Parental Advisory: Music Censorship in America [Paperback]

Eric Nuzum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 3, 2001

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The Music Your Parents Never Wanted You To Hear

Believe it or not, music censorship in America did not begin with Tipper Gore's horrified reaction to her daughter's Prince album. The vilification of popular music by government and individuals has been going on for decades. Now, for the first time, Parental Advisory offers a thorough and complete chronicle of the music that has been challenged or suppressed -- by the people or the government -- in the United States.

From Dean Martin's "Wham, Bam, Thank you Ma'am" to Marilyn Manson's Antichrist Superstar; from freedom fighters such as Frank Zappa and in-your-face rappers such a N.W.A. to crusaders such as Tipper Gore, this intelligent and entertaining book shows how censorship has crossed sexual, class, and ethnic lines, and how many see it as a de facto form of racism. With nearly one hundred fascinating photographs of musicians, record burning, and controversial cover art; illuminating sidebars; and a decade-by-decade timeline of important moments in censorship history, Parental Advisory is by turns frightening and hilarious -- but always revealing.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-This book "should appear on the required reading list for every high school civics course," opines anti-censorship activist Nina Crowley in a cover blurb. Failing that, it should certainly appear on the shelves of every high school library. Its wonderfully thorough history of music censorship-case by case and fight by fight-focuses on the 1950s to the present, but includes incidents dating back to the 19th century. Part one is organized thematically, with chapters on the main hot-potato issues that music (especially rock, heavy metal, and gangsta rap) has drawn fire for: "excessive" violence, sex, and drugs; political protests perceived as threatening; and religious "blasphemy." A chapter on race asks some provocative questions: Why, for example, was there absolute outrage over Ice-T's "Cop Killer" when Eric Clapton's similarly themed "I Shot the Sheriff" not only created no controversy, but also went on to become a number one hit? Part two is a nearly year-by-year chronology, beginning in 1865, of notable censorship cases. Both formats make Parental Advisory ideal for reference and research. Nuzum's witty, well-thought-out prose and numerous anecdotes insure that it will also be read for pleasure. The author is clearly against censorship, but he doesn't rave against it. The book is a good demonstration of how to feel passionately about a point but remain cool when one argues it, backing it up with facts instead of froth.

Emily Lloyd, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Nuzum, program director at WKSU-FM, Kent State University's National Public Radio affiliate, here offers a concise history of the censorship of rock'n'roll. After defining censorship as biased, myopic judgment, he describes the rise and subsequent activities of the premier watchdog organization, the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC). In a series of brief, telling chapters, the author shows how critics blamed rock for the spread of drugs, the antireligious behavior of youth, and such violent tragedies as teen suicides and the Columbine killings. He outlines the racist attacks against African American rockers from Little Richard to Ice-T and the swipes made by the cultural right at liberal musicians armed with a political message. Nuzum also details the attempts to squelch any hint of sex in music from Elvis to Madonna, the censorship of album cover art, and the basic elements of the obscenity law. Fascinating interviews with representatives of the PMRC and another noted censor, Wal-Mart, as well as a chronology of music censorship from the 1950s to the present, complete the work. Though Nuzum unearths few new incidences of rock bashing, he weaves hundreds of antirock diatribes, accusations, and activities into a breezy and informative book, that should be read by anyone interested in U.S. popular culture. Dave Szatmary, Univ. of Washington, Seattle
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks; 1 edition (April 3, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688167721
• ISBN-13: 978-0688167721
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #335,507 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eric Nuzum is a recovering pop culture critic, VH1 pundit, and author of Parental Advisory: Music Censorship in America and The Dead Travel Fast: Stalking Vampires From Nosferatu to Count Chocula. He was awarded the 2002 National Edward R. Murrow Award for News Writing and his work has appeared in a few publications you've heard of and many more that you haven't heard of. He works for National Public Radio in Washington, D.C., where he lives with his wife. He has just finished his next book, a memoir about ghosts, entitled Bring Me To Heaven.

He opines regularly on his Web site, www.ericnuzum.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A shocking part of history, April 14, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Parental Advisory: Music Censorship in America (Paperback)

I think I had my jaw on the floor the entire time I read this book. I started thumbing through it soon after it arrived, and couldn't stop reading. I've read books about music history before, but Mr. Nuzum has done a great job of making sense of music censorship. I was surprised at the number of music censorings throughout history and at how people didn't learn from the PMRC in 1985! I hope Tipper Gore and her friends get real uncomfrtable reading this book!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Consistent & well-rounded it is not, but still a decent read, November 11, 2001

By 

P. Nicholas Keppler "rorscach12" (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Parental Advisory: Music Censorship in America (Paperback)

Although he is not the most unbiased source on the subject, radio programmer, Eric D. Nuzum, takes readers along the often-treaded path of music censorship in the United States. From interracial dancing at Fats Domino gigs to John Lennon's inflammatory statement about the Beatles being bigger than Jesus to Tipper Gore and the PMRC, the road is interesting, outrageous and often hilarious. The excellent first section separates the subject into the histories of controversies concerning sex, religion, drugs, protest, violence and others. The unnecessary and less interesting second section is a chronological listing of instances of censorship. Consistent or well-rounded it is not, but Parental Advisory: Music Censorship in America is an interesting read and a decent rallying call for those who have already made up their minds on the issue of music censorship.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Overall View, June 25, 2002

By 

TheHighlander (Richfield, PA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Parental Advisory: Music Censorship in America (Paperback)

This is a good reference book for the history of music (and video) censorship or attempted censorship. It shows the ridiculous as well as the warrented (in who's opinion?). While I'm sure that no one wants their child to listen to songs of suicide, sex and drugs when they are ten years old, this book, to me, enforces the fact that it is more a parental responsibility that anything else.

To rely on others to tell you what is bad for your child is nuts. Tipper Gore started the PMRC because of her lack of parental initiative, even though she claims it was because of it. The book details the episode, when she bought an album based on her 11 year old daughter's recommendation and listened to it with her child and two younger siblings without first previewing its contents and then gets mad at the artist and the record company for releasing it. Come on! She should have previewed this album before playing it for her daughter, I would have.

Relying on others to make these determinations is dangerous. For instance some wanted the Captain and Tenille banned because they endorsed vegetarianism and believe in reincarnation. The Beach Boys because they practice yoga. Carlos Santana because if you drop the first N and the last A you have a devil worshipper. The list goes on and are presented in this book as food for thought on following rather than thinking. In the 1960's some thought The Beatles music was part of a Communist plot to jam the nervous systems of young people (I know, sounds too weird).

The FBI has investigated many rock and rollers throughout the 1950-1960-1970s for subversive statements and lyrics. Church groups think music promotes the Devil. Conservatives don't like the liberal message and liberals don't like the conservative message. Jesse Jackson thought Disco music was morality- damaging!

The bottom line is GET A GRIP! Think for yourself and your children, within' the family unit. Did any rational person really think that "Rocky Mountain High" was about drug abuse? This book shows you why people must continue to think and make their own choices.

A classic, that is a good addition to any library for a reader or a music fan I consider this book a must have.