Getting Songs Past the Censors: Double Entendre, Implication, and Lines That Don't Rhyme

[Sandman87]

A place for discussing all those naughty songs that somehow manage to avoid saying what they're saying, or to sound perfectly innocent.

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I have to admit that I've always loved songs that manage to just barely squeak past the suits. It's probably a result of listening to Dr. Demento on the radio as a child, which leads to the first example - "Shaving Cream" by Benny Bell. It has multiple examples of setting up a rhyme, but then avoiding it:

Our baby fell out of the window
You'd think that her head would be split
But good luck was with us that morning
She fell in a big pile of
Shaving cream, be nice and clean
Shave every day and you'll always look keen.

More recently, "Surfin' Dead" by The Cramps gives us this line from a slang-laden song about surfing, hot-rodding zombies:
Your carburetor don't carb, got a hammer down miss
Your generator gens but your pistons don't...work


Who could ever forget AC/DC's tribute to ballroom dancing? (And if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you):

Some balls are held for charity
And some for fancy dress
But when they're held for pleasure
They're the balls that I like best
My balls are always bouncing
To the left and to the right
It's my belief that my big balls
Should be held every night

I'm just barely scratching the surface here. So what are your favorites?

[Rick Kitchen]

Meghan Trainor's "Dear Future Husband"

 

I'll be sleeping on the left side of the bed
Open doors for me and you might get some ... kisses

Edited June 24, 2015 by Rick Kitchen

[magicdog]

I don't know if this counts exactly, but "Last Train To Clarksville" by The Monkees was actually a war protest song of sorts.  The character is on his way via train to Clarksville, Tennessee to see his girlfriend one last time before shipping out to Vietnam.

 

"Take A Giant Step" was about tripping out on LSD.

 

"Star Collector" was all about a groupie.

[Shannon L.]

Cat Scratch Fever by Ted Nugent (pretty much the whole song is nasty) and Tonight's the Night by Rod Stewart  "Spread your wings and let me come inside". 

[Sandman87]

There's a good example of a song that implies without saying on an old album I inherited from my grandparents, Bawdy Songs and Backroom Ballads, which is a collection of traditional tunes. "The Hermit" tells the story of a hermit who is surprised by a young lady just as he's emerging from a lake after his yearly bath. He quickly uses his hat to cover himself, but a fly bites him and he swats at it, which makes him let go of the hat. He offers up a quick prayer and...

 

Of the truth of this story there's no doubt at all.
The Lord heard his prayer and He answered his call:
Though he let go the hat, the hat didn't fall.
A blessed miracle!

[Princess Sparkle]

Well, I don't know if it's a double entendre so much as an entendre, but it always cracks me up that in Get Low, the radio never censored the "skeet skeet skeet!" part.  I remember Dave Chappelle making a joke on his show that it probably was because radio censors had no idea what it meant.

[DeLurker]

The WABAC Machine takes us to 1981...for ZZ Top doing Pearl Necklace

[topanga]

Well, I don't know if it's a double entendre so much as an entendre, but it always cracks me up that in Get Low, the radio never censored the "skeet skeet skeet!" part.  I remember Dave Chappelle making a joke on his show that it probably was because radio censors had no idea what it meant.

I had no idea what it meant either--I just looked it up. Interesting.

 

Prince is the king -- er, prince-- of the double entendre. His song 'Erotic City' has the word "Funk" thrown in at several key moments to make it sound like an f-bomb.

 

If we cannot make babies,

maybe we can make some time.

Funk so pretty, you and me.

Erotic City come alive.

 

We can funk until the dawn

making love till cherry's gone.

Funk so pretty, you and me.

Erotic City come alive.

 

And the song "Little Red Corvette" is one huge double entendre

[spaceytraci1208]

And the song "Little Red Corvette" is one huge double entendre

My favorite is "She had a pocket full of horses, Trojan, some of them used" Just nasty! LMAO

[AimingforYoko]

The WABAC Machine takes us to 1981...for ZZ Top doing Pearl Necklace

Ah, my little adolescent mind was expanded then. The thing was, they had plausible deniability until the line, "That ain't jewelry she's talkin' 'bout and it really don't cost that much."

ZZ Top is just generally filthy, "Tube Snake Boogie"," Velcro Fly","Sleeping Bag", etc.

 

A recent one is Elle King's (Rob Schneider's kid) "Exes and Ohs" with the line, "They always wanna come, but they never wanna leave."

Edited June 25, 2015 by AimingforYoko

[DeLurker]

Ah, my little adolescent mind was expanded then. ...SNIP...

ZZ Top is just generally filthy, "Tube Snake Boogie"," Velcro Fly","Sleeping Bag", etc.

 

Yup...I was pretty naive but even I got the oh-so-subtle reference of Tube Snake Boogie.

[Rick Kitchen]

"Jailhouse Rock"

 

 

Number forty-seven said to number three:

"You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see.

I sure would be delighted with your company,

come on and do the Jailhouse Rock with me."

[DeLurker]

Ahhh...cause I totally didn't get it.  Thanks!

[Sandman87]

How about "Big Ten Inch Record", covered by Aerosmith, originally by Bull Moose Jackson? Takes a double entendre and runs it into the ground:

Last night I tried to tease her

I gave my love a little pinch

She said, "Now stop that jivin'.

Now whip out your big ten inch...record of a band that plays the blues"

Well, a band that plays the blues

She just loves my big ten inch...record of her favorite blues

[Cranberry]

"Squeeze Box" by The Who.

 

Mama's got a squeeze box

She wears on her chest
And when Daddy comes home
He never gets no rest

'Cause she's playing all night
And the music's all right
Mama's got a squeeze box
Daddy never sleeps at night

 

...

 

She goes in and out and in and out and in and out and in and out

She's playing all night
And the music's all tight
Mama's got a squeeze box
Daddy never sleeps at night

[Bastet]

Well, I don't know if it's a double entendre so much as an entendre, but it always cracks me up that in Get Low, the radio never censored the "skeet skeet skeet!" part.  I remember Dave Chappelle making a joke on his show that it probably was because radio censors had no idea what it meant.

 

Nor did I until looking it up just now.

[Ohwell]

I just looked it up.  Alrighty then.

[harrie]

Also in the single entendre category, on our little road trip we've heard both Afternoon Delight by the Starland Vocal Band and Please Go All The Way by the Raspberries on local radio stations.  In the '70s you just stated your case and got it over with  

 

The Monkees songs reminded me of a Harry NIlsson song that they covered - Cuddly Toy.  Not a very nice song.

 

You're not the only cuddly toy
that was ever enjoyed
by any boy

You're not the only choo choo train
that was left out in the rain
the day after Santa came

 

and so on.  It's kind of mean.

Edited July 3, 2015 by harrie

[Sandman87]

This one is inexplicable - It doesn't do anything to hide how thoroughly unpleasant and terrifying the lyrics are, but somehow it manages to sound to a lot of people like a nice love song: "Every Breath You Take" by The Police. It's a song about a stalker, the kind who always turns homicidal on TV shows and in movies, but couples frequently think it's romantic and have it played at their weddings!

[Rick Kitchen]

This one is inexplicable - It doesn't do anything to hide how thoroughly unpleasant and terrifying the lyrics are, but somehow it manages to sound to a lot of people like a nice love song: "Every Breath You Take" by The Police. It's a song about a stalker, the kind who always turns homicidal on TV shows and in movies, but couples frequently think it's romantic and have it played at their weddings!

 

Plus "Don't Stand So Close to Me", about a teenaged girl with an obsessive crush on her teacher.  Plus it was used in a deodorant ad in the UK.

[Shannon L.]

Pink Cadillac by Bruce Springsteen (btw, I hated this song before I realized what the actual lyrics were):

 

They say Eve tempted Adam with an apple
But man I ain't going for that
I know it was her pink Cadillac
Crushed velvet seats
Riding in the back
Oozing down the street

[Rick Kitchen]

Mr. Bright Side by The Killers:

 

 

Now they're going to bed
And my stomach is sick
And it's all in my head
But she's touching his ...

chest now, he takes off her dress Now.

[magicdog]

Funny you should mention "Cuddly Toy".  For years I dismissed it since the video segment they filmed for it on the show was this harmless song and dance between Davy and a pretty blonde girl (while the rest of the group played in the background).   It wasn't until I really paid attention to the lyrics when I realized Nilsson was getting his bitch on! 

 

The song, "Dancing In The Streets"  was banned by some radio stations back in the day because ( as I'd been told by those who remember when it was originally released) some execs thought "dancing" a euphemism for "riot". 

[harrie]

Funny you should mention "Cuddly Toy".  For years I dismissed it since the video segment they filmed for it on the show was this harmless song and dance between Davy and a pretty blonde girl (while the rest of the group played in the background).   It wasn't until I really paid attention to the lyrics when I realized Nilsson was getting his bitch on! 

 

The song, "Dancing In The Streets"  was banned by some radio stations back in the day because ( as I'd been told by those who remember when it was originally released) some execs thought "dancing" a euphemism for "riot". 

 

That happens a lot, I think -- when Elvis Costello's Veronica was first out, I knew someone who really liked the boppy tune; then I shared some of the lyrics with her and really bummed her out.   (And don't even mention Oliver's Army...)   It's so easy to hide lyrics behind a catchy tune; throw in an old soft shoe, and forget about it!

[Princess Sparkle]

This one is inexplicable - It doesn't do anything to hide how thoroughly unpleasant and terrifying the lyrics are, but somehow it manages to sound to a lot of people like a nice love song: "Every Breath You Take" by The Police. It's a song about a stalker, the kind who always turns homicidal on TV shows and in movies, but couples frequently think it's romantic and have it played at their weddings!

In a similar vein, apparently Billie Joe Armstrong (of Green Day) said that couples come up to him all the time and tell him that they played "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" at their wedding, which befuddles him.

[Sandman87]

One (or maybe two) of the all time great double-entendre songs: "Butcher Pete (part 1 and 2)." It has three different possible meanings:
The superficial meaning - It's about a butcher who compulsively chops meat
Or - It's about an omnisexual "sex-maniac" sharing the love
Or - It's about a serial killer with a knife

 

Butcher Pete's got a long sharp knife
He starts choppin' and don't know when to stop
All you fellows gotta watch your wifes
'Cause Pete don't care whose meat he chops

 

What really makes it special is that for each of the above interpretations there's at least one line that makes no sense. It only makes sense if all three are true!

[funkopop]

Hailee Steinfeld, the girl from True Grit and Pitch Perfect II, released her first single.  It is called "Love Myself"  and it is an interesting take on self-empowerment.  I guess her team just said fuck all that double entendre mess lets just go for it.  It'll be interesting to see if this gets radio play.  Also it is quite jarring hearing this barely legal child sing about masturbation.

 

When I get chills at night
I feel it deep inside without you, yeah
Know how to satisfy
Keeping that tempo right without you, yeah

Pictures in my mind on replay
I'm gonna touch the pain away
I know how to scream my own name
Scream my name

Edited August 7, 2015 by funkopop

[Rick Kitchen]

She's one of Taylor Swift's posse, so I'm sure she's seen a lot.

[Sandman87]

Heck, if the Divinyls could get away with "I Touch Myself" back in 1990, then I don't see why "I Love Myself" should have any problems today.

Edited August 9, 2015 by Sandman87

[Sandman87]

I mentioned this song in another thread here recently: "Cattle Prod" by Guadalcanal Diary. It's all about a cowboy wrangling his cattle. Or "wrangling" them. Your call.

I got Bossy and Flossy and Rosebud too

They swish their tails and they all say "moo"

When I do my milkin' feel my temperature rise

See a little twinkle in those big brown eyes

I got a cattle prod

Lyrics aside, it's a pretty rockin' song too.

[Accidental Martyr]

I mentioned this song in another thread here recently: "Cattle Prod" by Guadalcanal Diary. It's all about a cowboy wrangling his cattle. Or "wrangling" them. Your call.I got Bossy and Flossy and Rosebud too

They swish their tails and they all say "moo"

When I do my milkin' feel my temperature rise

See a little twinkle in those big brown eyes

I got a cattle prod

Lyrics aside, it's a pretty rockin' song too.

Guadalcanal Diary was a great band. I was a big fan in college. They got lots of airplay on the college radio station and played on campus once. Former GD guitar player Jeff Wall is now in a band called The Woggles. Check them out if you get a chance.

[Sandman87]

Gary Numan's "Are 'Friends' Electric?" is a fine example of getting stuff past the censors, mainly because it was so difficult to understand what he was saying.

 

You know I hate to ask
But are 'friends' electric?
Only mine's broke down
And now I've no-one to love

 

He once commented about it in an interview "I had a number one single with a song about a robot prostitute and no one knew."

[Just Here]

This month (March 2016), marks the 50th anniversary of French ye-ye singer France Gall's infamous Les sucettes, which was written by the late Serge Gainesbourg.  The song's literal lyrics are about a girl named Annie who likes lollipops, but the extensive double-entendres are all about oral sex.

[AD35]

Meghan Trainor's "Dear Future Husband"

 

I'll be sleeping on the left side of the bed

Open doors for me and you might get some ... kisses

 

Every time when she gets to that part I'm always expecting her to say head instead of kisses.

[InDueTime]

I still like Electric Boogie aka the Electric Slide. However, I'll never listen to it the same way again after learning this:

http://www.aazios.com/articles/writer-confirms-electric-slide-about-vibrator#.WzPFPclOm7M

[SunnyBeBe]

On 4/21/2016 at 6:08 PM, AD35 said:

 

Every time when she gets to that part I'm always expecting her to say head instead of kisses.

Me too!

This song is a big party song in the south, especially at the beach.  It's called Strokin'.(It's not about swimming. lol)  It's an old song and it may be too explicit for here. I'll just post the link for the video and you can listen if you like.  

 

The crowd's favorite part is when he says, When I start making love to my women, I don't stop until she's sassified.  lol  

Edited June 27, 2018 by SunnyBeBe

[BuyMoreAndSave]

After seeing the actual lyrics to the "Barbie Girl" song, I'm amazed that it was a popular song among children! Like my dance class at summer camp when I was 6 years old choreographed a dance to it and performed it in front of an audience of the kids' parents! WTF were adults in the 90s thinking? Also apparently Mattel sued the record company over the lyrics...but then years later they used the song with modified lyrics in an ad....

Also this quote: "the judge Alex Kozinski also threw out the defamation lawsuit that Aqua's record company filed against Mattel, concluding his ruling: "The parties are advised to chill.""

Edited June 29, 2018 by BuyMoreAndSave

[Twilight Man]

I remember back in the 80's, I constantly saw dozens of young teens and even some children singing the infamous song about masturbation, "Relax (Don't Do It)" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood.   Weird Al even put a "snip" of that song (including the lyric) in one of his polka medleys.    I kept thinking to myself back then "You people are aware that he is NOT saying "C-O-M-E, right???"

[ProudMary]

More songs about masturbation: 
Pictures of Lily - The Who
Turning Japanese - The Vapors

And then there's this power pop masterpiece from 1979 about a young man's relationship with his blow-up sex doll.

[Blergh]

From 1933- Let's not overlook Mae West's 'A Guy What Takes His Time!' 

It's likely everyone over 12  outside of convent schools   knew what she was singing  about in her She Done Him Wrong movie-  and her timed intonations and purrs only heightened said double meanings! 

[smittykins]

Chicago had a song on their tenth album(the one with “If You Leave Me Now”)called “You Get It Up.”  Being about 13 when I acquired the album in the late 70’s, it flew over my head at least a couple of miles until I was old enough to finally “get it.”(This one also has the distinction of being sung by the entire band.)

Edited November 10, 2019 by smittykins

[ctlady]

How about Spinal Tap's Big Bottom

 

 

The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin
That's what I said
The looser the waistband, the deeper the quicksand
Or so I have read

My baby fits me like a flesh tuxedo
I like to sink her with my pink torpedo

Big bottom, big bottom
Talk about bum cakes, my girl's got 'em
Big bottom, drive me out of my mind
How could I leave this behind?

[Blergh]

When Quiet Riot's cover of  " Cum on Feel the Noize" (1983) was played on MTV, I was a bit surprised that none of the VJ's attempted to joke about what lazy and bad spellers that they had to have been to have misspelled the first and last words the way they did because why ELSE would they have spelled those words that way. 

[Oosala]

I'm just listening to some old Rod Stewart songs (I loved him).  Anyway, on Tonight's the Night, he's in front of the fireplace singing to his soon-to-be lover and he asks her to 'spread your wings and let me come inside.'  You can't get much more explicit than that.

Also, my mom came into my room when I was a kid and asked me if I'd heard Bob Dylan's song Lay Lady, Lay.  Yes I'd heard it, but I never really listened to the lyrics until she brought it to my attention, so that was a big fail for my dear mom.  Apparently she'd read in the newspaper that people were trying to get it banned from the Top 40 radio stations.

Finally, the tale of ZZ Top's Pearl Necklace.  I thought she wanted a genuine pearl necklace and never really heard what he was actually singing.  "And that's not jewelry she's talkin' bout, it really don't cost that much."  "She held it in her hand and this is what she had to say."  It wasn't until I got older and found out the sex meaning of a pearl necklace that I realized what that crazy Texas gal REALLY wanted.  Also, I f--king love ZZ Top but they are a filthy band in terms of most of their lyrics.

Edited because I read some earlier posts and Tonight's the Night and Pearl Necklace have already been mentioned.  Oops.  So we'll substitute ZZ Top's Tube Snake Boogie for Pearl Necklace.

Edited July 7, 2023 by Oosala

[Oosala]

More songs about masturbation:

Cindy Lauper -- She Bop

Billy Idol -- Dancing With Myself

[Oosala]

On 3/22/2016 at 4:53 PM, Just Here said:

This month (March 2016), marks the 50th anniversary of French ye-ye singer France Gall's infamous Les sucettes, which was written by the late Serge Gainesbourg.  The song's literal lyrics are about a girl named Annie who likes lollipops, but the extensive double-entendres are all about oral sex.

Let's face it.  Serge Gainesbourg was a real hound dog.  An author I love wrote about hearing 'Je t'aime moi non plus' for the first time and feeling as though she'd accidentally stumbled into an advanced lesson on sex.  Her innocence was gone after hearing it.  I prefer the Jane Birkin version to the Brigitte Bardot version, but Bardot was such a beautiful woman.

[Oosala]

For pure shock value, you just can't beat Alice Cooper's Dead Babies (literally about a dead baby named Betty, who climbed up to the shelf and "ate a pound of aspirin"):

Dead babies
Can't take care of themselves
Dead babies
Can't take things off the shelf
Well we didn't want you anyway
Lalala-la, lalala-la, la la la