Don't Play That Song

It’s the summer of 1970, and The Kinks are about to shake up the airwaves with a song about a chance encounter in a club, a little ambiguity, and a whole lot of swagger. But it wasn’t the gender-bending lyrics that got “Lola” yanked from the BBC’s playlists. It was a soft drink.

This week, we’re diving into the story behind “Lola”, how a love song with a wink of subversion almost got sunk by a brand name. We’ll talk about Ray Davies’ transatlantic sprint to rewrite a single lyric, the ripple effect of the ban, and why “Lola” still resonates more than 50 years later.

Grab a drink, a cherry cola perhaps, and let’s get into it.

Want to hear all the songs we couldn’t play on the show? Head to dontplaythatsong.com for the official companion playlist.

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and follow the show wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @dontplaythatsongpod

When country legend Loretta Lynn released “The Pill” in 1975, she wasn’t just singing about birth control, she was kicking down the doors of country radio with a truth most stations didn’t want to hear. A woman taking charge of her own body? That was too much for the Nashville old guard. Banned by dozens of stations across the country, the song still became a cultural lightning rod and a chart hit.

In this episode, we dig into the story behind “The Pill,” from Loretta Lynn’s own experience raising six kids by age 34 to the explosive reaction the song sparked in conservative circles. It’s a three-minute anthem that challenged the status quo, reshaped country music, and proved you didn’t need permission to tell your truth.

Want to hear all the songs we couldn’t play on the show? Head to dontplaythatsong.com for the official companion playlist.

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and follow the show wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @dontplaythatsongpod

Sources For This Episode:

https://time.com/6219550/loretta-lynn-dies-the-pill-legacy/

https://theboot.com/loretta-lynn-the-pill-secret-history-of-country-music/

https://cocaineandrhinestones.com/loretta-lynn-pill-ban

https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/loretta-lynn-feminism-song-pill/6837/

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/loretta-lynn-the-pill-feature/

https://countryreunionmusic.com/loretta-lynns-the-pill-sparked-controversary-and-change/

https://www.thedailybeast.com/after-country-stations-banned-loretta-lynns-the-pill-it-became-her-biggest-pop-hit

https://americansongwriter.com/revisiting-the-meaning-of-loretta-lynns-1975-womens-reproductive-rights-song-the-pill/

https://tasteofcountry.com/controversial-banned-loretta-lynn-songs/

https://www.newyorker.com/recommends/listen/loretta-lynn-the-pill

https://pitchfork.com/features/afterword/loretta-lynn-obituary

Before it became a classic rock staple...before it showed up in commercials and movie soundtracks…“My Generation” by The Who was a full-blown act of rebellion.

In this episode of Don’t Play That Song, we dive into the story behind one of the most explosive singles of the 1960s, and why some radio stations refused to play it. With its defiant attitude, feedback-drenched sound, and that now-iconic stutter, the song didn’t just raise eyebrows. It raised questions.

Want to hear all the songs we couldn’t play on the show? Head to dontplaythatsong.com for the official companion playlist.

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and follow the show wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @dontplaythatsongpod

Sources For This Episode:

https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/the-who/pete-townshend-my-generation-not-queen-mother/

https://www.thewho.com/music/my-generation-3/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/46f837da-9ffa-494d-94e7-c7ffb0781bea

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/roger-daltrey-stutter-the-who-song-my-generation/

https://www.guitarworld.com/features/bewildering-technique-that-went-way-beyond-any-standard-root5th-ideas-listen-to-john-entwistles-isolated-bass-on-my-generation

https://www.thisdayinmusic.com/liner-notes/the-who-my-generation/

https://americansongwriter.com/3-classic-rock-hits-that-were-praised-or-banned-for-featuring-stuttering/

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/nov/17/shel-talmy-obituary

What happens when a garage rock anthem is accused of being obscene without anyone actually knowing the lyrics? In the premiere episode of Don’t Play That Song, we dig into the wild true story of “Louie Louie” by The Kingsmen. From its sloppy brilliance and slurred vocals to the full-blown FBI investigation, this episode unpacks how a three-chord party song from 1963 became one of the most banned, misunderstood, and investigated songs in American radio history.

Want to hear all the songs we couldn’t play on the show? Head to dontplaythatsong.com for the official companion playlist.

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and follow the show wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @dontplaythatsongpod

Sources For This Episode:

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/jack-ely-louie-louie-the-dirtiest-song-of-the-sixties

https://www.originals.be/en/originals/3837

https://www.goldradio.com/news/music/louie-louie-fbi-richard-berry-kingsmen

https://blog.mcmenamins.com/the-story-of-louie-louie-part-i

https://www.openculture.com/2020/12/how-the-garage-rock-anthem-louie-louie-became-the-subject-of-a-lengthy-fbi-investigation-1964.html

https://www.whbc.com/the-day-louie-louie-was-deemed-pornographic

https://vault.fbi.gov/louie-louie-the-song

https://pitchfork.com/news/59444-the-kingsmens-jack-ely-singer-behind-louie-louie-has-died

Hey guys! I’m launching a brand new show I think you’re really gonna love. It’s called Don’t Play That Song, and it’s all about the music that got banned, censored, or pulled from the radio.

Every week I'll dive into the wild, surprising and sometimes ridiculous reasons why certain songs were silenced. Whether it was a lyric, a message or just a sound that made people nervous. From chart-toppers to forgotten deep cuts, I'll tell you the full story behind the tracks that made someone say, “Don't play that song!"

First episodes are dropping soon, right here on this feed. Hit follow, and get ready for the songs they tried to keep us from hearing.

What do ping pong tables, Raisin Bran and $10 bottles of wine have in common?

They were all backstage essentials for Third Eye Blind during their late-’90s rise to alt-rock fame.

This week, we’re diving into the Bonfire Tour of 1998. A time when the band was filling amphitheaters, topping charts and making some strangely specific demands behind the scenes. Their tour rider reads like a mix of dorm room comforts and diva-level control. Including cereal specifics, wine on a budget, and a deep need for “vibe”.

This is the story of a band trying to stay grounded while everything around them got bigger, weirder and harder to control.

Don’t miss a single episode. Hit that subscribe button for your weekly VIP pass behind the curtain.

Want even more backstage access? Follow the podcast on Instagram: @theyaskedforwhat

What do a bomb-sniffing dog, a blender and cinnamon raisin bagels have in common? They’re all part of Bruce Springsteen's backstage world.

This week on They Asked For What? we go backstage on The Rising tour. A post-9/11 revival wrapped in denim, Jersey soul, and rider requests that are equal parts humble and hardcore. No frills. No flair. Just what the Boss needs to do the job.

Don’t miss a single episode. Hit that subscribe button for your weekly VIP pass behind the curtain.

Want even more backstage acess? Follow the podcast on Instagram: @theyaskedforwhat

What do pink velvet, Pinot Grigio and a ban on carnations have in common? They’re all part of Katy Perry’s 2011 backstage world.

Before the whipped cream bras and spinning candy canes took over pop culture, Perry was building a dream...one dressing room at a time.

This week, we unpack the sweet (and surprisingly strict) details behind Katy Perry’s California Dreams Tour rider. Because if you want to live in a teenage dream, you’re going to need a very real backstage setup to pull it off.

Don’t miss a single episode. Hit that subscribe button for your weekly VIP pass behind the curtain.

Want even more backstage acess? Follow the podcast on Instagram: @theyaskedforwhat

What do soy milk, Beck's beer and a ban on styrofoam have in common? They were all part of Bob Dylan’s 2001 tour rider.

In this episode of They Asked For What?, we head backstage with a living legend who, even in the new millennium, was setting his own rules — and his own atmosphere.

From the odd, the essential, to the downright mystical, we break down every curious detail woven into the world Dylan built behind the curtain.

Don’t miss a single episode. Hit that subscribe button for your weekly VIP pass behind the curtain.

Want even more backstage access? Follow us on Instagram: @theyaskedforwhat

What do red Solo cups, pitted dates, and Calvin Klein tees have in common? They were all part of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' wild, weird, and oddly wholesome 2000 tour rider. In this episode of They Asked For What?, we crack open the backstage demands from the Californication era—a pivotal moment when RHCP were rising from the ashes, rediscovering themselves through meditation rooms, aromatherapy candles, and Heineken on ice.

If you're a fan of music history, band drama, tour logistics, or just want to know what rock legends actually request backstage, you won’t want to miss this.

Don’t miss a single episode. Hit that subscribe button for your weekly VIP pass behind the curtain.

Want even more dirty little secrets? Follow us on Instagram: @theyaskedforwhat