Censorship Of American Music Essay, Research Paper
Censorship of American Music
Although is clearly states in the first amendment that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances,” censorship in America still exists in a big way. I think censorship can be applied to almost anything, including music of all kinds.
“Music censorship is the term used to describe the act of editing, altering, or preventing the listener from hearing the music as the artist created it in order to either deny certain information or to act as a moral gatekeeper of potentially harmful material” (http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/ barndollar/courses/spring98/students/fabfive/index.html). The Censorship of music in the United Stated is documented as far back as 1954, when “Michigan congresswoman Ruth Thompson introduces a bill in the House that would ban mailing of any pornographic recording, punishable by five years imprisonment and a $ 5,000 fine” (http://ericnuzum.com/banned/fifties.html). Even Elvis Aaron Presley, The King of rock-n-roll was once thought of as obscene. In 1957, when he appeared on the Ed Sullivan show for the third time, the cameramen were told to only film him from the waist up. “Elvis s dancing was considered lewd” (http://ericnuzum.com/banned/fifties.html). In 1964, “Indiana Governor Matthew Welsh asks the State Broadcasters Association to ban the song Louie, Louie by the Kingsmen because he considers it to be pornographic.” (http://ericnuzum.com/banned/fifties.html). This trend has continued all the way up to the nineties, and I m sure it won t stop any time soon.
In the past ten years especially, music has been under attack by many law makers, prosecutors and critics of morality and good taste. One attack on this freedom comes from parental advisory stickers. These stickers are used as a form of censorship against an artist and their lyrics. If a label will produce an album, I don t think there should be any reason that the consumer can t decide for him or herself if lyrics contained in the album are found obscene or otherwise unsuitable. In order to begin the debate on whether or not parental advisory stickers serve as a form of censorship, one must consider what the word censor implies. The word censor means “the power to suppress publications or excise any matter in them thought to be immoral, seditious or otherwise undesirables”(Webster Dictionary 227). The question of what constitutes “proper” language and obscenity has been greatly forced upon the music industry. The government oversteps the constitution in concluding on which lyrics are appropriate for children. Legislation on this topic has been in effect since the mid 1950’s. Further legislation was not passed until 1985, when music labeling was voluntarily adopted by the Recording Industry of America. Later in 1990, although each company retained discretion regarding the labeling of specific records, the size, placement and wording of the logo were standardized. The current labeling consists of a black and white logo, fixed to the permanent packaging on the bottom right hand corner.
For all the controversy these stickers stir up, do they really serve a practical use for protecting the young people of the nation? Parental advisory sticker
Many organizations have been founded as a counter attack to the Parent’s Music Resource Center. One group that works for freedom of expression call themselves, Parents of Rock and Rap. Members include students of all ages, parents, grandparents, college professors and musicians.
No matter what side of the issue you stand for, the issues as of now have to be settled by the consumer. “Restricting the purchase of displeasing recordings is censorship”(Zeinert 27). The entire system must be carefully examined, including prior court rulings and decisions on the music industry and the way in which we protect our children from what they see and hear. One must ask if it is constitutionally moral, and then we may begin to change the warning system, so that our guaranteed freedoms do not die. Personally, I feel that any type of censorship is wrong. However, it does not mean that in does not serve its some purpose in cases. That is up to the individual in hand.
Works Cited
Hull, Mary. Censorship in America. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 1999. 23.
Winfield, Betty Houchin. Bleep! : Censoring Rock and Rap Music. Greenwood Publishing Group, 1999.
Zeinert, Karen. Free Speech: From Newspapers to Music Lyrics. Enslow Publishers, Incorporation. 1995.