What was the 1st Rock N' Roll song to use a 4 letter word? (...and I don't mean love!

In the liner notes for Billie Holiday The Complete Decca Recordings producer Milt Gabler says "But I felt Billie in a different way - as a pop singer."

Billie Holiday / Louis Armstrong - "My Sweet Hunk O' Trash". In the song Louis sings "F*** 'em baby." The song was the b side for another Holiday / Armstrong duet "You Can't Lose A Broken Heart". Some time after the disc was released, Walter Winchell complained about the "dirty word" in his newspaper column. This forced Decca to withdraw the record. It was replaced with a sanitized version, "How come, baby".

Both songs were recorded on 7 Novemeber, 1949.

Billie and Lou-is publicity photo from the 1947 film, "New Orleans".

 

I had Toga Rock still here - on my stereo's right channel where the vocal is not doubled/high hat isn't present (as I face the speakers) at 1:38 we get to the offending part of fun/f**k - this poor song had a buncha mix adjustments/tinkerings/speed adjustments, so if you have a different cd you'll probably have a different mix. I believe the history on Toga Rock's version is that it came from Original Sound, which would make it most likely a dub; the Del-Fi masters were later excavated by Bill Inglot and gotten outta hock (a tip of the hat for Mr. I's detective/philanthropic work there). Rhino hounds will haveta help here - I don't know if the Fuller cd had a reissue/remaster or not since it's on loan, but I'm almost positive that the disc I have is from the master tapes (Steve - help me out here/hear). The Del-Fi 2 disc set has offa master sources - I can't vouch for left/right channel placement on the Rhino/Del-Fi discs...

Bobby F. has been documented as being quite the prankster and had played around for years in his home studio filled with pro gear (and giant concrete slab echo chamber - his parents were very supportive of Bobby's career) - slipping in naughty words so they'd be jusssssst audible was in his capability. Buy a copy of the Fuller cover issue of Kicks magazing from Norton for the full Fuller blast - that's where I first read about the naughty bits in IFTL...

 

Is this true about The End? I thought it was only mixed in for the Apocolypse Now soundtrack. I'll have to pull out my 88 CD & give it a close listen.

 

Several Landmarks in F-word History on the Radio:

"Sock It To Me -- Baby!" by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels (1967):
As originally recorded, it featured Ryder singing the line, "Every time you kiss me, feels like a punch," but the word "punch" is mumbled to the point that some radio people, perhaps after one too many liquid lunches, thought he was mumbling "feels like a f***." Ryder went back and re-recorded the line to say, "Every time you kiss me, it hits me like a PUNCH!" with the word "punch" so prominent that there was no way anyone could mis-hear it this time!

"Rapture" by Blondie (1981):
More than one person misheard the lyrics right before the rap, "And it's finger popping, 24 hour shopping rapture" as "And it's finger f***ing, 24 hour sucking rapture." It wouldn't surprise me if the latter is the true lyric!

"Erotic City" by Prince and the Revolution (1984):
The notorious B-side of "Let's Go Crazy" got airplay from many R&B stations, which, after it became popular in clubs, decided to air it, even with the opening (and repeated) line, "We can f*** until the dawn." They justified it by slyly claiming that to their ears, the line was "We can FUNK until the dawn."

"Unbelievable" by EMF (1991):
This record hit #1 even though (or maybe because?) it was aired uncensored! During the instrumental breaks, that somewhat muffled, shouting voice is saying "What the f***?" and later says "What the f*** WAS that?" In fact, those lyrics are confirmed on the lyric sheet contained on the inner sleeve of the LP version of Schubert Dip!

 

Not to mention Some Girls

 

That's a good one. I was thinking primarily of songs released as singles.

 

Talkin 'bout the Midnight............

Ya ya's version

 

May not beat Louis, but MC5's "Kick Out the Jams" must be up there....

 

I will testify the mystery word is not "funk". I oop'sed the track just to find out and there was no doubt.

I remember the local radio stations that would play the song made their own mixes and edits.

 

I've heard rumors that the background vocalists in Joey Dee & the Starliters' "Peppermint Twist" are singing an anti-semetic obscenity. Just another urban legend, I think.

 

"Sock It To Me Baby". There's a line in there that sounds more like "everytime you kiss me, hits me like a puck" than "a punch". Whatever it was, A John Birch Society hack named Joe Crow came to our town to play us songs that were allegedly about drugs and revolution, and how the artists that recorded them were formed and managed by Soviet agents. I knew what to buy after that.
In regards to "Hey Jude", Paul says "bloody hell" in the background in response to a mistake (yes, while he continues to sing, he harmonizes with himself on that song).
I still say the first overt mention of the dreaded "F" word (dreaded even here, even though we all say it) was Jim Morrison in 1967 if it wasn't Frank Zappa in 1966.

 

The records that got me in trouble with my parents were:

The Pusher by Steppenwolf
The Hair Soundtrack for using the MF word
Show Biz Kids by Steely Dan

My Mom had a fit because the Ballad Of John and Yoko used the term "CHRIST you know it ain't easy". I wonder if that was edited out in parts of the country?

My mom also had big problems with Rhapsody In The Rain by Lou Christie, I Think We're Alone Now by TJ and the shondels, and Jam Up Jelly Tight by Tommy Roe. Not to mention, Cherry Hill Park by Billy Joe Royal!

You've guessed it, my mom is the person that the church lady is based on!

 

I Saw Her Standing There

The intro "One, Two, Three, FU**!"

Well, not really the "F" word but it could be heard this way.

Go read about it in Dave Marsh's "The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made".

Jim W.

 

Re: I Saw Her Standing There

More like "one, two, three, fah!" but yes, it could be mis-heard. That's a good book, too!

 

Talk about fruitless pursuits. I don't know where the first naughtie was used in a *hit* recording, but the '68 cast album of HAIR had a few choice words, including the *N-word* that we will not post here, yet, in another time(like now)can be heard and used freely....depending......


ED