Problematic Playlist
USA Today lists the most politically incorrect songs of all time, includes ‘Ebony and Ivory’ because… “their message of ‘people are the same, there’s good and bad in everyone,’ so let’s just get along would be interpreted as hilariously naive by the more woke factions of today’s cultural discourse.”
Because, today, of course, being ‘woke’ means believing that people of different races and cultures need to be at each other’s throats constantly in a zero-sum game of rabid identity politics.
What was the epitome of woke in 1982 is now “cringeworthy,” because political correctness is such fleeting thing. Most of the songs on the list are terrible. Some are kind of fun (“Kung-Fu Fighting”). But it is typical of the social left that these songs are deemed bad not because they are bad songs, but because they reflect what the social left views as “Bad Politics.” Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” and Aerosmith’s “Dude Looks Like a Lady” make the cut not because they say anything mean about transgendereds, but because the author thinks they don’t cheerlead transgendereds enough.
Here’s one I am surprised they missed. Maybe too obscure for the editors. It would probably make their teeny socially conscious heads explode. And what about this one (going out to you, Senator Elizabeth Warren.)
Would you ever let a leftist choose your playlist? I know I wouldn’t. Gawd, it would be mostly the Decemberists and Macklemore.
Here’s a Korean band doing a funk song called ‘Sugar Daddy.’ Is that ‘problematic’? Deal with it.
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That would have to be “One One Hundred Twenty-eighth Breed,” much harder to rhyme.
They also left out Lola. I’m not sure why it would offensive but there must be something. Captain Kirk singing it should be enough.
Comment by Sathar — April 13, 2018 @ 10:15 am - April 13, 2018
Submitted for consideration: Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar.
Comment by Niall — April 13, 2018 @ 10:17 am - April 13, 2018
“Because, today, of course, being ‘woke’ means believing that people of different races and cultures need to be at each other’s throats constantly in a zero-sum game of rabid identity politics.”
So, they’re saying that being ‘woke’ means necessarily being racist, sexist and culturist. And they don’t even realize that’s what they’re saying.
Crazy people are so entertaining…in a sad way.
Comment by Wraith — April 13, 2018 @ 10:29 am - April 13, 2018
Good DoubleThink example: Bullet In The Gun. Normalized firearm violence and self determination (BadThink) but used in the Gay As Folk soundtrack (unless I missed a memo, still GoodThink).
Comment by Sathar — April 13, 2018 @ 10:31 am - April 13, 2018
Here’s my contribution: “Happiness is a Warm Gun” by the Beatles.
Any others out there?
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — April 13, 2018 @ 10:34 am - April 13, 2018
How about “Johnny are you queer?” It was originally done by the Go Gos and then released by Josie Cotton in 82.
Comment by Pawfurbehr — April 13, 2018 @ 11:40 am - April 13, 2018
Killing an Arab didn’t make the list because it’s based off of a book that the left likely believes is very woke in its thinking, The Stranger.
Comment by TADFORD2 — April 13, 2018 @ 12:13 pm - April 13, 2018
Back when SNL was occasionally funny: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciZA8dol9Zk&list=PLEEGoS78l_9Vhyi1ZsSodIxLsg9uewpFl
Comment by Ignatius — April 13, 2018 @ 2:04 pm - April 13, 2018
I’m surprised ‘Having My Baby’ (Paul Anka) didn’t make the list. Or ‘Wives and Lovers’ (Jack Jones). Or ‘It Must Be Him’ (Vikki Carr). Tons of them.
Comment by Ignatius — April 13, 2018 @ 2:18 pm - April 13, 2018
This is currently my ten year old daughter’s favorite dance song. I laugh. She is so delightfully politically incorrect. The song has a catchy tune. Her favorite part is where they sing, “you better run run run outrun my gun”.
Pumped Up Kicks by Foster The People
Robert’s got a quick hand
He’ll look around the room, he won’t tell you his plan
He’s got a rolled cigarette, hanging out his mouth he’s a cowboy kid
Yeah found a six shooter gun
In his dad’s closet hidden oh in a box of fun things, I don’t even know what
But he’s coming for you, yeah he’s coming for you
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, out run my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, faster than my bullet
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, out run my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, faster than my bullet
Daddy works a long day
He be coming home late, he’s coming home late
And he’s bringing me a surprise
‘Cause dinner’s in the kitchen and it’s packed in ice
I’ve waited for a long time
Yeah the slight of my hand is now a quick pull trigger
I reason with my cigarette
And say your hair’s on fire, you must have lost your wits, yeah
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, out run my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, faster than my bullet
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, out run my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, faster than my bullet
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, out run my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, faster than my bullet
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, out run my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, faster than my bullet
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, out run my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You’d better run, better run, faster than my bullet
Comment by Nash Montana — April 13, 2018 @ 3:58 pm - April 13, 2018
They didn’t go back very far… The Sun Has Got its Hat On.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDIpkz6DOi8
These people remind me on Dean Wormer at Faber” “No more fun of any kind!”.
Oh, and Rock the Casbah seems a bit suspect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn1Ca8izXto
Comment by KCRob — April 13, 2018 @ 6:29 pm - April 13, 2018
It just occurred to me that there was no hip-hop on the list. Why would that be?
Comment by KCRob — April 13, 2018 @ 9:10 pm - April 13, 2018
@ 10, I actually wrote about Pumped up Kicks by Foster the People in a blog that I had started last year. “Pumped Up Kicks” was later banned by many radio stations. It spent a total of 8 weeks at # 3.
https://billboardchartrewind.wordpress.com/2017/11/29/hey-were-number-3/
It’s towards the end.
Comment by James — April 13, 2018 @ 9:13 pm - April 13, 2018
“It just occurred to me that there was no hip-hop on the list. Why would that be?”
Not even Eminem’s Democrat-approved tirades against women and gay men?
Comment by Matthew — April 14, 2018 @ 3:25 pm - April 14, 2018
James, thanks for the info!
The song has been resurrected by the young politically incorrect crowd. I had no idea it’s been around 7 years.
Comment by Nash Montana — April 14, 2018 @ 3:30 pm - April 14, 2018
“But I been done seen ’bout ev’rythin’, when I seen a elephant fly.”
(From what I understand, several of the Black Crows were actually voiced by African-American singers, but the lead singer was the same white guy who voiced Jiminy Cricket. But he sang in “black dialect” — oh, the horror!)
Comment by Throbert McGee — April 14, 2018 @ 10:08 pm - April 14, 2018
Here’s Ella Fitzgerald’s delightful cover of “Hawaiian War Chant” — not at all acceptable today, because of the insensitive and appropriating references to “hula-hula maidens” and “little natives.” But boy, does Ella rock it.
Comment by Throbert McGee — April 14, 2018 @ 10:13 pm - April 14, 2018
“But I been done seen ’bout ev’rythin’, when I seen a elephant fly.”
(From what I understand, several of the Black Crows were actually voiced by African-American singers, but the lead singer was the same white guy who voiced Jiminy Cricket. But he sang in “black dialect” — oh, the horror!)”
Yet all the br’ers in SONG OF THE SOUTH were voiced by black actors. Which one does Disney still sell today?
Comment by Matthew — April 15, 2018 @ 2:53 pm - April 15, 2018
So would the Sound of Music be problematic or too Un PC for today’s standards?
Comment by pawfurbehr — April 15, 2018 @ 9:04 pm - April 15, 2018
The Nazis are the bad guys, so that gets a pass.
Comment by Matthew — April 22, 2018 @ 1:54 am - April 22, 2018