CITIZEN ADVOCACY CENTER

 Music Censorship (First Amendment Rights)

Lesson Plan and Activity

 


Grade Level: 11, 12

 

Subject:

 

Duration:  1 Class session

 

Description:  This lesson plan will compel class discussion regarding censorship, particularly in the music industry, and the first amendment.

 

Goals:

ISBE Standards:

  1. Social Science

·        16D: Understand United State and World Social History

·        18: Understand social systems, with an emphasis on the United States.

  1. Language Art

·        3A:  Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization and structure;           

·        3B:  Compose well-organized and coherent writing for specific purposes and audiences;

·        4A:  Listen effectively in formal and informal situations; and

·        4B:  Speak effectively using language appropriate to the situation and audience.

 

Objectives:

  1. Study the history of music censorship in the United States.
  2. Identify music that could be subject to censorship and give reason why it might be censored.
  3. Understand the arguments the arguments in favor of and against music censorship.
  4. State opinion on the subject of music censorship and give reasons for that opinion.

 

Materials:

Time Line of American Censorship

Artwork Pictures – David Censored and Uncensored

Handout – class discussion outline
Lecture

  1. Introduction to censorship
    1. Ask the students: what does it mean to censor?

                                                               i.      Definition – Censor – the removal or suppression of what is considered morally, politically, or otherwise objectionable

    1. Ask the students for examples of censorship: i.e. book burning, library reading lists, bleeping out words on the radio or TV, dubbing over swear words in movies or music videos shown on T.V. , parental locks on the internet or on cable, censorship of explicit art, movie ratings.
    2. Today we are talking specifically about music censorship. Show timeline.

 

Class Discussion

  1. Music Censorship
    1. Do you know of any songs or artists who have been censored? (some more benign examples include No Doubt, Sugar Ray, Third Eye Blind, Alanis Morisette – their songs are regularly altered or bleeped on the radio to remove language or to remove raps included in their songs).  Brainstorm the titles of songs that might be subject to censorship.

                                                               i.      Write these on the board

                                                             ii.      Warn student to be careful about titles with explicit terms.

    1. Why are songs censored?
    2. Why do artists censor their own music?
    3. Do you think that music can negatively influence children and teens?  Why or why not?
    4. Do you think that music should be censored?  Why or why not?
    5. Do you think that there should be age requirements for buying an explicit version of a song at the store?

 

  1. Standards
    1. Are different types of music censored differently?
    2. What types of music are more heavily targeted for censorship?
    3. Do you know of songs in other genres that are could deserve to be censored according to some of the current standards of censoring?

 

  1. The line between Art and Obscenity
    1. Do you think that music is censored more than other forms of art?
    2. Would it be appropriate to “clothe” statues of nude models? Why or why not?

                                                               i.      Example – show a picture of Michelangelo’s David and then add clothes.

                                                             ii.      Example – U.S. Attorney John Ashcroft’s request that the art deco statute, Spirit of Justice be covered during his press conferences because her toga only covered one breast.

1.      See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/Americas/1788845.stm

 

Journaling/Writing Assignment

  1. Either have the students spend the last five minutes journaling about their thoughts on music censorship, or have them write a two-page essay on the subject.
    1. Thought questions

What have you learned today from the class lecture and discussion?

Is censorship fair?  Is it ever appropriate?

Are different standards for different types of music fair?

Timeline of Music Censorship in the United States

1950s

·        Billie Holiday’s song “Love for Sale,” is not permitted to be played on radio stations because of its strong sexual content and its depiction of prostitution

·        “Transfusion” was banned because it was felt that a blood transfusion was not a laughing matter.

·        When Elvis Presley was scheduled to perform on the Ed Sullivan show, cameramen were instructed not to film any of Elvis’s lower body because his dancing was considered inappropriate for the viewing audience.

1960s

·        In 1964, the state of Indiana banned the song “Louie Louie” beacuase they felt that it had some sexual content in it.

·        The Rolling Stones were forced to change the lyrics of a song in order to perform in on national television because, of course, it had sexual content.  The song was called “Let’s Spend the Night Together” and they were forced to say “Let’s Spend Some Time Together.”

·        John Lennon and Yoko Ono's album "Two Virgins" featured a naked picture of the two artists. These albums were confiscated before they even had a chance to hit the record stores. One Chicago retailer was shut down by the vice squad for carrying this album.

1970

Officials in Illinois released a list of popular music that contained drug references. The list included the popular children's song "Puff The Magic Dragon" and the Beatles "Yellow Submarine."

1980

·        Olivia Newton John's song "Physical" was banned because it was believed to have strong sexual content, and this considered to be more than inappropriate for the Mormon religion.

·        The Parents Music Resource Group/Parents Music Resource Center headed by Tipper Gore focused on getting record companies to monitor and rate their artists’ releases with a system similar to the MPAA system for movies.

·        In 1987, a singer by the name of Jello Biafra was arrested for the distribution of pornography. He had a picture of a naked lady on the cover of his album and it was found to be inappropriate for the public.  These albums were later seized, and his band eventually broke up.

1990's

·        An album released by Nirvana featured a naked baby on the cover. There was very little controversy over the cover and there was no ban of the record sale.

·        2 Live Crew released a very risqué album.  The record sale and distribution of this album were deemed illegal in Florida and Alabama. 2 Live Crew were also arrested in Florida at a concert. The police claimed that the performance was too obscene for the general public. 2 Live Crew's next album was titled "Banned In The USA."

·        Ice T's album "Freedom of Speech" was banned. Its lyrics were considered to be too obscene. (Music Censorship: Elvis to Ice-T 5)

·        Public Enemy’s, album, "By the Time I Get to Arizona," featured depicting the governor of Arizona as a David Duke-type of character was banned from T.V.

·        In the mid 1990s Wal Mart and K Mart decided not to sell any records that they determined to be obscene.

2001

Some radio stations voluntarily stopped playing certain songs after the attacks on the World Trade Towers. This list included: “Enter Sandman”, Metallica; “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” The Beatles; “Crash into Me” Dave Matthews Band; “Walk Like and Egyptian” The Bangles; “Only the Good Die Young” Billy Joel; “Benny and the Jets” Elton John; “Wipe Out” Surfaris.

 

 

This information can be presented either in a time line at the front of the class, or on individual handouts.

 

Additional Resources:

Rock Out Censorship at http://www.theroc.org

Incidences of Music Censorship http://ericnuzum.com/banned/

Recording Industry Association of America http://www.riaa.com/default.asp

Parental Advisory http://www.riaa.com/issues/parents/default.asp

                        http://www.riaa.com/issues/parents/advisory.asp#faq

2 Live Crew – “Banned in the U.S.A.” Lyrics available at

http://www.xyno.de/lyrics/lyr_bannedintheusa.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

©Copyright 2005 Citizen Advocacy Center.  All rights reserved.  No part of this lesson plan may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior, written permission of the Citizen Advocacy Center. The Citizen Advocacy Center is a 501(c)(3) non-pofit, non-partisan community based legal organization. For information about the Center, or to make a tax deductible contribution, visit www.citizenadvocacycenter.org, call 630.833.4080. The Center is located at 238 N. York Rd., Elmhurst IL 60126