(link fixed) Dire Straights song deemed unacceptable for Canadian radio.. thoughts?

[TagsMissy]

What are your thoughts on this:

The song in question is: Money For Nothing

<snip>
The 1980s song Money for Nothing by the British rock band Dire Straits has been deemed unacceptable for play on Canadian radio.

In a ruling released Wednesday, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council says the song contravenes the human rights clauses of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' Code of Ethics and Equitable Portrayal Code.
</snip>

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2011/01/13/money-for-nothing-radio-play-censor.html

 

[TagsMissy]

Sorry all I noticed I accidentally broke the link earlier when I thought I had corrected it. LOL You should now be able to access the article on cbc.ca

 

[wcpamotm]

I know the verse you're talking about, but it's been many years since I've heard the song played (either on Sirius or broadcast radio) without the verse edited out.

 

[Dead Robot]

I'm sort of leaning on the side that it should be censored.

Out of context and for less "sensitive" listeners, it's an offensive lyric. I understand the song is about an underclass lad complaining that all you have to do to be rich is "play a little geetar on the MTV" and the lyric is to colour the ignorance of the singer, but most people miss that meaning and all they hear is the f-word.

I have similar feeling towards Rap and Hip Hop - I understand where it comes from and why money and women are objectified, but it doesn't make it right.

Trust me, I hate revisionist history. But the song doesn't diminish without the lyric.

 

[TagsMissy]

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2011/01/21/crtc-dire-straits-money-for-nothing.html

Money for Nothing review needed: CRTC
Regulator urges broadcast council to reconsider ban on unedited Dire Straits song

CRTC Link:
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/com100/2011/r110121.htm
~~

So the drama 'Up North' continues. The CRTC which is an actual government entity working with Parliament and overrules the whole broadcasting/telecommuications network in Canada wants the ruling to be reviewed.

I am still torn on the issue -- while I do not like the word and wouldn't use it in any sort of derogatory way, I can also see its use in the song if that makes sense?

 

[wcpamotm]

Within the context of the song, the lyric makes sense and is probably representative of the type of person being portrayed (at least at the time). But I wonder if that distinction is a little subtle for a lot of people to pick up on.

Even when it was new, I wondered what the reaction would be if the verse had contained a similarly derogatory (not even the "n" word) term about a black singer.