Posted on 05/05/2005 7:17:17 AM PDT by Dan from Michigan
School board bans band from performing 'Louie Louie'
5/5/2005, 7:20 a.m. ET
The Associated Press
BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (AP) — A pop culture controversy that has simmered for decades came to a head when a middle school marching band was told not to perform "Louie Louie."
Benton Harbor Superintendent Paula Dawning cited the song's allegedly raunchy lyrics in ordering the McCord Middle School band not to perform it in Saturday's Grand Floral Parade, held as part of the Blossomtime Festival.
In a letter sent home with McCord students, Dawning said "Louie Louie" was not appropriate for Benton Harbor students to play while representing the district — even though the marching band wasn't going to sing it.
Band members and parents complained to the Board of Education at its Tuesday meeting that it was too late to learn another song, The Herald-Palladium of St. Joseph reported.
"It's very stressful for us to try to come up with new songs for the band," eighth-grader Laurice Martin told the board. "We're trying to learn the songs from last year, but some of us weren't in the band last year."
Dawning said that if a majority of parents supports their children playing the song, she will reconsider her decision.
"It was not that I knew at the beginning and said nothing," Dawning said. "I normally count on the staff to make reliable decisions. I found out because a parent called, concerned about the song being played."
"Louie Louie," written by Richard Berry in 1956, is one of the most recorded songs in history. The best-known, most notorious version was a hit in 1963 for the Kingsmen; the FBI spent two years investigating the lyrics before declaring they not only were not obscene but also were "unintelligible at any speed."
"It's very stressful for us to try to come up with new songs for the band," eighth-grader Laurice Martin told the board."
How about the Star Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful, Columbia the Gem of the Ocean, or some old John Phillip Sousa marches?
They are way behind the times. This was a controversy back in the SIXTIES . . . not now.
The final word, from Unca Cecil Adams of The Straight Dope:
I'm beginning to wonder. And yet kids aren't disciplined enough at home. Parents want to be friends these days. Like banning Louie Louie is going to make up for that!
But I like the booty ban. Keeps my husband's eyes where they belong! LOL!
LOL! No, that's just a description of the weekend!
Of course as happens to all radio stations, they dumped format for countery and western one sudden Sunday.
See Post 47 and my follow-up.
OTOH the English translation of "Macarena" starts with "give your body pleasure." ;)
how bout Paul McCartney's "Why don't we do it in the road?"!!!!!
My 13 year old listens to MGK, the classic rock station in Philly. Some of the lyrics are a little racy, but I just thank my lucky stars he doesn't like rap or really heavy metal. I could not ride in the car with that.
My other one likes country. As long as he doesn't become an alcoholic cowboy, we're okay.
Too funny!
But, but, that would encourage unsafe sex!
Being a father of two daughters, I find men who ogle high school cheerleaders to be disturbed and conflicted. A glancing brief visual is fine, but gawking at little girls who have skirts in flight is a bit dirty old mannish. I overcompensate and won't watch them at all in fear of being a dirty old man.
great link! Jerry Mathers blew up in Vietnam? He wasn't Beaver, then. Who did he play?
Perhaps Laurice (if a boy?) could try hooking up with Paula Abdul. She apparently can offer some song-selection "coaching"
doin' it in the road....isn't that where road kill comes from?
He's pulling your leg. The "famous person suffers horrible death" rumors are salted throughout the story.
Ooay ee de an ea ya
Coo do de on ne a ha
Doo na de so, ca da hey
Ma ti on no oto
Coo ah de so, na tak a heeee
Eero ee tah dar roo a noko
But it's just not a good band tune.
That's what my husband says. He looks over, then realizes the girl's 15. Flips him out. He says girls didn't look like this when he was young. I know I didn't! (And my mom wouldn't have let me anyway.)
Morons, all of them. Use that energy to clean up the downtown area.
ooops, it's easy to pull my leg. I'm relieved Jerry Mathers is still alive, then.
I could really get myself banned right now. LOL!
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