Dire Straits gets Bleeped

[wildone]

So Dire Straits' 25 year old song 'Money For Nothing' must now be bleeped out in it's lyrics to be played on the radio.

 

It turns out the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) received a complaint from someone in Newfoundland about the lyrics of the 1985 song on the Brother's In Arms Album. Money for Nothing received numerous awards around the world including the Grammy for the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with a Vocal in 1985 at the 28th annual Grammy Awards. Sting lent his voice for some of the lyrics.

 

Turns out the complaint was about the word 'faggot' used 3 times in the song:

 

See the little faggot with the earring and the makeup

Yeah buddy that's his own hair

That little faggot got his own jet airplane

That little faggot he's a millionaire

 

All Canadian Broadcasters including Television and Radio stations voluntarily belong to the CBSC which has ruled all it's members must bleep out the use of the word faggot as it is a derogatory term towards gay people.

 

Some radio stations are reacting by playing the song continuously unedited for one hour in protest.

 

Is this overkill? Do you take offense to the usage of the word in the song? People question how black artists can use the N word in song and nothing is said or done.

 

Vote in the poll and please give an written opinion on this.

 

Entire Song Lyrics:

 

I want my MTV

(X 16)

Now look at them yo-yo's that's the way you do it

You play the guitar on the MTV

That ain't workin' that's the way you do it

Money for nothin' and your chicks for free

Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it

Lemme tell ya them guys ain't dumb

Maybe get a blister on your little finger

Maybe get a blister on your thumb

 

We gotta install microwave ovens

Custom kitchen deliveries

We gotta move these refrigerators

We gotta move these color TV's

 

See the little faggot with the earring and the makeup

Yeah buddy that's his own hair

That little faggot got his own jet airplane

That little faggot he's a millionaire

 

Gotta install microwave ovens

Custom kitchen deliveries

We gotta move these refrigerators

Gotta move these color TV's

 

I shoulda learned to play the guitar

I shoulda learned to play them drums

Look at that mama, she got it stickin' in the camera

Man we could have some

And he's up there, what's that? Hawaiian noises?

Bangin' on the bongos like a chimpanzee

That ain't workin' that's the way you do it

Get your money for nothin' get your chicks for free

 

We gotta install microwave ovens

Custom kitchens deliveries

We gotta move these refrigerators

We gotta move these color TV's

 

Look a' here

That ain't workin' that's the way you do it

You play the guitar on your MTV

That ain't workin' that's the way you do it

Money for nothin' and your chicks for free

Money for nothin' and chicks for free

 

Money for nothin' and your chicks for free

 

Look at that, look at that

 

Money for nothin' and your chicks for free

I want my, I want my, I want my MTV

Money for nothin' and chicks for free

 

(Fade)

I want my, I want my, I want my MTV

Edited January 15, 2011 by wildone

[Dark]

I don't think this is an overreaction -- it only feels like one to us because we're adults and have come to terms with some of these derogatory words. But think of it from the perspective of a younger person, or the kids struggling with their identities. They hear this kind of thing so often that it's ingrained in their subconscious that 'faggot' is something bad, something they don't want to be. Music is one of the worst for subliminal messages, because they get in our heads and we're humming along to the tune years after first hearing a song. How easy is it to memorize song lyrics vs the information for that test tomorrow?

 

It's about time that someone is standing up to stop the spread of this word.

 

I forget the term for it, but when a sub-group re-claims a derrogatory word and uses it with a different meaning, the derrogatory nature of the word will fade -- such has happened with the word 'nigger,' but again realize that this is not a national thing. There are individuals who think 'yeah, that's what I am' but there are also those who have a gut reaction like: 'I'll kill you for calling me that!' It's all based on our exposure to such things.

 

What were your experiences growing up being called a name you hated?

[option]

The actual decision;

http://www.cbsc.ca/english/decisions/2011/110112.php

 

it explains that the version played is the 'full' version, whereas most people will have heard/will hear the abridged version, which dosnt contain those lyrics.

it also explains the reasoning behind the upholding of the complaint

 

 

the press release;

http://www.cbsc.ca/english/documents/prs/2011/110112.php

 

"A listener complained that the word “faggot” is discriminatory to gays. The broadcaster argued that the song had been played countless times since its release in the 1980s, that it has been a very popular song since that time, and that it has won music industry awards. The complainant then pointed out that OZ FM does indeed edit other songs that contain other types of offensive language."

[Mark Arbour]

I was listening to this song about a week ago and when the word "faggot" popped up, it kind of shocked me, even though I've heard the song a lot.

 

I think to some degree this is political correctness run amok. This song was meant to express the frustrations that blue-collar workers were feeling during that era when the rust belt was starting to rust, and union jobs were being slashed like crazy. If it was meant to be derogatory to gay people, why did he think the "little faggot" got his chicks for free?

[hayven]

One part of me thinks the bleeping out of the word is not a big deal - it is done for so many songs and many song also have tamer "radio edits" (for example, Cee-Lo's Forget You).

 

The other part of me though is trying to draw parallels to the situation with Huckleberry Finn and how context fits in the situation.

 

In the end, for me I think this is not as big of an issue as censorship in Huckleberry Finn. Partially because I find it hard to really derive meaning from a song that goes for maybe 5 minutes without really looking up the lyrics and analyzing the song. The word would simply jump out at me and will become one of the main things I take away from it.

 

 

 

 

One of the side problems with this issue is that a lot of the people I know are misconstruing it and thinking that the entire song is now banned from Canadian radio because a member of the queer community got offended. The queer community is now being portrayed as bullies leading the "I'm offended so you can't say things" drive. That honestly bothers me way more than the discussion about censorship

[JamesSavik]

Earlier today I was cruising home down I-55 from Memphis and listening to Rock103, they were playing Pink Floyd's Money. I was jamming it loud. I was laid back. Had a great week. Made a pile of money.

 

 

Money, it's a gas

Grab that cash with both hands

And make a stash

 

New car, caviar, four star daydream

Think I'll buy me a football team

 

Money get back

I'm all right Jack

Keep your hands off my stack

 

Money, it's a hit

Don't give me that

Do goody good bullshit

 

And they bleeped out BS.

 

 

I mean come on man! WTF are you doing? That's Pink Floyd. That's Money from the Dark Side of the Moon- one of the best selling MOST classic albums of ALL times!

 

Who the f**k are you to censor THEM!?

 

Play it or DON't.

 

But do not censor it.

 

It makes you look like a huge douche.

 

[rustle]

I agree with James. Play the whole song or don't play it at all. Hearing a song I like with bleeped-out lyrics is annoying. How about a radio station that plays the unsanitized versions, and put a v-chip on radio for the mommies and daddies out there to limit access for their kids? In the song context, the word "faggot" has nothing to do with homosexuality, but is a meanigless epithet misused by a character.

 

Huckleberry Finn is not a 5 minute song - it's a long-standing classic of American literature, steeped in historical context. That context is incredibly valuable in educating people in the reality of the good old days. While the term "nigger" IS offensive, removing it dilutes the book's merit.It's important for us to look at life and history with open eyes. There are many people living in the U.S. who don't realize that there were once slaves in the northeast, and that much of the work of developing New Amsterdam (New York City) was done by slaves.

 

Words can and do hurt; the world will never be Eden. We'll always be challenged as human beings, and part of growing is learning to deal with those challenges. We should focus on teaching the life skills and establishing the self-esteem to rise to challenges and face taunts with strong character. To be able to say, "Yeah, I'm a faggot. SO WHAT?" At those times when the words do hurt, we should offer all the support and love and sensitivity to help our fellow human beings to learn to cope with the pain, and grow stronger. Because there's always going to be a bully out there.

[Former Member]

They may be able to censor it on the radio, but they cannot keep me from listening to it on my CD *deep evil laughter*.

 

Seriously, some people have too much time on their hands.

[Graeme]

As an aside, I always heard the second line as Yeah, buddy, that's his own thing. When you combine that with the next two lines, it comes over as being very positive - that there's nothing wrong with being a 'faggot'. I was quite surprised to learn that the last word on that line was 'hair'....

[Cyhort]

Eh, personally I'm against almost all form of censorship but as long as other songs on the radio are getting swear words beeped out I don't see much of a problem. It'd be better if people realized that words only have the power you give them but, well, there are a lot of stupid, oversensitive people in the world. What can you do?

[Mark Arbour]

I agree with James. Play the whole song or don't play it at all. Hearing a song I like with bleeped-out lyrics is annoying. How about a radio station that plays the unsanitized versions, and put a v-chip on radio for the mommies and daddies out there to limit access for their kids? In the song context, the word "faggot" has nothing to do with homosexuality, but is a meanigless epithet misused by a character.

 

Huckleberry Finn is not a 5 minute song - it's a long-standing classic of American literature, steeped in historical context. That context is incredibly valuable in educating people in the reality of the good old days. While the term "nigger" IS offensive, removing it dilutes the book's merit.It's important for us to look at life and history with open eyes. There are many people living in the U.S. who don't realize that there were once slaves in the northeast, and that much of the work of developing New Amsterdam (New York City) was done by slaves.

 

Words can and do hurt; the world will never be Eden. We'll always be challenged as human beings, and part of growing is learning to deal with those challenges. We should focus on teaching the life skills and establishing the self-esteem to rise to challenges and face taunts with strong character. To be able to say, "Yeah, I'm a faggot. SO WHAT?" At those times when the words do hurt, we should offer all the support and love and sensitivity to help our fellow human beings to learn to cope with the pain, and grow stronger. Because there's always going to be a bully out there.

 

I like the analogy with Huckleberry Finn. I think that looking at things like that (books, music, etc.) gives us interesting insights into where we were as a society. I remember when I started writing "Chronicles of an Academic Predator," I had to make a decision on whether to use period language (it starts in 1962) or be politically correct. Do I use the 60's version of African-American: coloured or negro? In the end, I did, because I thought it was kind of cool to see how far we've come as a society.

[Conner]

I've never been much of a Dire Straits fan. Some of their stuff is pretty decent. However, as for "Money for Nothing", frankly, it should have been given the burial it richly deserves years ago.

 

I'm not convinced that the song is about blue collar workers - albeit that's the angle the band takes in the lyrics - as much as it is Dire Straits whining about their own lack of stardom.

 

It's absolute nonsense to think that the band's use of the word "faggot" is anything else but a reference to a homosexual stereotype - erring and make-up, hairstyle. I would even go as far to say that this was a reference to Elton John. Elton was always "out there" right from the get go and was a huge star when this song was published in 1985.

 

It was bigotry in 1985 and it's bigotry today. Plain and simple.

[Mark Arbour]

This is from Song Facts:

 

This song is about rock star excess and the easy life it brings compared with real work. Mark Knopfler wrote it after overhearing delivery men in a New York department store complain about their jobs while watching MTV. He wrote the song in the store sitting at a kitchen display they had set up. Many of the lyrics were things they actually said.

 

Here's an excerpt from an interview Knopfler did:

 

 

In a late 1985 interview in Rolling Stone magazine, Knopfler expressed mixed feelings on the controversy:

 

“I got an objection from the editor of a gay newspaper in London - he actually said it was below the belt. Apart from the fact that there are stupid gay people as well as stupid other people, it suggests that maybe you can't let it have so many meanings - you have to be direct. In fact, I'm still in two minds as to whether it's a good idea to write songs that aren't in the first person, to take on other characters. The singer in "Money for Nothing" is a real ignoramus, hard hat mentality - somebody who sees everything in financial terms. I mean, this guy has a grudging respect for rock stars. He sees it in terms of, well, that's not working and yet the guys rich: that's a good scam. He isn't sneering.^[4]

[wildone]

I guess I look back on the song when I first heard it. For some reason I didn't take the word faggot as anything more than a word in the song. It didn't upset me.

 

I honestly don't think my straight friends used faggot anymore, any less because of the song. I would be more uncomfortable if someone said that word in my presence than if it was on a song, or someone was singing the song.

 

I kind of look at it as different then the way the word gay is used now a days. It seems that word is used in everyday conversation and the way it is used is more offensive.

 

I'm mixed on that I guess, meh.

 

I am not in favour of the bleeping though.

[JamesSavik]

When in doubt, listen and judge for yourself.

 

 

Original video played on MTV... that is when MTV played videos and not ALL useless un-reality shows ALL THE TIME.

 

 

Another example of Dire Straits- the Sultans of Swing. Probably their best known song- certainly one of their oldest c. 1978.

[JimCarter]

I don't like censorship, especially when it comes to something like music. I don't like rap music because in a lot of it women are bitches and ho's with MF stuck in as often as possible. I simply don't listen or buy it. I understand the argument that words can be dangereous to young impressional minds. It is one of those things that fit the saying. I don't like it, but I respect your right to say (or sing) it.:2hands: