Lightfoot banned in the U.S.A.
-
Artist:
-
Album:
-
Track:
Black day in July
Motor city madness has touched the countryside
So begins Lightfoot's Black Day In July, a song Lightfoot wrote about the 1967 race riots in Detroit. But after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. a week earlier - on April 4, 1968 - many top-40 radio stations in the U.S. refuse to play the song. They fear the lyrics will ignite violence. Lightfoot tells CBC Radio, he's not surprised by the decision
Interview in comments...
32
MOG it up!
Comments (14)
nice inrum! I love Gord's old stuff, but never moved to far off the "Gold" pkg...and certainly never heard this incendiary bit of history. Thanks, ya ol blank-filler-inner!!
And you waited til August? Nice one.
Interesting piece of music history! Thanks for posting!
@ scotty - with pleasure
@ Cody -yeah, I know - that little bit of irony was not lost on me. And far be it from you guys to let something like that slide. :-)
@ gil - you are welcome
thanks from me too
thanks,never got this album have all his others. somehow I never picked up on this.
You were supposed to leave this post in draft mode for a year till July rolled around again. LOL
Never heard this- I can understand why they wouldn't play it. Not bad though.
I had no idea Lightfoot had such balls. I always thought his music was such easy listening. 'The Wreck Of The Edmond Fitgerald' will always stand out when I think of him. Then again, I was only 7 when this came out.
Edmond Fitzgerald - a classic - with the rythmn and meter set to make one feel as if they were on that boat during the storm.
There are many fallacies about Mr. Lightfoot, but "lightweight" he is not.
He was always a stand-up guy - and that resonant voice didn't hurt. Nice acknowledgement!
I am familiar with some of his songs, but I had never heard this one......I admire him for addressing the subject, and I like the song. I too can understand why it was not played after MLK's death, considering the topic....bad luck timing.
So interesting! I've always liked Lightfoot; I had the good fortune to see him in an intimate concert setting in Huntsville, Alabama years ago. Thanks for sharing the interview.
you bettcha!