# Songs you'd never hear on the radio in North Korea **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 9, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812 "2013-08-09T16:40:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/1 "2013-08-09T16:40:46Z")
Can’t take the credit for the idea on the topic idea (heard it on the radio ironically) about songs you’d never, \*ever \*hear in everyone’s favourite batshit insane dictatorship, but some of the listener’s suggestions gave me a good chuckle so thought I’d throw the question open to you lot to see what ideas you’d come up with. Some ones that were suggested; [The Star-Spangled Banner](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt3cYpFLJiM) by Jimi Hendrix (or anyone else really). [I’m a S(e)oul Man](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qgcq8klGQsQ) - James Brown. [Born in the USA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZD4ezDbbu4) - Bruce Springsteen. Anything by The Beautiful South, like [You Keep It All In](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rBcIa7dLMQ). Whadya reckon? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/2 "2013-08-09T16:50:16Z")
I’d think that playing anything by Lil’ Kim would be a quick trip to execution. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/3 "2013-08-09T16:51:35Z")
[Question Authority](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFsK6KHxvKk) by the Circle Jerks ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/4 "2013-08-09T17:00:21Z")
“Born in the USA” would suit the North Koreans fine! It’s a profoundly ANTI-American song, after all. It’s all about how capitalism and the Yankee Imperialist War Machine destroyed a man’s life. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/5 "2013-08-09T17:23:17Z")
Hmm, I would call “Born in the USA” critical of America, but anti-American sounds a bit extreme. Anyway, saying the North Koreans would like it gives more credit to their intelligence and discernment and that of their leader than Americans and their leader had at the time it came out. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/6 "2013-08-09T17:24:24Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > “Born in the USA” would suit the North Koreans fine! It’s a profoundly ANTI-American song, after all. It’s all about how capitalism and the Yankee Imperialist War Machine destroyed a man’s life. Consider how many native English speakers are apparently oblivious to that fact. Would you really expect a North Korean censor to get it? ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/7 "2013-08-09T17:32:25Z")
I think the obvious answer would be CAKE’s “I Bombed Korea”. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/8 "2013-08-09T17:36:26Z")
Jimmy Buffett - Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw (Due to the rebellious nature of Rock and Roll, I can think of more songs that they _would_ play.) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/9 "2013-08-09T17:44:35Z")
_Soul Man_ Think about it. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/10 "2013-08-09T17:53:40Z")
4th of July - Soundgarden American Woman - The Guess Who Wildwood Weed - Jim Stafford I Gotcha! - Joe Tex Some Girls - The Rolling Stones Big 10 Inch - Aerosmith Low Rider - War Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw - Jimmy Buffet Sweet Home Alabama - Lynrd Skynyrd The Bomber - The James Gang Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers The Lemon Song - Lsd Zeppelin ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/11 "2013-08-09T17:57:31Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > _Soul Man_ > Think about it. Look at the OP again. ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/12 "2013-08-09T17:58:19Z")
America (Fuck Yeah) - Team America: World Police Soundtrack I’m So Ronery - Team America: World Police Soundtrack ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/13 "2013-08-09T18:03:11Z")
What about Psy’s _Gangnam Style_? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/14 "2013-08-09T18:05:54Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Look at the OP again. So it is. The title and the artist are wrong; I must have looked right through it. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/15 "2013-08-09T18:50:59Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > So it is. The title and the artist are wrong; I must have looked right through it. Oops, serves me right for going straight to YouTube on that one. On _Born in the USA_, it’s one of the most misunderstood songs of all time as a superficial hearing of the title makes it sound like the singer’s loving to be American, when every single other line is about how the singer’s country has shat on him since birth and with no end in sight. I think the title line alone would be enough to be objectionable over there though. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/16 "2013-08-09T18:56:25Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > Consider how many native English speakers are apparently oblivious to that fact. Including Cowboy Bill Watts, Ted Dibiase, Steve “Dr. Death” Williams, and every other pro wrestler that used it as entrance music. As my nominees: _In America_-Charlie Daniels _Free Bird_-Lynyrd Skynyrd _Sweet Home Alabama_-Lynyrd Skynyrd ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/17 "2013-08-09T20:01:07Z")
_Born To Run_ by Springsteen That’s what they got the Secret Police to prevent. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/18 "2013-08-09T20:09:05Z")
For What it’s Worth - Buffalo Springfield ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/19 "2013-08-09T20:17:35Z")
_Rockin’ in the Free World_ ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812/20 "2013-08-09T20:27:36Z")
“Sail Away” by Randy Newman “I Wanna Be Free” by The Monkees “Up Against The Wall, Motherfucker” by David Peel and the Lower East Side [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-youd-never-hear-on-the-radio-in-north-korea/665812.md?page=2)