1 of 1- aflem
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Has Anyone Ever Heard Of This Beach Boys Banning Story?
This is certainly news to me, although it's almost 60 years old.
According to the article below, the Beach Boys song "God Only Knows" was banned by some radio stations because of its allusions to religion. I can't say I've ever been aware of that being the case, but the story insists Brian Wilson was so worried about the possibility of the troubling title that he briefly considered changing the title to "Fred Only Knows."
Really? That seems absolutely crazy to me. Has anyone ever heard this story before?
Understanding why The Beach Boys song 'God Only Knows' was banned from the radio
- Little Rich
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Re: Has Anyone Ever Heard Of This Beach Boys Banning Story?
My guess is his Schizoaffective disorder may likely have had something to do with his over-reaction to the alleged banning.
- Jim Southern
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Re: Has Anyone Ever Heard Of This Beach Boys Banning Story?
I know I heard "God Only Knows" on the radio in Salt Lake City (Now that's a religious town for sure). It does deserve a mention that the B. Boys really owned SLC (as heard in their album track of the same name). I guess it goes back to the old saying..."Some people just aren't happy unless they're unhappy and griping about something.
- Roman
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Re: Has Anyone Ever Heard Of This Beach Boys Banning Story?
Never heard about that. The closest to that which I recall was in 1969, when our local Top 40 station CHUM, edited the word "Christ" from the line "Christ you know it ain't easy", from The Beatles' Ballad Of John & Yoko.
- Lorne
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Re: Has Anyone Ever Heard Of This Beach Boys Banning Story?
I was only 6 when it came out, but it was only in recent years that I saw any suggestion of there being something problematic about the reference to God. I think it wasn't a bigger hit at the time simply because it was the B side to Wouldn't It Be Nice (a song that I prefer). My CHUM Chart Book shows it peaking at #4 along with Wouldn't It Be Nice, but with God Only Knows charting for five weeks vs. nine for Wouldn't It Be Nice. That probably indicates that for the first four weeks, Wouldn't It Be Nice charted on its own, but at some point CHUM started giving God Only Knows airplay and then added it to the chart. That's very typical of the way that a B side can end up charting with an A side.
- aflem
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Re: Has Anyone Ever Heard Of This Beach Boys Banning Story?
Roman wrote:
Never heard about that. The closest to that which I recall was in 1969, when our local Top 40 station CHUM, edited the word "Christ" from the line "Christ you know it ain't easy", from The Beatles' Ballad Of John & Yoko.
"Jesus" was also a name that caused controversy in Canada over a song I have to admit I've never even heard of. Maybe the fact they wouldn't play it is the reason.
Another song that CHUM banned (but rival Toronto station CKFH played) was the sexy "Je T'Aime" by Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin.
Last edited by aflem (September 28, 2022 12:05 pm)
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Thread Starter- memphis boy
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Re: Has Anyone Ever Heard Of This Beach Boys Banning Story?
Don't remember ever hearing God struck out, even here in the Bible Belt
- Lorne
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Re: Has Anyone Ever Heard Of This Beach Boys Banning Story?
Don't remember ever hearing God struck out, even here in the Bible Belt
By the time I really became familiar with it in the 1970s, I thought that if anything it had a somewhat pro-religious quality to it, or alternatively that it was just an innocuous phrase ... I never figured that there would be any significant objection to the words on religious grounds.
- StereoTom
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The BBC infamously would not play songs alluding to any kind of religion, so a song with God in the title never stood a chance.
Tom Diehl
- memphis boy
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Re: Has Anyone Ever Heard Of This Beach Boys Banning Story?
Don't remember ever hearing God struck out, even here in the Bible Belt
By the time I really became familiar with it in the 1970s, I thought that if anything it had a somewhat pro-religious quality to it, or alternatively that it was just an innocuous phrase ... I never figured that there would be any significant objection to the words on religious grounds.
Just as You Better Move On by....Arthur Alexander as well as the Stones says "it's up to her and the Lord above...."
nobody thought about it at that time
- memphis boy
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Re: Has Anyone Ever Heard Of This Beach Boys Banning Story?
The BBC infamously would not play songs alluding to any kind of religion, so a song with God in the title never stood a chance.
Lola by the Kinks had to be re-recorded because of a commercial product...The BBC found the song’s content objectionable, but not for reasons of gender and sexuality. The BBC objected to the song because the original version of it mentioned Coca-Cola. Since the BBC felt the original lyric could be viewed as advertising, The Kinks had to re-record the song with no mention of the famous soft drink. The re-recorded version of the song mentions generic cherry cola rather than Coca-Cola.
- aflem
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Re: Has Anyone Ever Heard Of This Beach Boys Banning Story?
There's a radio show here that told the story behind that Lola soft drink re-record.
Apparently Ray Davies was on tour in North America when the BBC announced they would not play the record because of the Coca-Cola reference. So he got on board a plane on one of his rare off days, flew all the way back to London, recorded the one line, then got back on the plane and returned back to the concert city.
A very expensive and exhausting journey, but it was worth it - the Beeb ended up playing the record and it sold very well in Britain.
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