- I'm not surprised this was banned either.
- Why? - What!?
- People are too sensitive, bro!
- (React) We're going to react to controversial songs that were banned.
- Ooh! (React laughs)
- I mean, like, banned, banned? - What have we banned?
Maybe we're too laissez-faire, like what would be banned?
- I feel like the internet has desensitized us to everything.
- Yeah. - That like, why would that be banned?
- I feel like this is gonna be a lot of hip hop,
and this is right in my wheelhouse.
- (React) What's your thoughts on freedom of speech in songs?
- You are definitely allowed to say whatever it is that you want,
but be ready... - Yep.
- To catch hands for it. - Yep.
- ♪ Just let me liberate you ♪ - ♪ Hey hey hey ♪
- Oh. - (gasps) Mm.
- I love this song! (laughs)
- ♪ That's why I'm gonna take a ♪ - ♪ Good girl ♪
- It's kind of like taking advantage of like younger women.
Like, forcefully sexualizing women, I think that's what it was?
- I see a lot of adults having a good time. (laughs)
- Hey hey! Hey!
- People like started listening to the lyrics and go
hang on a second! (laughs)
- There's blurred lines to like, consent, right?
- Right.
- ♪ I know you want it ♪
- The video was kind of iconic, because on YouTube,
they made two music videos, one...
- Boob. - With boob.
And one, no boob. - Wow.
- You know, I think that people, once skin is showing, like,
just the middle of the country just starts like,
the alarms start going off, they're like ah, sin!
- People were saying it's [censored],
like that they're not taking no for an answer.
- I saw a quote once that was like three old men on a porch,
like yelling after young women,
that was kind of the vibe that people perceived it at the time.
- I think people are a little soft.
- Thank you, oh my God! Ooh, you, sorry, you struck a nerve.
- No is an answer. - Yes.
- But I don't know, maybe. - That's...
- It's like...
- We in there. - That's a blurred line!
- And I wanna play with that blurred line.
- Oh, I wanna play all day with that. - Come on!
- I understand why it was banned, and I'm really mad
that that song is so catchy.
- Ah, yes, religions. - (gasps) Let's go!
- Look at her go!
- This is probably, for me, peak Gaga.
- So she is like the Virgin Mary, and he's Jesus kinda thing?
- Oh.
- Any time you put a depiction of Jesus.
- Oh.
- They're all gonna come in, and she's singing I'm Judas, baby.
- That part.
- ♪ I'm just a Holy Fool ♪ ♪ Oh, baby, it's so cruel ♪
- I see the cross on the boobies.
- This is Gaga's prime.
- Now I wanna take a ride on the disco stick, personally speaking.
(Brian laughs)
If I may be so brave and bold and honest.
- If you want to shoot up the charts...
Quickly... - Mm-hmm.
- And get a lot of people buying your songs...
- Yeah?
- Put something that religious people are going to attack and ban.
- Oh, major facts, yep.
- Because if that weren't in there, if it weren't all about this,
and they caused the big stink. - Yep.
- It's not that great of a song.
- I think if you're a religious person,
I could see why you have that perspective,
however, I mean, this is art, so like, that's your perspective,
and that's your religion, but, I mean, this is music for everyone,
not just you.
- Oh yes! Let's go, are you ready?
- Why? - What!?
- ♪ It's no stranger ♪ ♪ To you and me ♪
♪ (upbeat drum solo) ♪
- ♪ Dah dah dah, mmm ♪
- ♪ I can feel it coming ♪ ♪ In the air tonight ♪
- Those drums, baby! - ♪ Oh lord ♪
- Look at that, the thermal imaging, like we're in Predator or something.
- ♪ I've been waiting ♪ ♪ For this moment ♪
- She's not even here any more. She's on another plane of existence.
- Wait, why would this be banned?
- (React) This seemingly harmless song.
- Phil Collins. - (React) By Phil Collins
has been banned on two separate occasions.
- Pfft! (React laughs)
- He made the soundtrack for Tarzan!
- He's a treasure!
- (React) The first time was in 1991,
after the BBC forbid it from the airwaves
due to its perceived connection to the Gulf War.
- Okay, it's a stretch.
- (React) The second... - That is a big stretch.
Huh, where?
- (React) The second time was in 2001.
Clear Channel Communications banned this
after the tragic events of 9/11,
worried that any song related to air
might remind listeners of the World Trade Center attacks.
- Wait, what? - Oh, come on.
- Okay.
- People are too sensitive, bro.
- I pulled a hamstring for that reach.
- I understand them trying to be like sensitive to people,
because that was a very tragic time,
especially in like 9/11,
but I don't really know what that would do.
- (React) This is trivia, what I'm gonna do
is I'm gonna ask you a question about a banned song.
What children's song is banned by the Chinese government?
A, Mary Had A Little Lamb, B is Baby Shark.
(Izzy laughs)
C is Hakuna Matata, or D, Puff the Magic Dragon?
- Okay, C... (Brian gasps)
Oh. - Dang it!
- Yeah.
- I don't know that one, so I'm gonna go C.
- (React) He's already there, let's go!
- It should be Baby Shark, but Puff the Magic Dragon is the answer.
It has to be. - I said D, Puff the Magic Dragon.
- ♪ Puff the Magic Dragon ♪ - Magic Dragon.
- Gotcha. - Nice.
- I don't like this. (laughs)
- Hey, hey!
- There's something about his demeanor that I do not like. (laughs)
- Just vibe!
- (React) The song was banned in Singapore and Hong Kong
because authorities thought it contained drug references.
- This is obviously about drugs.
- (React) But they've denied it.
- Do we believe that for real?
- Right, I don't believe that for one second.
I'm like, there's too much of that going on.
- Yeah.
- They should ban that video, 'cause it's uncomfortable. (laughs)
- Maybe that's how, it does the opposite.
It's to make me stay away from drugs.
- I knew that was a banned song, but I just,
can we just ban Baby Shark? Can the whole world, please?
- Look him in the eyes. (laughs) That!
- ♪ I took you to an ♪ ♪ Intimate restaurant ♪
- Oh yes! I remember this!
- Olivia Newton-John. - Olivia Newton, yes!
RIP.
- Why?
- Oh woah, was that some man balls?
What's going on there?
- I think I know why this is banned.
- ♪ Let's get physical ♪
- ♪ Physical ♪
- I forgot about this song. - ♪ I wanna get physical ♪
- ♪ Let's get into physical ♪
- ♪ Let me hear your body talk ♪
- It's like a Jazzercise class come to life, I feel like.
- Yes.
- When this came out, I was 10 years old.
I had no idea it was problematic.
Why? Because I was...
- (both) 10!
- Case in point. - Until people started saying
oh, that is not about that, and I'm like,
well what is it about then? - (React) Mm-hmm.
- And they're like well, it's about sex,
and I'm like well you just told me!
- If you listen to music now,
we actively talk about sex in explicit details.
(Brian gasps) ♪ Let's get physical ♪
It's like girl.
- Are you telling me that WAP is about like sexuals?
- Va-gin-tah! - (gasps) Never!
(Corey laughs) - Oh. (laughs)
Now yeah, see? - Yo, Ice Cube!
- I'm not surprised this was banned either.
- Wait.
What?
- My mom loves Ice Cube.
That's her husband in her mind.
- ♪ Come and get me ♪ ♪ Off your ass ♪
- (React) Brian, how are you feeling?
- You're shocked, and me just absolutely.
- I want you to keep that vibe.
- I expected to see them on this. - Me too.
- Yeah, just old crotchety white guys just being pissed
that hip hop music was being made.
- Is it still banned now? - (React) No.
- Okay. - Thank God!
- I was about to say... - Okay, 'cause I was about...
That's...
- They were a group that definitely talked about subjects and things
that needed to be talked about,
the real things going on, and things that people are experiencing.
- If I was a cop, which I'm not,
I would understand why that would piss me off,
but at the same time, it comes from their experience,
so like, I don't know, context matters, right?
So I wouldn't, it doesn't make me uncomfortable,
like, I get it.
- In literal and musical form, this is literally the Boston Tea Party
of being like you cannot do this to us
without somebody saying something about it,
or doing something about it.
- If this is my way of bringing awareness to my community,
what we deal with every day, y'all finna hear me.
- That's right. - Flat out.
- That's right.
- And I don't care how you feel about it.
- No lies were told.
- Tell 'em about what you wanna do!
- I love this song!
- Come on! - Ooh, ooh!
- Give it to me, here it is!
- ♪ I want to break free ♪
- Okay, well the song's not banned.
- Oh my God!
- I know this song,
I've never saw the video! - You don't?
- The video's gotta be banned, because he's cross dressing.
- ♪ I want to break free ♪ ♪ From your lies ♪
♪ You're so ♪
- ♪ Self-satisfied ♪ ♪ I don't need you ♪
- Giving.
- Just his presence. Just...
- Ate!
- That was my MySpace song.
- I have a whole newfound respect for it.
I did not realize that was what it was because,
like the backing of it, like... - Mm-hmm.
- I love that!
- Freddie Mercury saying I just wanna be exactly who I am.
- The world wasn't ready at the time.
- Americans, bro, God! - Americans, bro.
The British are hilarious, people don't realize that about them.
- You do not have to watch it. - What a concept!
- Ugh. - MTV.
You're missing out! - That was a good video.
- It's a different time, and we get that,
but also, right now, we can go ick. - Weenies.
- (React) This is brought to you by BBC.
(Sharon laughs)
What musical song was banned by British radio
after the death of a famous political leader?
A is Snuff That Girl, B is A Brand New Day,
C is Ding Dong the Witch is Dead, or D, Some Things Are Meant To Be.
- This is a total guess for me.
- (React) Three, two, one!
Ooh, C.
- It's Ding Dong the Witch is Dead. - C!
- (React) It is Ding Dong the Witch is Dead.
- (both) Yay!
(both laugh)
- It's for Margaret Thatcher, isn't it?
- (React) It is Margaret Thatcher, yes. - Yeah, I'm English, so.
- I remember seeing some things, like Wicked Witch,
hit the top 10 in the UK. - Oh, it did.
- It hit some levels. - (React) It definitely did.
- ♪ Ding dong ♪ - ♪ The witch is dead ♪
- ♪ Which old witch ♪ ♪ The wicked witch ♪
- ♪ Munchkinland ♪ - ♪ The wicket witch is dead ♪
- ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
- This is bad. (laughs)
- I have a feeling there were a lot of folks playing this song after.
- (React) What do we think about this ban?
- Hilarious and not effective.
- You're literally handing them the joke by saying don't make it.
- Yeah.
- Even if it's funny, don't use music for evil.
- ♪ Bloodstains, ball gowns ♪
- What?
- This was banned?
- Really, this one?
- I love this song.
- ♪ Cadillacs in our dreams ♪
- ♪ But everybody's like ♪ ♪ Cristal ♪
- (React) So why do we think this was banned?
- I'm trying to think of why?
- Thank you!
- Let me put my white Karen hat on. (React laughs)
- ♪ Love affair ♪ ♪ And we'll never be royals ♪
- ♪ Royals ♪
- Lorde was banned?
- (React) Lorde was banned for a brief moment in time.
- It like alludes to doing drugs briefly in the chorus?
Maybe.
- (React) Two San Francisco radio stations
have banned this song, Royals.
- It was banned in San Francisco?
Just specifically in San Francisco?
Were they playing The Royals?
- (React) Yes they were. - Yep.
- Oh, lame.
- That's why?
I'm dead, that's actually really funny. (laughs)
- That's a banter ban. - (React) Yeah.
- I'll keep it in my playlist though.
- Yeah.
- I know sports fandom and how much people
will legitimately be like if we want our team to win,
we can't let this song play.
- ♪ America the brave ♪ ♪ Still fears what we don't know ♪
- Oh yeah.
- I love this song.
- They really banned this song?
- I love this song.
- That song, that voice right there.
- Wow.
- Especially in hip hop, you know?
Which is not known for being pro-gay,
I think it's a cool addition to the lexicon.
- I remember seeing this live, and like tearfully texting
the girl that I liked at the time.
- ♪ If I tried ♪ ♪ Even if I wanted to ♪
- I like, really liked her. - Mm-hmm.
- And I didn't, like we were friends, and I was terrified,
and I just texted her, like hey, I love you so much.
To me, that was the confession. Hey, love you.
Like, aww, I love you! (kisses) Bestie!
I'm like mm-hmm.
- I didn't even know that was banned,
I thought would've been like more embraced,
'cause it wasn't too far, too long ago.
- (React) Same Love features lyrics about LGBTQ+ rights.
The song came out in 2012
during the campaign to legalize same sex marriage in Washington.
In 2017, Macklemore was invited to perform
at the National Rugby League Grand Final in Sydney, Australia.
Critics started a petition to have that song banned
during the performance.
Their approach was to keep politics out of sports,
and for the organization to stay neutral
in terms of same sex marriage.
- In terms of gay people existing?
- (React) Macklemore, however, chose to perform it anyway.
- Love that. - (React) Despite criticism.
- Mm-hmm. - Screw them.
- This is hard.
'Cause I fought for gay marriage.
I got beat up, I got pushed into traffic,
I got threatened.
- It's aggressive to ban a pro-gay song, you know?
- Good for you, Macklemore, for still performing it.
- It never made sense to me why me marrying Laura
is political?
How is that political?
We're not doing anything to anybody.
We're not harming anybody.
- You're putting politics on this situation
that has nothing to do with politics,
and has everything to do with love.
- Yeah.
- I mean, how are you against love?
- That's what it all boils down to.
- Yep!
- Take your politics out of it, because there aren't any.
- (React) Alright, last trivia for you guys.
Which Halloween classic was banned by the BBC
for 11 years for being too morbid?
- The BBC is feeling some type of way!
- For being too what? - (React) Morbid.
- Morbid?
- (React) A is Ghostbusters, B is the Monster Mash,
C is This is Halloween, or D, Spooky Scary Skeletons.
- Oh, clearly Spooky Scary Skeletons.
- Yep, 11 years was the clue that I needed.
- (React) Three, two, one!
- D? - C.
- (React) C, This is Halloween.
Three, two, one, reveal! - I did C.
- I did Ghostbusters.
- The Monster Mash. - I don't know.
- Please, please be the Monster Mash. - (React) Spooky Scary Skeleton?
- My favorite line in Ghostbusters is bustin' makes me feel good.
(laughs)
- ♪ I was working in the lab ♪
- Yes! - Oh, you're right.
(Brian gasps)
- ♪ My eyes beheld ♪ ♪ Eerie sight ♪
♪ For my monster ♪
- The facial expressions. (laughs)
- What a performance.
- ♪ Suddenly to my surprise ♪ - ♪ He did the Mash ♪
- ♪ He did the Monster Mash ♪
- ♪ The Monster Mash ♪
- ♪ It was a graveyard smash ♪
- What a legend this guy is!
- It was banned for 11 years?
- (React) 11 years.
- Y'all are so sensitive.
Like, there's some times I get sensitivity is fine,
and we gotta be like very careful, but the Monster Mash?
- He, I guess, was kind of scary, for like, kids?
- (React) Kind of.
- Knock it off, and grow up. (React laughs)
- Certain places are very, like...
- Sensitive. - Very protective, yes.
But like, some of these, I was like,
you really can't get past that?
- Memory Lane, baby! (laughs) - Yeah!
But a great exercise though, from like,
different standpoints and point of views too,
like, that was a necessary conversation.
- When art crosses a line into inciting violence,
is one of the only times I can think of
where it's like, this poses a direct threat to people.
- It definitely showed where people are a little bit more like,
homophobic than others. - (React) Mm-hmm.
- Which is like really sad.
- You made the problem worse by banning it.
- Thanks for watching this episode.
- What song surprised you?
Let us know in the comments down below!
- And be sure to subscribe for more REACT videos.
- (both) Bye!