“Puff the Magic Dragon” by Peter, Paul and Mary
In 1970, the Nixon White House launched a ferocious anti-illegal drug campaign. Vice President Spiro Agnew led the charge, addressing Republicans in a speech carried on radio and television. He picked out 1960s singers who he thought promoted substance abuse by paraphrasing their lyrics. By December, the Illinois Crime Commission had released a list of “substance-oriented” rock tunes. “Puff the Magic Dragon” appeared on the list. The terms “puff” and “papers” purportedly related to smoking, while “dragon” referred to using a drug. Meanwhile, Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul, and Mary claims that the 1963 song never addressed those issues. He claimed it was about the loss of innocence and the end of childhood.
Puff The Magic Dragon By Peter, Paul And Mary
“My Generation” by The Who
Songs were prohibited by the busload during the radical 1960s. The elders viewed the change negatively. The Who’s debut album, “My Generation,” featured the song that characterized it, the titular single. It was offensive! Roger Daltrey sings that he would rather die than grow old (like his censors). BBC executives were irritated by the stutter in “Why don’t you all f-f-fade away,” which appeared to imply an oncoming “f-word”. However, because the word does not develop, the broadcasting corporation said it offends those who stutter or stammer. Pirate radio stations continued to play “My Generation,” and it eventually peaked at No. 2 on the UK charts. The stammering in the song actually began when Daltrey attempted to read Pete Townshend’s lyrics for the first time. It had a cool sound, so the band maintained it.
My Generation By The Who
