They banned 'A Day In The Life' and 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'. Says it all really doesn't it?

I don't remember that.
Well, if they did it's easier to defend than the censoring of something you used to play because of a perceived change in the pubic mood. That's just craven.

banned 'A Day In The Life' in 1967 because of the phrase 'I'd love to turn you on' ( which they believed advocated drug use...coming as it did shortly after a line about going 'upstairs' to 'have a smoke' ) and, of course, poor old 'Lucy' was shot down because some berk at the Beeb reckoned that 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds' spelled 'LSD'. Which it doesn't. In fact it spells 'LITSWD'. Which I've never tried. Have you?

you keep seeing these newspaper taxi's yeah? On the, like, shore and everything?

Presumably this is the same BBC that banned Lou Reed's Walk On The Wild Side, only to promote themselves twenty odd years later with Perfect Day, his contemporaneous song about heroin.

My son's primary school often plays music for the kids to settle down to when they're gathering for an assembly, etc. Yesterday they were playing Fairytale Of New York to reception, Year 1 and 2 without any problem whatsoever.

I remember playing A Boy Named Sue to my daughter when she was roughly the age my son is now. Only the censored version got her asking what was bleeped. Hearing Johnny Cash say 'son of a bitch' caused far less problems and questions.

has the breakfast show presenter who's received untold volumes of complaints about behaviour, language, swearing and regularly has accusations of homophobia and sexism made against him?

When should we expect to see Moyles edited out of the schedule ?

I actually rushed home to post a blog on this but thankfully David you beat me to it. My initial reaction was that it was a joke until they opened a debate on 5 live and their presenter defended the position. Exactly who has been offended by the words in this song that has been played every xmas for about the last 20 years? If you dont like the words dont play the song but for fucks sake dont censor it. What right have you got to do that you tossers?
I have to pay a license fee to tolerate this shit? Forgive me but where is the consistency? The altogether excellent The Street that was recently broadcast on BBC1 was far more likely to cause offence with its explicit homosexual scenes and extreme violence.
How come you didnt delete 'Scumbag'? Oh,and Fairytale? Isnt that just a trifle insulting to gay people? Get a life you muppets.

Is it being censored on radio 2? There are too many people being offended on other peoples behalf. What about those of us who believe in free speech and non censorship (for adults) no one minds offending us by telling us what we can't listen too. How come it's only language that offends and not content or theme?

Totally agree with your comments David but others don't it seems:

Veteran gay rights activist Peter Tatchell said Radio 1's actions were right.

"The word faggot is being sung as an insult, alongside scumbag and maggot. In this abusive context it is unacceptable," he said.

"It is shameful that BBC Radio 2 and other radio and TV stations are continuing to play the full version with the word faggot included. It shows that they don't take homophobic language as seriously as racist language."

Just been on 5 Live news.
Must have read Heppy's diatribe and come to their senses.
I trust we're all downloading it - even if we already have it - in solidarity with the campaign to keep Pop Idol or whatever it's called off No.1.

They just played it on the BBC 6 o'clock news. I think it was ploy to advertise radio 1 eg " look we still play good music honest it's not all kate nash doing covers of britney...."

Since when were his comments of any consequence to sane people, gay or straight? He is to gay rights what the Pro life evangelists are to freedom of speech in the USA.I tell you what, if I was gay I would object to someone like him flying the flag for my rights.
If the BBC has backed down it matters not one jot - if they have people running their shows that even think in this vein then count me out from even listening to them.

The BBC look more stupid (a) censoring it, or (b) changing their mind.

Radio One have no Brains

...That regularly plays rap records containing lyrics demeaning to all but the most rabid misogynist? The words "double" and "standards" spring to mind, closely followed by "stupid" and "bastards".

Are we now going down the Orwellian route of filtering out the past,however unpalatable it was?
I always loved the station for its abilitly to unwittingly play a tune that had another meaning.Witness..
DJ:"Here's James Taylor singing 'Fire and Rain'...A song that explores the darkest parts of Mental Illness/suicide.OR "Here's Alison Moyet singing 'Love Resurrection'..a great song about getting a damn good seeing to.Oh how I used to laugh!

Thats all that really matters to them. Good publicity and bad publicity - the line between becomes more blurred with every passing day. Its still the best christmas song by a country mile though, isn`t it?

er no, just a couple of olde soaks shouting at each other...

Surely, all Christmas records should be banned on the grouds that they might offend people not of a Christian persuasion?