https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Sat, 02 May 2026 09:22:44 +0000 Sat, 31 May 2025 04:25:26 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 12.07 360 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=2887 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum//images/Top-40-Music-on-CD-Forum-Logo.png https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/ https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66848&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66848 Author: Paul Haney
Subject: 2887
Posted: 31 May 2025 at 4:25am

Yes, "WAP" was indeed heavily edited for airplay.

One of my favorite radio edits is "What It's Like" by Everlast from 1999. IIRC, the promo came with several different versions, depending on the station's tolerance of the swearing, guns and drugs references. While I prefer the unedited version, I can at least tolerate the edits.]]> Sat, 31 May 2025 04:25:26 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66848&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66848 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66845&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66845 Author: EdisonLite
Subject: 2887
Posted: 30 May 2025 at 3:53pm

What's ironic is that by today's standards, the B word is rather mild. I'm thinking of songs like "WAP" by Cardi B - although I'm guessing that was probably edited or bleeped for radio.]]> Fri, 30 May 2025 15:53:34 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66845&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66845 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66844&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66844 Author: VWestlife
Subject: 2887
Posted: 30 May 2025 at 3:05pm

As for the Meredith Brooks song, Adult Contemporary stations played it with unedited lyrics, but never mentioned its title on the air. (Although these days it would be displayed on your car radio via RDS.)]]> Fri, 30 May 2025 15:05:23 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66844&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66844 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66833&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66833 Author: EdisonLite
Subject: 2887
Posted: 27 May 2025 at 5:57pm

Oh yeah, the Rod Stewart song. That's 4 1970s songs with the B word. I heard all of them a lot during their heyday (still do for EJ and H&O) and most were left intact. I do recall that 1 or 2 stations in Boston replaced the line "it's a bitch girl" in the H&O song to "You're a rich girl". And I think maybe "Bad Blood" had the substitute I suggested above.

As for Hykker's comment, I can't imagine a bitchless version of "Bitch". Unless Meredith sang a replacement words (which sometimes happens if an artist wants more radio airplay), I just can't imagine what kind of edit would be done. It would also make the original point of the song pretty meaningless. Since you have it, can you tell us what was done to make a non-swear version?]]> Tue, 27 May 2025 17:57:00 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66833&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66833 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66832&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66832 Author: jono
Subject: 2887
Posted: 27 May 2025 at 5:46pm

I don’t remember the Elton John song being played on local stations back then (in Milwaukee, I usually listened to WOKY), but maybe my Mom successfully shielded me from that song. Either that or I just didn’t care for it much. Still don’t.

I do remember “Bad Blood” very well because my Mom actually bought me the 45 when I asked for it, although I remember her acting a little, I guess I’ll say, “cautiously surprised”. Of course, Neil’s song made it to #1, and I too am not aware of any radio edits.

I’m not too familiar with the song, but Rod Stewart also had a Top 40 release with the “b” word in it (“Ain’t Love A B*tch”). I don’t know if I’ve heard that song since its heyday. ]]> Tue, 27 May 2025 17:46:47 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66832&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66832 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66831&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66831 Author: crapfromthepast
Subject: 2887
Posted: 27 May 2025 at 8:06am

Hykker wrote: Don't ever recall hearing an edit, but, like "Ballad Of John & Yoko" I do recall a number of stations who didn't play it, presumably for language reasons.

Not to derail the EJ thread too much, but Apple sent radio stations in New Zealand an edited promo 45 of "The Ballad Of John And Yoko", with the word "Christ" silenced. It's a little awkward, but not as bad as you'd imagine.

Good luck finding one, though. On Discogs, the most recent sale was in 2014, for $210.]]> Tue, 27 May 2025 08:06:26 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66831&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66831 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66830&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66830 Author: Paul Haney
Subject: 2887
Posted: 27 May 2025 at 6:23am

I posted the following earlier in this thread, re: The Bitch Is Back & Bad Blood:

Ah, the memories...I was 8 years-old when this song [The Bitch Is Back] was a hit. I had 2 older brothers who got me hooked on AT40 right around this time (which pretty much set me on my future career path). Mom & Dad would let us listen to the local Top 40 station in the car. When our parents heard us sing along with this song for the first time they shut off the radio and that was it for KDWB in the car!

Flash forward to the fall of 1975...Neil Sedaka sang the offending "B" word in "Bad Blood" (which just happened to feature Elton!)...Mom was a big Neil Sedaka fan from the early 1960's, so all of a sudden that word wasn't so bad after all and KDWB was once again allowed in the family Buick.

Edited by Paul Haney - 27 May 2025 at 6:25am]]> Tue, 27 May 2025 06:23:26 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66830&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66830 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66829&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66829 Author: Hykker
Subject: 2887
Posted: 27 May 2025 at 5:29am

EdisonLite wrote: I think that song, as well as "Bitch" by Meredith Brooks, are beyond editing to make clean.

Actually, there is a "bitchless" version on the Meredith Brooks song, I have a rip of it. A quick check on Discogs didn't show any obvious U.S. release, but it does seem to have been an official edit in some other countries.

Does anyone recall if "Bad Blood" by Neil Sedaka was edited by radio stations (a song which Elton sang back up on, as well as being on his label, Rocket Records, btw)? ("The B*tch is in her smile".) That edit would be easy enough. A station could just replace Chorus 2 with Chorus 1, which doesn't have the word. Did promo 45s have a version without the word? Also, of ALL people, Neil Sedaka is someone I wouldn't think would use a swear word in one of his songs.

Yeah, I was a bit surprised to hear that in a Neil Sedaka song too, for the same reason. Don't ever recall hearing an edit, but, like "Ballad Of John & Yoko" I do recall a number of stations who didn't play it, presumably for language reasons.]]> Tue, 27 May 2025 05:29:59 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66829&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66829 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66828&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66828 Author: Paul Haney
Subject: 2887
Posted: 27 May 2025 at 3:52am

IIRC, there was no "clean" promo 45 for "Bad Blood." I do believe some stations did their own edits, but I ALWAYS heard the normal version on my local radio stations at the time. Elton pretty much broke the taboo on that word. Same situation would apply to "Rich Girl" by Hall & Oates in early 1977.

Edited by Paul Haney - 27 May 2025 at 3:53am]]> Tue, 27 May 2025 03:52:40 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66828&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66828 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66827&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66827 Author: EdisonLite
Subject: 2887
Posted: 26 May 2025 at 6:57pm

I think that song, as well as "Bitch" by Meredith Brooks, are beyond editing to make clean. Too much of that word. And with bleeping or just muting the word, too much of the actual melody would be lost.

Does anyone recall if "Bad Blood" by Neil Sedaka was edited by radio stations (a song which Elton sang back up on, as well as being on his label, Rocket Records, btw)? ("The B*tch is in her smile".) That edit would be easy enough. A station could just replace Chorus 2 with Chorus 1, which doesn't have the word. Did promo 45s have a version without the word?

Also, of ALL people, Neil Sedaka is someone I wouldn't think would use a swear word in one of his songs.]]> Mon, 26 May 2025 18:57:41 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2887&PID=66827&title=the-bitch-is-back-elton-john#66827