Clear Channel Memo Songs: Dancing in the Street

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This month I “salute” the infamous Clear Channel Memorandum, the list of songs that went out to stations owned by the corporation after 9/11 with an advisory against playing them. Rage Against the Machine, the band, had their entire catalog advised against. Here’s another one that was a no-no. Dancing in the Street - Martha and the Vandellas And about now, if you went through the banned songs with me last month, you’re beginning to wonder if these people had too many classes at Monty Python’s “Getting Hit Over the Head” class. Why this song? Well, according to the information, Clear Channel execs didn’t think “happy, upbeat songs” were appropriate in light of the tragedy. I suppose that means some of them wanted 24/7 funeral music playing? For the record, the two “hit version” covers, by Van Halen and David Bowie & Mick Jagger, was also on the “please don’t play this” list. Dancing in the Street Written by Marvin Gaye, Mickey Stevenson, and Ivy Jo Hunter Recorded by Martha and the Vandellas From Dance Party, 1964 (Also covered by Van Halen, 1982) (Also covered by David Bowie & Mick Jagger, 1985) Summer’s here and the time is right: