My Fifties Music
Sharon Goerg
Did you realize how many music lyrics in
the 1950s were censored or considered
inappropriate for teens? “Wear Your
Ring Around My Neck” promoted going
steady, and the Coasters’ “Charlie
Brown” referred to throwing spitballs
in school. Gasp! Yes, those of us who
enjoyed the music of the fifties in our
teen years probably didn’t realize the
“potentially negative aspects of rock and
roll,” according to some psychiatrists at the time.
A Fats Domino concert and dance was cancelled
by the Bridgeport, Connecticut, police to avoid
possible riots. The song “Tell Laura I Love Her”
was often censored by radio stations for being
too morbid, along with “Teen Angel” and “Leader
of the Pack.” And, certainly “Great Balls of Fire”
sung by Jerry Lee Lewis was considered lewd by
many political leaders.
A Kingston, Ontario, radio station was quite
brave in airing an Elvis sacred-songs album, as
many had protested his right to sing this type
of music. In 1955, fifteen thousand letters were
sent to Chicago rock stations accused of playing
‘dirty’ records — especially rhythm and blues. The
Mutual Broadcasting System dropped all rock and
roll records from its network musical programs
because of “distorted, monotonous, noisy music.”
“Splish, Splash, I Was Takin’ a Bath,” recorded
by Bobby Darin in 1958, suggested nudity,
and although “Wake Up, Little Susie” seemed
perfectly innocent, there were those who thought
otherwise. Such censorship even existed in the
early fifties when the Roman Catholic Church
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disapproved of “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa
Claus.” Perhaps they thought Santa Claus was
real and not the woman’s husband? The guitar
instrumental “Rumble” was banned by some U.S.
radio stations for promoting teen violence.
I recently became interested in the lyrics of
many of these recordings while listening to a
fifties station on Sirius Radio. I was in high school
during the mid and late fifties and have enjoyed
hearing these old songs. Now, though, I must
admit some of the lyrics and topics of
this music can be rather amusing.
I have suggested some
categories for
these records.