Yesterday Once More

Over time our values and expressed attitudes change. These changes are often demonstrated through the lyrics of songs. Today’s program is a snapshot of values and attitudes from the past which are foreign and even, tasteless and offensive today. The most glaring examples include the Crystals‘ song ‘He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss)’, Napoleon IV’s novelty song ‘They’re Coming To Take Me Away Ha Ha’ and considered the most ‘sexist song ever’, ‘Wives And Lovers’ sung by Jack Jones. Surprisingly, this song was written by famous songwriters, Bacharach & David. There is also overt racial stereotyping in Pat Boone‘s ‘Speedy Gonzales’ and overt physical prejudice in Queen‘s ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’

• Ain’t Gonna Bump (With No Fat Woman) – Joe Tex
• The Wanderer – Dion
• Short People – Randy Newman
• Are You Old Enough? – Dragon
• Getting Better – The Beatles
• Stand By Your Man – Tammy Wynette
• Fat Bottomed Girls – Queen
• Speedy Gonzales – Pat Boone
• In The Summertime – The Mixtures
• They’re Coming To Take Me Away Ha Ha – Napoleon IV
• He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss) – The Crystals
• Wives And Lovers – Jack Jones