Difference between revisions of "John Denver"
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| − | [[Category: | + | [[File:John Denver.jpg|500px|thumb|right|John Denver]] |
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| − | [[Category:PMRC (The List)]] | + | '''John Denver''' (31 December 1943 - 12 October 1997) was an American country musician and singer-songwriter, most famous for songs such as ''"Take Me Home, Country Roads"'', ''"Rocky Mountain High"'' and ''"Thank God, I'm a Country Boy"''. |
| − | [[Category:The Real Frank Zappa Book (The List)]] | + | |
| + | In 1985, Denver, along with fellow musicians [[Dee Snider]] and [[Biography|Frank Zappa]], testified before the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation to protest against the [[Parents Music Resource Center|PMRC]]'s appeals for a record ratings system. [[Barry Miles]] argues in the book ''[[Frank Zappa: A Biography]]'' (2004) that Denver, more than anybody else in the PMRC hearings, managed to convince a majority that the PMRC's plans were in violation of the freedom of speech, since many expected the nice, clean, and non-offensive musician to say quite the opposite. Zappa also expressed gladness and appreciation that Denver supported his cause. | ||
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| + | In the audio sample heard on ''[[Porn Wars]]'' Denver is mentioned: ''The next witness is John Denver''. The same sample is heard on ''[[Congress Shall Make No Law (The Track)|Congress Shall Make No Law]]''. | ||
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| + | ==Zappa about John Denver== | ||
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| + | '''Terry Marshall''': ''"I think it's rather interesting from the store's point of view that they'll carry it without a label, but they won't carry with a label.'' | ||
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| + | '''Frank Zappa''': ''"Here's what it is: it's that "bomb the abortion clinic" mentality that a lot of these right-wingers have adopted, because once the thing has been labeled as filth, if it is existing in the store, it's a target now. And these store owners have stated that they're afraid.'' | ||
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| + | '''Terry Marshall''': ''"But we're not labeling it as filth. We're just saying [by stickering it that] it's explicit lyrics. If you are not ashamed to record a sexual lyric or a violent lyric, what is the problem with telling us, "This is violent, this has sexual content"?'' | ||
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| + | '''Frank Zappa''': ''"Because, for some people's taste, if you record something, you might think it's perfectly okay. Let's take the John Denver example. He makes a song called "Rocky Mountain High". He thought it was all right, but somebody else thought it was a dope thing."'' | ||
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| + | '''Terry Marshall''': ''No, it was probably one person somewhere and it's been publicized very highly.'' | ||
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| + | '''Frank Zappa''': ''But it was enough to get his record banned on some radio stations. That's why I'm saying the standards differ.'' | ||
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| + | - [[Biography|Frank Zappa]], interviewed by Peter Werbe in [[WRIF Radio Interview]], 28 October 1985. | ||
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| + | ==External links== | ||
| + | * [https://www.washingtonian.com/2015/02/02/5-excellent-moments-from-the-senates-1985-rock-lyrics-hearing/ 5 Excellent Moments From the Senate’s 1985 Rock-Lyrics Hearing] | ||
| + | * [https://prospect.org/article/how-john-denver-saved-civilization How John Denver Saved Civilization]. | ||
| + | * [[Wikipedia:John Denver]] | ||
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| + | [[Category:Country Musicians|Denver]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Singers|Denver]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Guitarists|Denver]] | ||
| + | [[Category:The Real Frank Zappa Book (The List)|Denver]] | ||
| + | [[Category:PMRC (The List)|Denver]] | ||
| + | [[Category:The Real Frank Zappa Book (The List)|Denver]] | ||
Latest revision as of 11:29, 20 August 2021
John Denver (31 December 1943 - 12 October 1997) was an American country musician and singer-songwriter, most famous for songs such as "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "Rocky Mountain High" and "Thank God, I'm a Country Boy".
In 1985, Denver, along with fellow musicians Dee Snider and Frank Zappa, testified before the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation to protest against the PMRC's appeals for a record ratings system. Barry Miles argues in the book Frank Zappa: A Biography (2004) that Denver, more than anybody else in the PMRC hearings, managed to convince a majority that the PMRC's plans were in violation of the freedom of speech, since many expected the nice, clean, and non-offensive musician to say quite the opposite. Zappa also expressed gladness and appreciation that Denver supported his cause.
In the audio sample heard on Porn Wars Denver is mentioned: The next witness is John Denver. The same sample is heard on Congress Shall Make No Law.
Zappa about John Denver
Terry Marshall: "I think it's rather interesting from the store's point of view that they'll carry it without a label, but they won't carry with a label.
Frank Zappa: "Here's what it is: it's that "bomb the abortion clinic" mentality that a lot of these right-wingers have adopted, because once the thing has been labeled as filth, if it is existing in the store, it's a target now. And these store owners have stated that they're afraid.
Terry Marshall: "But we're not labeling it as filth. We're just saying [by stickering it that] it's explicit lyrics. If you are not ashamed to record a sexual lyric or a violent lyric, what is the problem with telling us, "This is violent, this has sexual content"?
Frank Zappa: "Because, for some people's taste, if you record something, you might think it's perfectly okay. Let's take the John Denver example. He makes a song called "Rocky Mountain High". He thought it was all right, but somebody else thought it was a dope thing."
Terry Marshall: No, it was probably one person somewhere and it's been publicized very highly.
Frank Zappa: But it was enough to get his record banned on some radio stations. That's why I'm saying the standards differ.
- Frank Zappa, interviewed by Peter Werbe in WRIF Radio Interview, 28 October 1985.
