🎶 Mixtape Monday: Memorial Day (Musical Mementos) 🎶

Hello, fellow Lovers of Music!

As you know, last week’s Mixtape Monday was chock full of celestial songs and plenty of extraterrestrial experiences that were impossible to get enough of! With our list of cosmic tunes in tow, we didn’t just have a blast… we blasted off right into the stratosphere! :stars: And the best part of it all? Having all of you along for the trip (…and knowing you’d be too nice to complain when we brought up the idea of playing road trip games like “I Spy,” :stuck_out_tongue:)!

Ready for another chance to “kiss the planet goodbye”? Take a listen of our full list of songs, below! And don’t forget to hold on to your hats… it’s gonna be a bumpy ride! :wink:

“Space Oddity,” by David Bowie
“Galaxies,” by Owl City
“Alligator Sky,” by Owl City
“When I Grow Up,” by Fever Ray
“M.I.B. Main Theme,” by Danny Elfman (from Men In Black)
“Space Truckin’,” by Deep Purple
“The Asteroid Field,” by John Williams
“Left Adrift,” by Justin E. Bell
“Unwritten,” by Natasha Bedingfield
“Just a Little Girl,” by Amy Studt
“Star Spangled Man,” by The Star Spangled Singers (from Captain America: The First Avenger)
“Only In America,” by Brooks & Dunn
“Born to Fly,” by Sara Evans
“I Want It That Way,” by The Backstreet Boys
“The Light In Your Eyes,” by LeAnn Rimes
“The Dance,” by Garth Brooks
“Interstellar Main Theme,” by Hans Zimmer (from Interstellar)
“A Sky Full of Stars,” by Coldplay
“Zero,” by Imagine Dragons (from Ralph Breaks the Internet)
“I’m Just a Girl,” by No Doubt
“Children of the Sun,” by Billy Thorpe
“Kelly Watch the Stars,” by Air
“Gamma Ray,” by Beck
“Promise of a New Day,” by Paula Abdul
“Masquerade,” by Berlin
“Die Young Stay Pretty,” by Blondie
“Earthquake Song,” by The Little Girls
“L.A. Woman,” by Billy Idol
“Super Heroes,” by Bill Miller, Abigale Haness and Graham Jarvis (from The Rocky Horror Show, as performed at The Roxy Theatre)
“California Stars,” by Billy Bragg & Wilco
“Out of Limits,” by The Marketts
“All Star,” by Smash Mouth
“Planet Earth,” by Duran Duran
“Magicant,” by Motoi Sakuraba (from EarthBound)
“Corneria,” by Hajime Hirasawa (from Star Fox)
“Controls,” by Hajime Hirasawa (from Star Fox)
Menu Select Theme by Koji Kondo (from Star Fox 64)
Ending/Credits Theme by Koji Kondo (from Star Fox 64 | Orchestral Cover by Andrés Soto)
“Planet Claire,” by The B-52’s
“Counting Stars,” by One Republic
“Brinstar (Rock Stage),” by Hirokazu Tanaka (from Metroid)
“Moonglow,” by The Benny Goodman Quartet
“Starman,” by David Bowie

This Week’s Theme:
Musical Mementos - Memorial Day

This week, we’d like to observe Memorial Day with pieces of music specially curated by all of you - this community’s Mixtape-making experts! - to serve as mementos devoted to the heroes from DC Universe, as well as those in our everyday lives! :muscle:

Which songs bring to mind characters you look up to, or people who’ve had positive influences on your life? Are there any lyrics that describe a situation in your life where you needed help and someone was there to give you just the boost you needed to get through the day?

Let us know by sharing some of those special songs below!

While lyrics must abide to Forum Guidelines, the songs can be anything, of any genre, as long as it meets each week’s theme!

:headphones: Curious what Mixtape Monday is? :headphones:
Every week, we’ll post the title of our latest Mixtape, and you post a track of your choice in the comments below! We’ll follow up next Mixtape Monday with the full list of tunes collected from the week before. And if our “What’s the Last Song You Heard?” thread is any indication, you all have superb taste in tunes!

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Sharing this because if there’s a song that hits me right in the soft spot, it’s Gavin Degraw’s “Soldier.” The lyrics are say it all, describing someone who’ll always be there when you need them to, lifting you up when you’re down, and knowing what you need even when you’re clueless to what it might be, or unable to fully express it yourself.

The video’s especially lovely in portraying the concept of heroes hidden in the crowd - those who go out of their way to help others in quiet, and often unexpected ways that all come together, and play a part in having some manner of positive influence on the world. :heart:

I’ll get it if you need it.
I’ll search if you don’t see it.
You’re thirsty, I’ll be rain.
You get hurt, I’ll take your pain.

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So I wasn’t sure how I was feeling today of all days. Due to the state of the world, my traditional Memorial Day plans are not able to happen.

@MissInkBlot and I were discussing this fact, so I decided to let my music subscription decide for me in my Discover Weekly playlist. This was the first song and summed up everything I feel on Memorial Day.

It is always amazing to me how music can perfectly sum up what you, yourself, can’t put into words. These specific lyrics caught me in my soul and I knew I need ed to share this.

I’m a soldier wounded
So I must give up the fight
There’s nothing more for me
Lead me away
Or leave me lying here

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Happy Memorial Day @MissInkBlot, here’s my 4 pick as a tribute to the memories of our heroes.:us:




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Only one pick from me this week I think:

“As History Would Have It”, by Artifex Pereo

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Memorial Day. A very special day. There is a particular song that comes to mind for this occasion for me. Here is an excerpt of the chorus. The rest of the lyrics beautifully capture all that I would say to those that have protected us by making the ultimate sacrifice in doing so. Thank you seems too small, but I do say thank you, and know that you will be remembered.

For the ones who sacrifice it all, we will sing
Who took a stand so we would never fall, we will sing
You will always be a hero, we will sing so you will be remembered
You will be remembered

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David Bowie - Heroes

SSgt. Barry Sadler - The Ballad of the Green Berets

The first two songs are the uplifting ones about heroes. The other two just speak to war.

Pink Floyd - When the Tigers Broke Free

The Doors - The Unknown Soldier

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So, I actually just discovered this song, but it really, really fits so I needed to share it with all of you wonderful souls :green_heart:

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I’m lucky enough to never lose anyone close to me to war. My brother’s a Marine - the kind who says he’s not a hero cause he never saw combat. We’ve never been that close, but he was deployed when this song was popular and it’d make me tear up. I’m not even a country fan, but it gets me every time. His truck’s name is Lola and he loves that thing.

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The Ballad of Ira Hayes ( Johnny Cash version ). The tragic true story of a Native American who fought at The Battle of Iwo Jima.

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Is there a better rendition of America the Beautiful than the one by Ray Charles? I think not.

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I will admit Memorial Day is the hardest holiday for me. I come from a military family. My Father served in Korea and did multiple tours in Vietnam (He came back from Nam, but it broke something inside of him. He was never the same after those tours in Nam.) My brother went to the Navel Academy and did two tours as a pilot in the first Gulf War. Both times making it back to the aircraft carrier despite his plane being hit.

I remember being on base in El Toro, CA and watching planes coming in from Vietnam with dozens upon dozens of caskets of fallen service members…and it was three planes that day. I asked a guy at the PX about them , all he could say was, “They come in every day”. As a young kid that’s a lot to process. It’s not just the loss of those brave man and women, it’s also the people they leave behind. For me, we need to remember them as well. That person was somebody’s son or sister or father or uncle or…well you get the idea. I came to grips with it at a young age. Supporting our troops and supporting my country’s decision to engage in a particular war are two different and separate things. So my sense of memorial is often very conflicted, not always reverential, it is both a time to reflect upon the people who have served but to also to reflect on the how and why we got into those situations in the first place. Memory is not always just for the noble. It is a tapestry woven through the centuries, it contains the good and the bad. The noble and the morally questionable.

So here is “mixtape” filled with random styles including satire. Sometimes it’s not just about helping someone or someone who has helped you. Sometimes it is seeing life for what it is, and that is not always pretty. But, by doing that, you can become a beacon of hope in the darkness as well. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. I think most superheroes would agree. It’s why the JSA and the JLA continued even after wars were done.

Where somethings may seem particularly odd, I’ll add a bit of clarification.

MLF Lullaby - Tom Lehrer

Send The Marines - Tom Lehrer

This song is for those that started riding motorcycles or building HotRods, often as a way to cope with coming back home and never being able to go back to a sedate life.

Stray Cats - Built For Speed

We often will here “what our troops are fighting for”, but to me it is quite shocking how truly little so many people seem to know about the Constitution.
The Constitution - School House Rock

I am part Native American. A small part of my heritage but the part I associate to the most. If there is one song that makes me want to take up arms against the powers that be, it’s this song. OK…this is hard to say…I love my country, don’t get me wrong…but sometimes it difficult to believe in a country that would commit such genocide. It is interesting that only months after this song was released, the Occupation of Alcatraz occurred. If you don’t know what the this event was see this: Occupation of Alcatraz - Wikipedia
The Occupation of Alcatraz had a direct effect on federal Indian policy and, with its visible results, established a precedent for Indian activism. “Alcatraz has unified Indians for a second time,” one occupier told the Los Angeles Times. “The first time was against Custer.”
Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian) - Paul Revere & The Raiders

I’ve always found it amusing that most people don’t associate this song to holding the one you love as you are melted by nuclear war.
I Melt With You - Modern English

Often times service people don’t know where they’re going to be deployed. So I see this as directly impacting them. However, the family members don’t know either. They don’t know where their loved ones are going or if they are going to come back.
Destination Unknown - Missing Persons

This is to memorialize the impact on the families of the fallen.
No Pictures Of Dad - Josie Cotton

The Human League used mixed media when they originally performed live. When this song was played they would put up pictures of these mobile rocket launchers that could be connected to a military vehicle and moved anywhere, anytime. It made for a lot of heat during that portion of the Cold War. It upped the concern that the other side would preemptively strike because they had no way of monitoring the movements of these missiles. Unlike the 60’s and early 70’s where they knew where the missile silos were and both sides could monitor those locations via their satellites or high altitude espionage camera planes. (Think Gary Powers)
All of a sudden you had the intermediate range missiles that were so mobile the were almost untraceable. This turned up the heat especially in Europe and the UK. But, I had friends there and my sister was studying there at the time. So given that context, it really changes the subtext of the song.
The Sound Of The Crowd - Human League

The Lebanon - Human League

The More I See - Fun Boy Three

War - Frankie goes to Hollywood

Again, people talk about our forces who have fought and sometimes died for our freedom. But, this asks the question: You have that freedom, what are you going to do with it.
Freedom Of Choice - Devo

Human Rocket - Devo

Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears

London Calling - The Clash

Spanish Bombs - The Clash

American Music - The Blasters

Probably one of the best protest songs of all time, IMO. Again, supporting troops doesn’t mean you have to support the actions taken by the government.
Stand Down Margaret - The Beat

Still through all the hard, difficult, stressful and emotional challenges both service people and their families go through. It’s not all doom and gloom. There can be fun, happy moments too. It’s the freakin Andrews Sisters…I think it is a clinical impossibility to be depressed while listening to the Andrews Sisters (The same applies to the B-52s)

Don’t Sit Under The Apple - The Andrews Sisters

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy - The Andrews Sisters

Finally to wrap it up, whats better than a bit of satire. If you can’t laugh, at least on occasion about some of the absurdities of war, you’ll just break under the weight of the sword of Damocles hang over our heads. And don’t fool yourself, the Cold War may be over, but the sword is still hanging there.
So Long, Mom (A Song For World War III) - Tom Lehrer

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Hey, @MissInkBlot.
So Memorial Day. I generally try to avoid being a downer as a life rule, so I wasn’t actually going to do this, but after some misty eyed reflection (Semper Fi/Semper Fortis :shushing_face:), I suddenly felt very Diana Prince, and remembered how obsessed I was w/ the entire WW soundtrack and how deeply cathartic I found the narrative choices for the film. So here I am!
I feel a lot of things on this day: strong, angry, honored, broken, proud—you name it. I use it to remember not only the brave ones lost, but also the brave ones who’ll never be quite the same again, so my first choice is meant to cover all of that. For me, it absolutely does.

The older I get the more I understand Diana, so the entire movie had me feeling all the things, but two scenes that bookended No Mans Land/Veld especially. :purple_heart: I was already an exposed nerve, but down in the trench, when Diana didn’t want to back down, and angrily snaps Whats the matter w/ you?! hit hard. The real waterworks came for every terrible and splendid thing her face is saying to me when they snap that photo.

And last, sticking w/ instrumentals:
“Echo Taps” is beautiful, but hurts too much. I always thought Evening Colors was pretty, tho. :relieved: (Plus this guy is in a stairwell w/ a 1917 Wurlitzer and it sounds magnificent. How can I not?) Oorah. :us:

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I’m so embarrassed! How can I miss a chance to mention possibly THE greatest, funkiest salute to America by THE greatest, funkiest Godfather of Soul?

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That’s a great pick!:slightly_smiling_face::us:

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That was beautifully written yo

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Thanks. As I said I have a very complex relationship with Memorial Day. So I thought the playlist needed some context.

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@Pretty.Poison.Bombshell - Ahh, so glad to be able to listen to that again. I can see why it was powerful enough to affect the soul for you, and join with you on having mine spoken to by it, as well! It had me at the very beginning with its calm, and held me through the next few minutes in a place of peace and reflection. Thank you for sharing it, and the absolute jewel of a song that “Brave Souls” is, with us! They’re a perfect set of songs for so important a day, and for so special a group of people - this community’s full of souls both beautiful and brave, I agree! :heart:

@Lincolnfan78 - Hello there, keeper of the peace (by that, I mean… thank you for being so kind as to make sure I don’t earn stern chastisement for touching items that aren’t mine first, and reading warnings not to do so, second :stuck_out_tongue:) - I’ve been meaning to look up who sang the official version of “God Bless the USA,” and you’ve solved the mystery for me, so I offer another thank you for that, as well!

On the whole, there are so many touching songs in your list, and I like how you covered the spectrum of subjects with them - from being country-specific, to soldier-specific, and those touching on battle/war, but all of them powerful and capable of affecting the listener deeply in an assortment of ways. It really sums up the feelings a day like Memorial Day can bring to the surface. :slight_smile:

@LDFM - Same here on the one song choice. On a day like that, it felt like the feeling could only be summed up with one on my playlist. I think the case is true of your song, too! Listening to it with closed eyes makes me think of ripples,and reverberations. It’s all sound, strumming at the strings of the soul. No visuals come to mind, which makes the music video all the better - something that breathtaking carries a power all its own without the need for flashy visuals, so the camera’s panning out like it does to show you what it does, is all it needs. It’s hard to put into words how much I love your pick. :hushed:

@ralphsix - Oh, how did you know Tom’s voice was exactly what we needed this week? His really is such a special treasure in how it takes emotion and finely tunes it - I’ve heard songs of his so raw, it feels like they’ve undone emotional scabs you thought had fully healed, and then pieces like the one you shared which feel like balm cooling heat of inflamed feelings so disorienting that they have no name. Have you ever seen anything from Boardwalk Empire, by the way? That song’s lyrics (and, well, his voice) reminds me of my fav character from the show - sharing this in case you want to see what I mean. Thank you for the fantastic song! :hugs:

@ajm08g - Ooh, their music’s always been a staple on my personal playlist, so I must say, Alter Bridge is a very welcome addition to the list for me, too! They have such a knack for taking topics like this, and creating lyrics that come together to form a combination of deep symbolism and meaning that’s amplified even more by the amount of emotion so beautifully expressed by the lead singer. I can’t agree with your sentiment more concerning the chorus. That song’s amazing! Thank you! :heart_eyes:

@TravisMorgan - You’re coming in with a heavy hitting group of choices this week, I see! :slight_smile: I’m glad you addressed both the soldiers themselves, and war, choosing a group of songs that give an atmosphere that’s both structured (with “The Ballad of the Green Berets,” for example) and more laid back, as with “Heroes.” “The Unknown Soldier” had a video that hit me hard, which I didn’t expect, but I understand why you chose it to be symbolic of war. Putting both sets of songs together really shows why you’d go with the ones you chose for the soldiers. The last two do well at showing how stressful what it is they go through, and indeed, why they’re well-deserving of the title of “heroes.” I love what you did with these!

@BestBeastBoy - Aww, no wonder that song makes you tear up! Its story, and the accompanying video are enough to make to make the heart wrench, and is such a poignant reminder of the impression those we lose leave behind - on our lives, our minds, our hearts. Just looking at something that belonged to them, or smelling their cologne/perfume can trigger a memory, bring tears, or a smile. For me, the songs that end up being my favorite are the ones that make me misty-eyed, so this one’s clearly getting added to said list, in addition to our weekly playlist. I’m so glad your brother returned safely, and send thanks for his service! :slight_smile:

@McEddard - That’s a fascinating song - my experience with ballads has always featured sad ones, so, I had to get my heartstrings ready for this one, too, when going through the lyrics and researching more about it. While I’m pleased to add this to my “Today I Learned” list, I agree… what a sad outcome for him! :sob: The song does a good job putting the two lives that he experienced side by side, contrasting so that, once finished, it lingers in the mind powerfully. I appreciate your sharing this - it provides some serious food for thought, and makes me reflect on history in an important way.

@patterson65.37405 - Oh my, I love the sharing of Ray Charles from you this week! And to answer your question… nope, I can’t think of a better version! :slight_smile: He has a special way about him that adds just the right note and essence to what he sings, and you’re left to happily float in that space that exists between the wall of “awe” and “inspiring.” :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: It’s music to the ears, and chicken soup for the soul, and, without a doubt, adding James Brown to the mix makes for a double dose of it! That was such a lovely combo, thank you!

@DeSade-acolyte - My goodness, your family gives us so much to be thankful for, and I’m equally thankful for your sharing so much of your wonderful story with us! With all that you described, it’s easy to see why Memorial Day’s such a difficult one for you, on top of experiencing what you have with family, having the conversation that you did on base at such a young age. Completely understand where you’re coming from with the concept of moral ambiguity, and conflicting feelings, too. Having to grapple with the two is difficult, and sometimes even a lifetime doesn’t seem a long enough time for proper reflection on such issues.

That said, I think you did an excellent job with your choice of songs, and think they probe and explore the exposed and hidden spaces within the landscape of our thoughts and feelings well, especially when it comes to the different genres used. I didn’t expect the humor, for example, with Tom Lehrer’s songs, and especially the laugh that your explanation for the School House Rock inclusion caused. You’re definitely right, as it seems many talk more than they read, similar to how more talk than they listen - makes me think of how my parents would bring up the fact that we have one mouth, but two eyes/ears for a reason. :wink:

I would’ve never thought to apply “Built for Speed” the way you did, but I can see where you were going with that. I’ve sometimes wondered about that too - how does one unwind after an experience in a war zone, for example? How does one fully decompress, and what if you can’t, or don’t want to (for example, liking the buzz of energy that comes from being needed and helpful to others in so physically active a manner)?

We’re similar in the Native American aspect - same here, both in genealogy, and connection felt, so I completely understand there. Thank you for the information on the Occupation of Alcatraz - I find, when listening to older songs, we can sometimes lose sense of the context of things when we’re unable to connect the dots to what were current events at the time, so that’s incredibly helpful! It adds a new layer to that song, which I already liked the sound of, but certainly listen to with a different ear now. :thinking: Having a nuclear war playlist also sounds like something I’d go for, oddly enough (here’s looking at you, Fallout players, lol), so that’d probably be first on the list, I agree. :stuck_out_tongue:

You went with an interesting set of songs for “Destination Unknown,” and “No Pictures of Dad,” as the two go together really well in tempo, but go together all the same in their both symbolizing loss - in one case, loss of certainty, and the other, the loss of family. And, I can see why you chose The Human League’s songs in light of your experiences. Being able to connect the two makes listening to them a fuller experience because you provide outside context I couldn’t come close to having myself, and it’s wonderful! :heart: As is, per your usual, your ability to put together songs that mesh so well - this is certainly true when transitioning to War and Fun Boy Three.

You set up an intriguing question when asking what to do with the freedom given to us - one only has so much time, so the decision of how to spend it is important. Devo’s songs, particularly the first one, of course, makes me want to ask, by comparison, how hard choosing what to do with it is vs adequately acquiring it. Is there a song that you’ve shared that explains what you’ve chosen (or in any hypothetical, would choose) with your freedom of choice? I love the list of options you’ve shared, with “Stand Down Margaret” being one of my favorites of the bunch.

The set of Andrews Sisters songs easily bring a smile - what a great way to show the enjoyable moments! And let me tell you, those of us with a thing for TCM are not disappointed, that’s for sure! :star_struck: But wrapping everything up with satire is perfect (it reminds me to go read some more Mark Twain, too, lol). Being big into eschatology, I’ve thought about that song’s topic quite often, so that eaves my mind pensive, thinking about WW3, again. Through your introduction to him, I’ve found I love the way Tom Lehrer chooses to handle topics like that, and with a playlist like this, it’s a good way to go full circle. What a fantastic ride you took us on this week - one thank you isn’t enough! :slight_smile:

@Razzzcat - I really enjoyed where you went with your choices, especially since you’re right, usually we do spend the day thinking of those we’ve lost, but sometimes forget to remember that there are those who’ve returned to us after having sacrificed by giving a piece of themselves, too (be it on a physical, emotional, psychological level, etc). You certainly raise the bar in covering all of those bases, and I can see why you chose to stick with instrumentals. They manage to speak to the listener in ways that words do not, and really leave a lasting impression - the OST from Wonder Woman will always be a winner, but is made all the more complete with the Bugle Call. What a way to set the tone for the day - kudos! :slight_smile:

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It took some work but narrowed it down to five. Three of which I already put in my earlier list. (Like anything with me is ever a simple answer. :rofl::rofl:)

I am a Vietnam, Watergate & Cold War kid and vividly remember how active the IRA was growing up. Not to mention the massacre at the Munich Olympics. So it certainly colors my perspective. I am a especially staunch defender of the 1st amendment. I think it’s first for reason.

The more that I see - Fun Boy Three
That with free speech comes propaganda. It is useful but also dangerous. Never believe anything “just because” someone says you should. Do your own research. Reach your own conclusions, and if other people don’t like, to damn bad.

American Music - The Blasters
One of the ways freedom of expression has touched generations and is passed down generations is music. There is no one style that has a monopoly on it and while certain styles, topics & points of view I may not like or agree with. It is (or should be) out there for people to consume. American Music is perhaps the best example of what happens when freedom of speech is allowed to flourish in melting pot.

Stand down Margeret - The Beat
It’s the best protest song I know. And it’s not a “hippie, let’s all hold hands, and make love no bombs”. It’s right up in the face of the government. Square in the face. You don’t like it government, well f—- —u, we won’t be silenced. I suppose my affinity with this sentiment shouldn’t come as a shock to anybody on DCU. A wallflower I sure as hades ain’t. :smiling_imp:

Smut by Tom Lehrer

Here is just a snippet of the lyrics.
All books can be indecent books
Though recent books are bolder,
For filth (I’m glad to say) is in
the mind of the beholder.
When correctly viewed,
Everything is lewd.
(I could tell you things about Peter Pan,
And the Wizard of Oz - there’s a dirty old man!)

Why do girls love horses? - Adam & The Ants

It is all innuendo. There are zero dirty words in it. However, it’s a song that I find a fair number of people find really disturbing, bordering on lewd to obscene. Although I personally don’t see why, but if they are offended by it, that’s just a win in my book.

So those are, for me, songs that represent the fundamental ideals of what I do and believe with my freedom of choice. The first amendment protects the right to offend, not the right to not be offended. Its first for a reason and is the cornerstone of the constitutional freedoms we have. It’s one ideal and freedom I will and have fought for even at the peril of my own personal liberty. (But that is a story for a different day and thread.)

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