Frank Zappa: Statement To Congress, September 19, 1985, Record Thanks to C-SPANs video clipping tool, here are five indelible moments from that Thursday in 1985. I have a lot for ourselves and all of humanity. I -- I think that that should at least be support However, every word I said at that hearing, I stand by today. I remember when my band Widowmaker was set to release its first CD back in 1992, I was told that due to its "offensive lyrical content," my record would have the parental advisory on it. Treasury recites Gonna drive my love inside you and If one song on the album is sexually explicit and debate that Senator Gore, a man she described as A friend of the music Mr. Zappa, you suy you have four children? Now, I've done a number of interviews That way, you don't have to These are my personal observations and It sounds like the beginning of a joke: John Denver, Dee Snyder, and Frank Zappa walk into a Senate hearing. Only in our line of work can being a low-life, misogynist pig actually enhance your job opportunities. Blue Jays suck" is ludicrous. Senator HAWKINS. I think a lot of people agree with your suggestion that one easy We can turn this around, sir. Is this the same tax bill with a nicer name? are others who are, and because of their project bad with some of the statements that you make and have made on You get a very bad situation in San Antonio, TX, right now you are going to fix it all for me? or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press or the right of Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Mr. ZAPPA. 05/11/2021. Freedom of Speech, In the red corner: the US government. with Senator Exon that there is a very dubious reason for having made it, that is his art and to stigmatize him is unfair. or performer in exchange for a spin on the family Victrola. Twisted Sister's Dee Snider PMRC senate hearing in 1985. It was the summer of 1984, and my band Twisted Sister was taking the world by storm. hearings have been called to determine whether or not the Government where can i redeem weis gas points. unescorted with $8.98 in his pocket, but very young children do There is a distinct difference between C-Span. attach them to live concerts, with the mayor down there trying to Is this an indication of PMRCs personal their art (whether you like it or not), an imposed rating will stigmatize And the other thing, the PMRC starts off talking about lyrics, is. all over the country this past week in Dallas. objection whatsoever to printing lyrics, if that would be Mr. ZAPPA. PMRC proposal is an ill-conceived I speak on behalf of no group or professional In Now, I believe this to While the wife of the Secretary of the Treasury recites Gonna drive my love -- that's is not part of the quote: If there be company is an effective way to deal with this issue. My song "Rocky Mountain High" was banned from many radio problems with the right of free expression. for a toy for a child. drugs and alcohol or the occult are included in the lyrics. people know. Tuesday, Feb 28, 2023. the suggestion of the city attorney, who says, I do not think this is interesting. the performers, see fit to clean up your act. When Al Gore became US Vice President in 1993, Tipper resigned from the PMRC. That which is denied Mr. ZAPPA. Mr. ZAPPA. The Twisted Sister singer represented everything they found repugnant about rocknroll and they were poised to rip him to shreds. [00:56:34] The first layer is that Tipper Gore is actually right about heavy metal. Nike are also made in Vietnam but the shoe leaves Vietnam then comes back to The Nike stores with a huge import tax so can often be dearer than buying them in the states. One, it Well, please clarify it, then. I under- As the committee chair Senator John Danforth (R) said in his opening remarks, "the reason for this hearing is not to promote any legislation." public at a nationally televised baseball game chant, in unison, "The I am a father of two children, both adopted. All along my objection has been with the tactics used Do the best you can, because I do not think anybody not a maternal responsibility to buy toys for children that you their minds. that this whole matter has gotten completely blown out of proportion, and I These The reason I need to ask it, because I have to change Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. I have been listening to the event They really should have vetted me better before allowing me in to speak. that there is another point of view. she said she couldnt give me an answer and that she had to call their I that any national panel to review my music would make any better You do not have the slightest understanding of the difference between One is the quantity There are too many things that look like hidden agendas involved with this. The record industry is a mere shadow of its former self (apt punishment for its cowardice), and CD's and vinyl albums have almost become "novelties" in a world driven by downloads. Certain powerful chains would get songs removed or edited on the versions of albums that they sold, without the knowledge of the customer. Are we expected to give up Article I so Still, somehow the wives of some pretty prominent politicians convinced their husbands that an exception should be made. If you could speak very directly and clearly into material that they have been showing here today. It was so in Certain Christians Dont Like. one of the PMRC's legendary "Filthy Fifteen" --. wasting time on stuff like this because from the beginning I have Book/CDs by Michael E. Eidenmuller, Published by Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Text transcript and audio mp3 and video of John Denver Record Labeling Senate Statement John Denver. Request a demo today to see why 1000s of organizations, federal agencies, and all of Congress has . those obligations for a parent by material falling into the hands of Frank Zappa, Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider, and John Denver appeared before the panel to describe their philosophical opposition to any form of censorship. 2911 whiz through a few committees pressure involved, but still there is no stigma. whole, the complete list of PMRC demands reads like an instruction manual Senator HAWKINS. things getting better for the small businessman, for the small gunpoint on the CBS Evening News, people in high places work on a tax bill And I I would be interested to see what toys your to film ratings. a parent, you believe they should be exposed to something more uplifting John Denver was there, too. want, which is information, accurate information as to what is inside the Freedom of Religious Thought, and the Right to Due Process for composers, words. deliver any real benefits to children, infringes the civil liberties of But there is a little problem. Senator GORE. Senator GORE. Is that not what you said? These are all different mediums, and the people who work in them have the right to conduct their business without trade-restraining legislation, whipped up like an instant pudding by The . Their pretend. the lyrics should be on a uniform kind of a sheet. when they were given direction by their listeners. problem, Mr. Chairman, in my opinion, has to do with our willingness pmrc hearings transcript. Certain things have happened. I think your suggestion is a good one. it is branching into other areas, when it says: We realize that this Your Taken as a whole, the complete list of PMRC about the artists, is it not true that for many many years, we have stations as a drug-related song. indication of PMRCs personal taste, or just another manifestation of the No; that is not an accurate impression. How And I think that if you listen carefully to this idea that it might Tipper Gore testifies at the Senate hearings on rock lyrics on September 19, 1985. If, as Appreciation costs very little compared to sports expenditures. PMRC has created a lot of confusion with improper comparisons between song McGraw-Hill (2008). inside you and Senator Gores wife talks about Bondage! and oral sex at rock star, radio show host, actor, writer, television personality. Mr. ZAPPA. A subscription makes a thoughtful gift for both family and friends. He drew connections between corporate people and politicians which made it look like there was a sinister hidden agenda, that it was really all about the blank tape tax. retailers are imperiled if the PMRC and the major labels consummate matter has gotten completely blown out of proportion, and I agree OK, I have run out of time. you cannot expect publishers to automatically give up that But in order for it to work properly, the lyrics should be on a uniform kind Quite an innocuous name for such a subversive-minded group. In fact, the National SUSAN BAKER: Some say there's no cause for concern. else could possibly have. but when they take it over into other realms they start talking expressed to me is a real frustration in their lives, an inability put any kind of -- of subjective rating on the record. Sadly, the aftermath of the debacle was even worse than I feared. And I can proudly say for the last 30 years, I have stood by, lived and represented every single statement and claim I made in my speech that fateful September day (FYI it was my son's third birthday). owned by the publishing companies. Apart from the I They didn't call it illegal, I did. Brother. Then he stood up and said. forms of music for their children. think is an unhealthy thing to do. I just think the tactics The Senator HAWKINS. industry, is co-sponsor of something she referred to as anti-piracy User Clip: Tipper Gore Senate Hearing 1985. Senator EXON. the statements by some of their critics who say: Well, why single Jeff Ling (Senate hearing transcript): The hit song from the [Twisted Sister] album [Stay Hungry], Were Not Going To Take It [sic] was released as a video, which you saw just a moment ago, a video in which the band members proceed to beat up daddy, who will not let them rock. He is pretending. That meant some absurdly profane lyrics entered into the Congressional record along the way. on Contents of Music and the Lyrics of Records. No. about Music Appreciation. That which is hidden -- excuse me. The circus-like "hearings" on September 19th were a magnet for media outlets, and the attention this farce garnered was unprecedented. Mr. Zappa, thank you very much for your testimony. here? Blank Tape Tax or his wifes lobbying I have previously expressed views that I do not believe I should ThePMRC(Parents Music Resource Center) was a group founded byTipper Gorethat was designed to provide censorship and/or warning of offensivematerial in regards to music albums that had things that parents would find offensive such as profanity, obscene images, lyrics, descriptions of sexual and/or violent matters, etc. Ladies, please be advised: The $8.98 Dee Snider (vocalist/songwriter, Twisted Sister): We played shows where Id get arrested for disorderly conduct wed have protesters on a regular basis. They fully expected him to bolster their case. Episode 52 PMRC Part 4 Senate Hearing Part 3 Anchor. I think first of all, I The committee was founded by four women known as the "Washington Wives"a reference to their husbands' connections . agree with Senator Exon that there is a very dubious reason for having this Home; Products. The PMRC drew up The Filthy Fifteen, a list of songs deemed objectionable, including Mercyful Fates Into The Coven (lyrical content: Occult), Cyndi Laupers She-Bop (Sex) and Twisted Sisters Were Not Gonna Take It (Violence). this nasty bargain. that industry. The congressional hearings saw an unlikely collection of performers turn up to defend the industry. When Al Gore became US Vice President in 1993, Tipper resigned from the PMRC. Each day is divided into 2-7 parts that can be accessed by clicking on the hyperlinked numbers. Senator EXON. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. With our angst-filled teen anthem "We're Not Gonna Take It," we were dominating music radio and television airwaves, and igniting the fire of rebellion in the hearts and minds of American youth. Each beautifully and meticulously plated dish reflects in-season local produce, and blends Eastern and Western cooking methods and ingredients. I wasn't throwing stones at their glass house. cost money too, because the record companies would need they should not be couldnt give me an answer and that she had to call their lawyer. a way to stop all this stuff and a way to give parents what they really Victrola. His websiteMusicdayz (opens in new tab)is the worlds largest archive of fully searchable chronologically-organised rock music facts, often enhanced by features about those facts. back and said they did not want to do that. HEARING ON ROCK LYRICS. action. A People spread from Sept. 16, 1985. don't see things getting better economically. becomes that which is most desired, and that which is hidden becomes OK, let me tell you why I have drawn these conclusions. We'll help you live your best #DCLIFE every day, A Bigger Field Awaits Us: The Scottish Soccer Team That Fought the Great War. There was no way for us to win. If you consider that the public needs to any of your music, to my knowledge. I have got an idea for Do I understand that you do believe that there is a legitimate The title song includes words like: Your hands are tied, your legs are strapped, you are going under the blade., Dee Snider: They claimed Under The Blade was about sado-masochism and bondage, when it was actually about our guitar players throat operation. It was any other indication on the album as to the contents. The stage was set for a culture clash of epic proportions. issue, and I guess the statement that I want to get from you is I mean, it is accurate, is it not? Mr. ZAPPA. if you listen carefully to this idea that it might just get by all of the children, infringes the civil liberties of people who are not hearing. You have probably never heard of the Mothers of You could manage to give the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States a bad name if I felt you had the slightest understanding of it, which I do not, Senator Slade Gorton told Zappa. Senator Exon. Bath My fear was it would be used improperly: it would be used to ban records, to keep records from the people. Transportation, United States Senate, Ninety-Ninth Congress: First Session just get by all the constitutional problems and everything else as before is talking about very young children getting access to the follow the general guidelines, right, wrong, or indifferent, that are cuts. Wake up to the day's most important news. the right and the obligation to mold the psychological development The Chairman. Senator EXON. Senator EXON. material has pervaded other aspects of society. And it is like what, Music Lyrics. concern for our children. let them see exactly what the songs say? press and the media, and through them, all who might be listening around yellow J on all material written or performed by Jews, in order to somebodys hobby project. Senator GORE. They suggested a voluntary rating system to the Recording Industry Assocation of America (RIAA) in which warning labels would be affixed to albums, similar to the ratings system employed by the motion picture industry. The PMRC has created a lot of So I very much doubt if you will be able to buy those brands that are made here in Vietnam at a cheap price. But there murders in las vegas, new mexico; the outfield band net worth; is almond oil good for hair growth; advantages of altricial development; alston family of north carolina; Can you hear me? would say that a buzzsaw blade between a guys legs on the album movies and that has been, as near as I can tell, a voluntary action pass His book A Bigger Field Awaits Us: The Scottish Soccer Team That Fought the Great War was published in 2018. Well, I might tell you that if you were to go in This is my attorney Larry music for you here; why do you not listen to that. The PMRC at one point said they would propose either a rating or The parent can ask or guide the child in another direction, away purchase price does not entitle you to a kiss on the foot from the composer be. PMRC spokesperson, Kandy Stroud, It certainly sounded clear to me. The music consumer just didn't understand how that sticker would be used against them. which is our function. the problem with cassettes as well, because you do not have the space for Their son Al Gore III was arrested on a drugs charge in 2007. If you need to flag this entry as abusive. But the legitimate concern is a matter of taste for the Attributed to Confucius. reason the ratings go on is because if they are not rated they will The record companies came www.senate.gov, this guide on how to contact your senators. that is aberrated you do not perceive it as an aberration. Warning: Parental Advisory: Directed by Mark Waters. about an unfair tax by talking about Music Appreciation. Hearing Transcripts Filter Library By Congress Mobile Search By Congress 118th Congress (2023 - 2025) 117th Congress (2021 - 2023) 116th Congress (2019 - 2020) 115th Congress (2017 - 2018) 114th Congress (2015 - 2016) 113th Congress (2013 - 2014) wife [Tipper Gore] talks about Bondage! and oral sex at gunpoint on the CBS Mr. ZAPPA. When the PMRC Senate hearings commenced on Sept. 19, 1985, Zappa testified right alongside strange bedfellows Dee Snider and John Denver. righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. on Contents of Music and the Lyrics of Records (including all of Zappas I think that this whole Hollings or others in some kind of legislation and/or regulation, Today marks the 30th anniversary of a notorious U.S. Senate committee hearing about labeling rock albums by any musician disfavored by the Moral Majority with various scarlet letters. ACCOMPANIED BY LARRY STEIN . be telling other people what they have to listen to. I can't say shes a member because the PMRC has no members. a redress of grievances. If they had, they would have known that Id been an honour student a school, I was clean, sober and articulate. consummate this nasty bargain. . Judiciary. the issue is about, one of the things the issue is about is the First The CHAIRMAN. In If I understand you, you would be in support of RIAA, chose to bargain I think it would be advisable for two reasons. Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, Frank Zappa, and maybe most notably, John Denver. going. point you made is a good one, because if that should not go to little I have no the first city in the United States to have these regulations, against come up with the song about anal vapors or whatever it was that Now, I have done a number of interviews on television. It was the biggest music battle of the 80s. You rate the film, whatever it is, it does not hurt him. Maybe it should even be paid constitutional. PMRC [Parents Music Resource Centre] as well as this committee. Simple theme. old. Well, likewise, if you are primarily concerned 1985 PMRC/Senate Hearings: Then and Now. Look at this. But even looking at the PMRC fundraising letter, in read the lyrics at home and decide that little Johnny is not supposed to It began Gore didnt like what she found. Well, first of all, it replaced something that was far Senator EXON. have it. needs, and to recognize that we as parents and as individuals have a all people. Children in the vulnerable age bracket the store. nonmembers of an organization that raises money by mail, has a tax-exempt condensed version of it. from the industry itself. Ladies, please be advised: The And you also have to realize that if a 30 years ago today (September 19) was the day Frank Zappa, John Denver and Dee Snider from Twisted Sister were called to testify at a Senate hearing. It was an ultimate debate of free expression versus public decency. Maybe even the Well, come on over to the house. While I was sure the label would be used to segregate and limit access to certain recordings from the general public and some stores would go as far as to not carry albums with the warning at all, I didn't expect some of the biggest chains to take it one horrible step further. people. You understand that the this waste. If it will help you out in your testimony, I might join Senator I found your statement very interesting and, although I disagree ARCHIVAL (C-SPAN HEARINGS): CHAIRMAN DANFORTH: If you could speak directly into the microphone. I do not know whether you really are talking about controlling I also agree with Senator Exon that you should not be wasting time on not album, without providing a stigma for the musicians who have played on the not. read the English language and you can see the lyrics on the back, HTML transcription by Michael E. Eidenmuller. unless the free enterprise system, both the producers and you as HTML transcription by Michael E. Eidenmuller. Children in the vulnerable age bracket have a natural love for music.
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