Friday, May 06, 2005

Benton Harbor School bans the Band from Playing Louie Louie

Alleging that the lyrics to the song Louie Louie are rauncy, the Superintendent of Benton Harbor Schools in Michigan has banned the School Band from playing it during the benton harbor Blossom time Festival.

As reported in the Detroit Free Press article School band song now a banned song
Benton Harbor Superintendent Paula Dawning cited the song's allegedly raunchy lyrics in ordering the McCord Middle School band not to perform it in Saturday's Grand Floral Parade, held as part of the Blossomtime Festival.

In a letter sent home with McCord students, Dawning said "Louie Louie" was not appropriate for Benton Harbor students to play while representing the district -- even though the marching band wasn't going to sing it. (bold added)
In fact the article points out the song was even investigated by the FBI:
the FBI spent two years investigating the lyrics before declaring they not only were not obscene but also were "unintelligible at any speed."
Yes, TWO YEARS spent investigating a song.

The Detroit Free Press has reproduced the commonly accepted version of the lyrics to the song.

Methinks the Superintendent is whistling the wrong tune on this one.

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