4 of the Most Controversial Banned Songs Ever Pulled From Radio

Songs used to get banned from the radio all the time. Back in the 20th century, banning songs was a lot more prevalent than it is today. Many songs were banned for good reason, while others were banned for reasons that are pretty silly in retrospect. Let’s take a look at just four of the most controversial banned songs of all time, and why they were such a problem back in the day.

1. “Relax” by Frankie Goes To Hollywood

This 1983 new wave track was one of the biggest-selling songs in the UK, but that didn’t stop it from being the center of serious controversy. In fact, singer Holly Johnson said that when he came up with the lyrics, he thought, “Oh, I’ll sing these words and this record’ll be banned.”

And banned it was. The song, its packaging, and its music video displayed very clear homoerotic displays of affection that the world wasn’t quite ready for. The BBC banned the single and its music video. However, the track has since become a cult classic.

2. “Society’s Child” by Janis Ian

This 1966 protest song by Janis Ian was about an interracial relationship. According to Ian herself, Atlantic Records allegedly refused to release the song even though they financed it, so she took the track to Verve Records where it was finally released. 

Ian was just 13 years old when she penned this tune about a young girl who sees the horrors her African American boyfriend endures. The song blew up in 1967, but a number of conservative radio stations opted to ban it.

3. “Louie Louie” by The Kingsmen

This 1955 one-hit wonder from The Kingsmen was an R&B hit about a sad, lovesick sailor who misses his girl back home. Unfortunately for The Kingsmen, the allegedly “obscene” lyrics of the song landed them in trouble with the FBI. 

A huge investigation was launched against the band over the obscenity of the song’s lyrics. However, the spectacle ended without anyone getting prosecuted and it was proven that the song wasn’t actually sexually provocative. 

4. “Black Betty” by Ram Jam

Another one-hit wonder of sorts on our list of controversial banned songs, the song “Black Betty” by Ram Jam ruffled a few feathers back in the day. The song was originally an African American work song credited to iconic guitarist and singer Lead Belly. The rock band Ram Jam modernized the tune with a successful cover in 1977. 

The lyrics have been the subject of a lot of discourse through the years. Some believe the titular “black betty” refers to a specific type of whisky, a whip, or even a type of motorcycle. Unfortunately for University of New Hampshire students in 2006, the administration incorrectly thought that the song was glorifying a racial slur. The school banned the song from being played at hockey games, which caused quite an uproar. After a few years, the ban was lifted.

Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns

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