Question : Does anyone here have certain top 40 songs tht they avoid playing at school events because the lyrics are too racy even on the clean edit? If so, what are they?

I've tried...and failed. After the 200th kid comes up and asks for "My Humps", I fall to the ground, openly weep, and play the song.

I have been somewhat successful in deflecting to a different song by the same artist, if the song they request is questionable. Especially if it is an older track ("Candyshop" for example). Actually, 50 Cent has not been requested all that much lately (thank the maker).

Good luck.

Billabong : My experience is similar to yours. Do you think we get by with it because the adults can't really understand the words?

quote:

Originally posted by ****** M.:
[qb] Billabong : Do you think we get by with it because the adults can't really understand the words? [/qb]

I think a lot of the time yes in fact most of the time especially at dances the staff is chatting with eachother and nto payin attention. I acually did a gig last friday where i played the clean version of my humps just for example and someone actually did come up to me but I assured them it was the clean version. The themes discussed in these songs even thought they are clean are still very sketchy. I kno a lot of the time the adults dont pay much attention in fact they trya dn tune the music out.

F that man, if people don't like it, they can lick my @#%^$ and kiss my @*$. What are they gonna do with all that junk....all that junk inside my trunk

hahahah couldnt said it better myslef stevie...wow made my day

M@artin: Yes. Sometimes, it's so incomprehensible, I don't even think the kids know what they're saying.

To everyone:
I have to bring up a point. After listening to the "80's" & "90's" radio station, I thought of something. Music has always had questionable lyrics, questionable themes (even before the 80's, mind you) Granted, it's not as sublte these days as it used to be. But, thinking back to my own youth, songs like:

"Baby's Got Back" (really, same theme as "My Humps")
"Push It" - Salt n' Peppa
"Wild Thing" - Tone Loc
"Come on Feel the Noize" - Quiet Riot (not the true spelling of song)

I'm sure you can fill in the gaps with your own examples.

I think what makes it worse these days are many song's videos. That really drives the ***uality factor over the top, in my opinion. And makes an otherwise average song very popular. But, I digress.

If the kids are asking for it, they heard it someplace before. MTV, radio, downloaded it, etc. Maybe even actually "purchased" a CD. In that case, it's probably not even the clean radio version.

Just food for thought.

You know in all the years I've been DJ'ing I've probably only been asked once NOT to play music with questionable lyrics - and they were Christian folk.

You are all right, the parents just tune out and usually don't even notice or care. Even at some schools/formals they don't notice.

In fact I often been asked to play explicit versions of songs and sometimes get a more positive response. These people seem more keen to scream out to the curse words of the explicit version than to the "backflip" or "muted" edit version. I know I would.

ROQ out.

In Texas, its always fun to Dj a school dance. If you play a clean version of "Get Low" the teachers come running to bitch and moan. However, if you play the Cotton Eyed Joe, and the kids are out there yelling "Bull Shi*", they love it. I play whatever song the kids want as long as its on a "Promo Only" or "Now" CD. If the teachers complain, I tell them that my muisc comes from the same place the radio stations get their's. And then I drop Laffy Taffy on them
Always make sure you get paid ahead of time

hehe can you say non refundable deposit?? you have to be careful with promo only sometimes because they are the radio edits where its not completely clean

quote:

Originally posted by dj-amproductions:
[qb] hehe can you say non refundable deposit?? you have to be careful with promo only sometimes because they are the radio edits where its not completely clean [/qb]

Yeah on ERG's Nu Urban Traxx 'Hollaback Girl' was a bit on the edge. They released volume 84 with an unedited version of some rap song, but included an edited version of the song on the next volume. I can think of several songs like my humps that make me cringe when I play them knowing the chaperones will give me the 'look'.