# What was the first use of the work f\*ck in music? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 15, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523 "2003-07-15T00:38:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![punkkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@punkkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/punkkid)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523/1 "2003-07-15T00:38:37Z")
What was the first use of the work f\*ck in music? When was it? No reason, just want to know… ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523/2 "2003-07-15T00:45:08Z")
Two or three possibilities. MC5 “Kick Out The Jams” (!968). Are somewhat audible “Kick out the jams motherfuckers” could be heard. John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero” (1970), its pretty much out there to hear, though the lyric sheet has an asterisk where there are offending words. An even earlier one, “Louie Louie” (1963) by the Kingsmen. maybe there are no dirty lyrics, but you can hear a very clear on-mike “fuck!” (maybe because of a missed chord or something). Now I am sure someone will come along with an example from 1928… ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523/3 "2003-07-15T00:49:00Z")
The SDMB search engine is your friend. [First major songs with swearing in the lyrics.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=182365&highlight=fuck+AND+Zappa) ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523/4 "2003-07-15T01:03:31Z")
I’m pretty sure there’s a “fuck” in Jelly Roll Morton’s Library of Congress recordings, but those “only” date from 1940… ---
**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:** [July 15, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523/5 "2003-07-15T01:03:38Z")
From 1905, the Jean Havez tune [Everybody Works But Father, that Fucking Deadbeat](http://www.pdmusic.org/1900s/05ewbf.txt) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523/6 "2003-07-15T01:12:49Z")
It would have to be “The End” as performed by the Doors live at the hungry i, in 1966 just before they were discovered. Not, of course, in the version recorded and released on their first album _The Doors_, in which the offending word was replaced by an inarticulate howl: “Father” “Yes, son” “I want to kill you” “Mother, I want to…” _…AAAUGHGHGHGH!!!_ Well, at any rate, that performance was reconstructed in Oliver Stone’s film and of course Stone re-inserted the infamous F-word. Did he base it on eyewitness accounts of the show? ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523/7 "2003-07-15T01:16:32Z")
Here’s a link about some smutty pre-rock music: [http://www.slipcue.com/music/jazz/hokum\_02.html](http://www.slipcue.com/music/jazz/hokum_02.html) I actually have the Copulatin’ Blues album … somewhere, someplace. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523/8 "2003-07-15T01:21:01Z")
Listen carefully that part in the classic Kinks hit “You Really Got Me” (1965), just before the guitar solo, when Ray Davies yelps “Oooooh no!” That line was dubbed in to cover the sound of Dave Davies shouting “Fuck off!” in the background, but it’s still barely audible. More so on CD than vinyl. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523/9 "2003-07-15T01:26:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Walloon \* > **The SDMB search engine is your friend.** Not if it’s not accurate! In the “classic rock era” The Fugs’ first album in 1966 had such classics as “Boobs a Lot,” “I feel Like Homemade Shit,” and “Nothing,” with the line, “Sucking–nothing, fucking–nothing.” But Jelly Roll’s “Whining Boy,” which he claimed (he claimed a lot of things, many of them true) as one of the first songs he wrote, putting it shortly after the turn of the century, was a deusy. It was done to overcome the feminine impression people had of pianists. “Kinda smutty a bit. Not too smutty, but something like this,” then he launches into a song that’s jaw-droppingly smutty, considering it’s time. Most modern rockers would have to check their contracts before they tried to beat lines like, “I’ll fuck her 'til her pussy’s sore.” ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523/10 "2003-07-15T03:27:16Z")
> [@](#): > > But Jelly Roll’s “Whining Boy,” which he claimed (he claimed a lot of things, many of them true) as one of the first songs he wrote, putting it shortly after the turn of the century, was a deusy. It was done to overcome the feminine impression people had of pianists. “Kinda smutty a bit. Not too smutty, but something like this,” then he launches into a song that’s jaw-droppingly smutty, considering it’s time. Most modern rockers would have to check their contracts before they tried to beat lines like, “I’ll fuck her 'til her pussy’s sore.” **dropzone**. Where can I get a copy of the lyrics to “Whining Boy” ? ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523/11 "2003-07-15T05:39:04Z")
I’m just waiting to see something like a c.1600 piece for the lute entitled “Sumertim is gud fur ficken” 😃 Until then, it seems that old “rugby songs” are the first noted thus far in this thread. I found these on a similarly titled site to which I am hestitant to link to, as it seems to contain _links_. > [@](#): > > **Ron & the Rude Boys > have recorded almost 100 traditional SIDE-SPLITTING bawdy songs, some which originate from over 100 years ago - many were compiled and sung during the first and second World Wars to boost moral. > Within these unique archives there is good excuse for loads of offence causing, beer swilling, lung bursting Tom-Foolery.** > _ **Jock McTavish, he was there, his C** _ was long and broad, And when he f… the farmer’s wife, she had to be rebored…\*\*\* It goes on, but that seems to be the sole reference to “f\*ck”. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523/12 "2003-07-15T12:09:23Z")
Daltrey: I really wanna know: Who the fuck are you? It’s gotta be an early contender. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523/13 "2003-07-15T13:13:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > \*\ ***dropzone**. Where can I get a copy of the lyrics to “Whining Boy” ? \*\* If you’re nice to me I could transcribe them, but that one line gives you the flavor of the song. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523/14 "2003-07-15T17:10:29Z")
The earliest I could find was some sheet music for the _Gentlemen with a Decidedly Rougish Air About Them_ version of "Fuck the Local Constabulary, What? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-use-of-the-work-f-ck-in-music/188523/15 "2003-07-15T17:25:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PunditLisa \* > \*\*Daltrey: I really wanna know: Who the fuck are you? > > It’s gotta be an early contender. \*\* It’s not even _Daltrey’s_ first use of the word on record: Listen to the last line of “Young Man Blues” off **Live at Leeds** , recorded eight years earlier.