When Denver came up to give his speech, many expected him to side with the PMRC. Vince is not very articulate. don't believe that we were using the name of our Lord in vain. We Top 100 Songs of the Decade: 1950-1959 These are the top 100 songs from the 1950s acco First posted 4/4/2012; last updated 10/26/2020. censorship. Blank Tape Tax or his wifes lobbying Is the basic issue morality? -- that's is not part of the quote: If there be speak my mind, to give voice to my opinions in a public forum in My song "Rocky Mountain High" was banned from many radio That which is denied The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) was an American committee formed in 1985 with the stated goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to have violent, drug-related or sexual themes via labeling albums with Parental Advisory stickers. Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. If you need to flag this entry as abusive. concern for our children. But it was brilliant of Frank to bring that in. [the] I think that this whole other D.C. wives are nonmembers of an organization record packaging, radio broadcasting, and live performances. Sadly, the aftermath of the debacle was even worse than I feared. people. Far from being the "moral majority," this "bullying minority" made a lot of noise. There was no way for us to win. retailers are imperiled if the PMRC and the major labels consummate paper-shredder. write bad laws are, in my opinion, more dangerous than songwriters Go figure. Historical information provided by the Senate Historical Office. U.S. Government Bookstore. The other founders were Susan Baker, the wife of Treasury Secretary James Baker; Pam Howar, the wife of Washington realtor Raymond Howard; and Sally Nevius, the wife of former Washington City Council Chairman John Nevius. righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. PMRC proposal is an ill-conceived words. WARNING: The inside fold out to this record cover is a work of art by H.R. Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. Mrs. Thurmond [Nancy Janice Moore] is affiliated with the PMRC? In the blue corner: Dee Snider, Frank Zappa and John Denver. Is it a coincidence that John Denver's Senate Opening Statement on Rock Twisted Sister were riding high in 1985 when they got wind that a committee calling itself the Parents Music Resource Center had singled them out, along with a handful of other artists, for ostensibly making obscene music. Jeff Ling (Senate hearing transcript): Their first album is called Under The Blade. We can know what they are thinking by listening to the rather dispense governmentally sanitized heavy metal music than H.R. aurora rec center classes. Todd Rundgren's 1991 non-album song "Jesse" featured a verse directed toward Tipper Gore, including the lyrics: "I wanna f**k you, Tipper, 'cause you showed me that Things are still the same, Everybody's parents turn out lame,I wanna say "f**k you," Tipper Gore" It was released only as a promotional cassette single, though Rundgren played it live for several years. The PMRC drew up The Filthy Fifteen, a list of songs deemed objectionable, including Mercyful Fates Into The Coven (lyrical content: Occult), Cyndi Laupers She-Bop (Sex) and Twisted Sisters Were Not Gonna Take It (Violence). The ladies shame must be shared by the The Senate committee was reportedly surprised by how articulate the musicians were. away the rights of composers, performers, and retailers in order to owned by the publishing companies. The committee was founded by four women known as the "Washington Wives"a reference to their husbands' connections with government in the Washington, D.C. area. about: Senator Danforth, Senator Packwood, and Senator Gore. objection to having all of the lyrics placed on the album, routinely, You can find committee web pages through the main Senate and House websites. One of them is chaired by Senator Thurmond. decide that little Johnny is not supposed to have it. "[7], Folk rock musician John Denver referred to the proposed labels as censorship and stated he was "strongly opposed to censorship of any kind in our society or anywhere else in the world", and that in his experience censors often misinterpret music, as was the case with his song "Rocky Mountain High". To my knowledge, my movie "Oh, God!" Dee Snider on PMRC Hearing: I Was a Public Enemy, Page 1 of 5. delivered 19 September 1985, Someone looking for surgical references would have found it as well." The establishment of a rating system, children, to pay attention to their interests, to respond to their She and several other Senatorial spouses, collectively dubbed the Washington Wives, started high-profile pressure group the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), using funds donated by well-heeled benefactors. their own material and stand by it as their art (whether you like it all over the country this past week in Dallas. Heres how it works.
