William's Song a Day Blog - est. September 2007

From: Chief Boot Knocka ; Year: 1994; Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap Final pick for my "Satanic Panic Theme;" I wanted to go more upbeat to wrap this up. This was one of the many songs to make reference to the Satanic Panic and the PMRC. Despite the outcome of record labels having to put the Parental Advisory stickers on albums, it obviously did not do a single thing to temper more extreme musical artists and arguably made finding such material easier for underage people to find with that iconic label. A lot of other artists took a more explicit and derogatory stance in their response to that moral panic and subsequent ones still going on to this day, but I really liked Sir Mix-a-Lot's straight-up statement in this song: "How many times will you play this, before you ban this? I heard Mrs. Gore can't stand this."   Hear Put 'Em on the Glass on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Cranberries - In the End     My song pick 2 years ago today: Dr. John...

From: Defenders of the Faith ; Year: 1984; Genre: Metal Next one on my "Satanic Moral Panic" theme is a track from those leather-clad blokes from Birmingham: Judas Priest. As with all of their material, they write and play all their songs for their fans in mind, who have and always will enjoy it.   Hear Eat Me Alive on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Bing Crosby - I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day     My song pick 2 years ago today: John Denver - Christmas for Cowboys   My song pick 3 years ago today: Bob Rivers - White Trash Christmas   My song pick 4 years ago today: Ben Keith, Neil Young, Pegi Young - Les Trois Cloches   My song pick 5 years ago today: Primus - The Thing That Should Not Be   My song pick 6 years ago today: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Christmas in Blue   My song pick 7 years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Waterfall My song pick 8 years ago today: Primus - Candy Man My song p...

From: Melissa ; Year: 1983; Genre: Metal Going with something a bit more in-line with wot most likely comes to mind when you hear the phrase "Satanic Panic." Mercyful Fate is one of the pioneers of the more extreme forms of heavy metal and has influenced many of artists that carry on in their footsteps. Out of the 15 songs selected by the PMRC Into the Coven was the only one written and recorded by a foreign band not from Britain or Australia; in this case it is Denmark.   Hear Into the Coven on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Doug Pinnick, George Lynch, Billy Sheehan, Simon Phillip - Little Drummer Boy     My song pick 2 years ago today: Claymation Christmas Celebration - Joy to the World   My song pick 3 years ago today: The (Young) Rascals - How Can I Be Sure   My song pick 4 years ago today: Hot & Sassy - Christmas Strutt   My song pick 5 years ago today: Billy Squier - My Kind of Lover   My song pick...

From: Born Again ; Year: 1983; Genre: Metal All sixes for today's pick number; out of the majority of the acts that were part of the "Satanic Moral Panic" of the time, Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne were one of the major players. 'Sabbath have in reality always been one getting the most accusations and "pearl clutching" ever since they first put out a single. It's all about their medium or metal, them using heavy, diabolical sounds and horror imagery that has been most of the reason. Again, though, the consternation of the muppets in the "moral" authority really has only served to make them and their music more popular.  It is again, weird that the PMRC choose this track to add to their "Filthy 15" list with how many of Black Sabbath and associated acts' songs getting attacked in the years prior. Most likely they were trying to be "current" and with the times; only adding more recent material to their list.  The stated reas...

From: Like a Virgin ; Year: 1984; Genre: Pop/Rock Going with one from the artist that needs no introduction and exemplifies this Satanic Moral Panic theme: Madonna. She is one of the main celebrities of the 1980s and 1990s that you cannot delve into the popular culture of the time without mentioning her. Madonna seemingly encouraged attacks from the "moral authorities" and would just do her thing to an even more extreme to keep herself in their moral diatribes. In her case there was no such thing as bad press, and benefited by it in both fortune and fame. Anyway, surprising that this was her only entry on the PMRC 's "Filthy 15;" even by mid decade, she probably could have encompassed the entire list of songs that they found objectionable. In reality though, with their many baseless accusations and false claims, any artist or band could've completely filled their list. It is strange that this one would raise their ire enough for it whilst other songs, includ...

From: A Private Heaven ; Year: 1984; Genre: Pop/Funk Here is the fifth pick in my Satanic Panic theme. This upbeat and highly danceable track was amongst the more infamous of those attacked by the likes of the PMRC and some moneygrubbing, self-righteous televangelists that I will not dignify by naming. Sugar Walls was written by the original "Purple Man" himself, Prince, for Sheena Easton; he actually performed everything but the vocals as well. Many of his popular, innuendo-laced megahits permeate this period and would see him and his work come under fire by these same "outraged" forces, which did not seem to harm his sales or popularity; probably served as a boost. Probably, unless you were around back then or in the immediate time that followed, you have not heard it. It has the 1980s funk/dance sound set in concrete, which does not really aid in the timelessness of certain landmark song, but most likely would not care if played at a dance party or higher energy...

From: The Works ; Year: 1984; Genre: Rock/Synthpop For my fourth pick in this theme I am going with a one of the most popular bands of all time, which used to get vilified by overtly self-righteous people. This was mostly due for people looking for and finding something to get offended about and those who just don't understand humour from another place. A few times back in Sunday school they would put in one VHS tape or another to show "proof" that some popular music was indoctrinating children by putting in back masked messages, i.e. supposed lyrics if you played them backwards would say some satanic or some other bad message. Of course, this idea goes way back further than the "Satanic Panic" with some claiming there is/was hidden messages by The Beatles in their music about dead band members being replaced and such. Other ones I do remember was Led Zeppelin doing it as well as Electric Light Orchestra. Jeff Lynne actually did respond in kind on the epic track...

From: Only Four You ; Year: 1985; Genre: R&B/Funk Third pick of my Satanic Panic theme. This was another one from the PMRC's "Filthy 15" songs that they vilified mostly with wild and unfounded accusations. The Mary Jane Girls are considered to be a "one-hit wonder" with this one being that hit. Although, they did have some others that did chart, just not in the "Top 40;" two other songs of theirs just missed it at numbers 41 and 42. If you count others, like the R&B or Dance charts, then they'd have 5 and 6 hits respectively. Anyway, this group were proteges of musical legend Rick James, who also wrote and produced this song and album.   Hear In My House on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Steve Vai - Die to Live     My song pick 2 years ago today: Billy Idol - Blue Christmas   My song pick 3 years ago today: Chris Squire and Alan White - Run With the Fox   My song pick 4 years ago today: Rush - Cold Fire   My so...

From: Under the Blade ; Year: 1982; Genre: Metal/Hard Rock Song #2 of my Satanic Panic theme. Another band that was quite ubiquitous during that time, vilified by the duplicitous actors was Twisted Sister; their frontman Dee Snyder in particular. Of course their mega hit " We're Not Going to Take It " got a lot of attention by those in power, but I have always found Mr. Snyder's comment about this song to be one of the more distinguished moments in the senate hearing for the PMRC. Tipper Gore, who was one of the founding members of the PMRC, stated that Under the Blade was about sadomasochism, bondage, and rape. This ascertain, of course, was once again either complete ignorance, a bald-faced lie or perhaps some from column A and some from column B.... Anyway, Dee Snyder actually told the story of the song's inception and subject matter, which had nothing at all to do with their incorrect accusations. At the time prior to becoming signed, guitarist Eddie "Fi...

From: Back In Black ; Year: 1980; Genre: Hard Rock/Metal Since I've just now gotten into the six-thousand-six-hundred-sixties in my pick numbers, wot I decided I would do is revisit some select pieces of music from the "moral panic" against rock and metal music back in the 1980s that is in hindsight referred to as the " Satanic Panic ." A perfect starting point would have to be AC/DC; at least to my memory of the time they seemed to be one of the bands/artists tarred the most. Everything from spreading the blatant lie that the band name meant "Against Christ/Devil's Children" to lying about them putting diabolical messages in their songs and beyond; sometimes being ministers or "special guests" spewing their false witness from the pulpit that stands for truth against the Devil, who is referred to ironically as the father of all lies. I could go on and continue this tangent, but long story short I kept my faith in spite of them and their l...