \*shit \*comes after the music ends, and it just disrupts the flow of the whole end of the song. I like that she ends the lyrics with the music on the edited version. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/19 "2012-07-27T17:38:55Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Dude, it’s the Black Eyed Peas. Their songs are grating no matter what. I think that every single one of their songs should [song like this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HypmW4Yd7SY). They take their lyrical cues from Rage Against the Machine, except poppier. “Hey guys, I wrote a cool line!” “Awesome! One small change, write ‘repeat 40x’ on the bottom!” I, uh, will pass that on to them? Anyhoo…back to the topic. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557/20 "2012-07-27T17:43:28Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > On the other hand, if the Doors just started, MTV and/or the radio would probably censor “she gets high.” I wish that were a joke. > > And if you mean that this has nothing to do with swearing and the radio version of “Light My Fire” is better, I might agree. But it’s not what the OP asked. In 1967, “high” **was** a swear word to AM radio! 😛 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-the-clean-version-is-better-than-the-unedited-one/629557.md?page=2)