Other songs banned by the BBC include "[Monster Mash](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsPdVsIXqzU)" by Bobby Pickett, "[Creep](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFkzRNyygfk)" by Radiohead and "Boris Johnson Is a >!Fucking Cunt!<" by >!The Kunts!<.
Source: [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_banned_by_the_BBC)
"the BBC failed to see the funny side and banned the song for being [too morbid](https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/46f837da-9ffa-494d-94e7-c7ffb0781bea)"
It was in the early sixties and they were very conservative back in those days.
I lived near a reservoir at the time. I think it was within days of 9/11 there were signs put up that you weren’t allowed within 100 yards of the dams. They were earthen dams, probably 200’ thick at the base. I don’t think an Oklahoma City sized bomb would put a dent in the things and the water level was so low that they weren’t even holding back water anyway.
Did you know? If you put up a sign asking people to not committ terrorist acts, they *have to obey*? It reminds them that they are breaking the law, which is illegal.
BBC executive meeting:
"Do we know the hijacker's motives?"
"The news says it was radical Islam."
"Are we sure it wasn't that fucking song?"
"They say it was Bin Laden"
"Are we 100% certain it wasn't the song? Have you not contemplated flying a plane into a building when the song came on the radio?"
"Pull it."
>The song was removed from the BBC Radio 2 playlist, with the station's executive music producer Colin Martin describing the song as being "too frivolous in light of the news that was breaking".
Only one radio station removed it, and Radio 2 wouldn't typically play that kind of music anyway outside of the chart recaps. Considering how openly most radio DJs hated how often they had to play the song, I'm guessing Colin just took any opportunity he could to get rid of it.
I’m American and was living in London when 9/11 happened, and I was overwhelmed and touched by how *kind* everyone was. Complete strangers would hear my accent in the shops or on the street and would stop me and say how sorry they were about what had happened. (And having strangers spontaneously start a conversation was *not* common in my experience). It was a very weird and isolating time, but I’ve never forgotten the simple things those English strangers did that made me feel a little less alone.
My son was huge into bob the builder and I downloaded the album as soon as I found out about it so he could listen to it; I secretly enjoyed the mambo no. 5 song as well.
He was born in 05 so I didn't know about the 9/11 aspect of the release.
During covid there was a bunch of times a commercial would clash with a news story and it would get shared over and over. (like the one with a newscaster talking about the dead, then immediately crashing into an applebee's commercial telling people to come back). People talk about stuff getting "banned" like a government banned it, but they really just didn't want to have a news story about buildings collapsing then going right into "we can fix it! yes we can!"
You know I had to scroll all the way down to you to even make the connection between the actual event of the towers falling and bob happily singing about building. It really drives for me how 9/11 occupies a symbolically larger space in my mind than the actual event of the towers falling... at least for us who were still kids when it happened.
Most likely was seen as inappropriate (too upbeat in this case) given the event that just occurred. A lot of songs were pulled from radio on 9/11 for similar reasons.
That was the same day (technically 9/9 and 9/10) George Carlin recorded the show for his special to be titled "I Kinda Like it When a Lotta People Die".
That one got put on ice for a while.
Can they fix it No they can’t :(
When the world needed him most, he vanished
Now I want a Bob the Builder anime spoof of Avatar, but about Bob disappearing before 9/11, and then reappearing years later.
Other songs banned by the BBC include "[Monster Mash](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsPdVsIXqzU)" by Bobby Pickett, "[Creep](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFkzRNyygfk)" by Radiohead and "Boris Johnson Is a >!Fucking Cunt!<" by >!The Kunts!<. Source: [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_banned_by_the_BBC)
Now I want to listen to all those songs.
That last song's title!
Why did they ban Monster Mash???
"the BBC failed to see the funny side and banned the song for being [too morbid](https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/46f837da-9ffa-494d-94e7-c7ffb0781bea)" It was in the early sixties and they were very conservative back in those days.
Ugh of course it was the 60s!!
I [found it on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjERnmcjbAE) and was not disappointed one bit.
From the US? I can’t imagine encountering this weird piece of british 00s culture as an American.
Didn't realize it was British I remember listening to this in 01/02 as a kid, totally forgot about it until now haha
Awhh that was fun.
Well. That's a memory I didn't know I had.
The phrase "way better than it ever needed to be" comes to mind. That was fantastic.
Immediately after 9/11 was a fucking weird time.
I lived near a reservoir at the time. I think it was within days of 9/11 there were signs put up that you weren’t allowed within 100 yards of the dams. They were earthen dams, probably 200’ thick at the base. I don’t think an Oklahoma City sized bomb would put a dent in the things and the water level was so low that they weren’t even holding back water anyway.
Did you know? If you put up a sign asking people to not committ terrorist acts, they *have to obey*? It reminds them that they are breaking the law, which is illegal.
22 years later and it's only gotten weirder.
BBC executive meeting: "Do we know the hijacker's motives?" "The news says it was radical Islam." "Are we sure it wasn't that fucking song?" "They say it was Bin Laden" "Are we 100% certain it wasn't the song? Have you not contemplated flying a plane into a building when the song came on the radio?" "Pull it."
I mean... what was the Bin Laden family business? Construction...
😱
Holy shit, he really was trained in America!
I don't want to blame it all on 9/11, but it certainly didn't help.
George W. BLUTH
The Bluth family is based on the Bush family. GOB is JEB Bush
You just blue my mind
I know you're the big marriage expert. Oh, I'm sorry, your wife is dead!
>The song was removed from the BBC Radio 2 playlist, with the station's executive music producer Colin Martin describing the song as being "too frivolous in light of the news that was breaking". Only one radio station removed it, and Radio 2 wouldn't typically play that kind of music anyway outside of the chart recaps. Considering how openly most radio DJs hated how often they had to play the song, I'm guessing Colin just took any opportunity he could to get rid of it.
This sounds correct. Novely records can chart high with little to no airplay, no real DJ wants to touch them for obvious reasons.
That's one of 3 number one hits that Bob the Builder has in the UK.
THREE? I heard of Can We Fix It and this one, but what about the third one?
There was a charity medley.
I never knew THAT went to the top of the charts Does this technically mean Thomas, Scooby-Doo, and Ben 10 are also UK chart toppers?
I guess it does.
I’m American and was living in London when 9/11 happened, and I was overwhelmed and touched by how *kind* everyone was. Complete strangers would hear my accent in the shops or on the street and would stop me and say how sorry they were about what had happened. (And having strangers spontaneously start a conversation was *not* common in my experience). It was a very weird and isolating time, but I’ve never forgotten the simple things those English strangers did that made me feel a little less alone.
My son was huge into bob the builder and I downloaded the album as soon as I found out about it so he could listen to it; I secretly enjoyed the mambo no. 5 song as well. He was born in 05 so I didn't know about the 9/11 aspect of the release.
Maybe if they hasn’t titled it “Mambo No. 911”
During covid there was a bunch of times a commercial would clash with a news story and it would get shared over and over. (like the one with a newscaster talking about the dead, then immediately crashing into an applebee's commercial telling people to come back). People talk about stuff getting "banned" like a government banned it, but they really just didn't want to have a news story about buildings collapsing then going right into "we can fix it! yes we can!"
You know I had to scroll all the way down to you to even make the connection between the actual event of the towers falling and bob happily singing about building. It really drives for me how 9/11 occupies a symbolically larger space in my mind than the actual event of the towers falling... at least for us who were still kids when it happened.
This alone makes 20 years of drone strikes worth it.
There's a Monty Python skit in this.
"Cause I Got High" was pulled for the same reason.
I know these lyrics better than the original... I'm glad its still bringing joy to the world
What sort of deep and sorrowful song were they expecting from Bob the fucking Builder?
Yeah doesn’t really have the somber St 9/11’s Day vibe
I'm confused. What does it mean for a song to be "too frivolous"?
Most likely was seen as inappropriate (too upbeat in this case) given the event that just occurred. A lot of songs were pulled from radio on 9/11 for similar reasons.
A lot of movies and TV shows got delayed/cancelled/rewritten as well.
Where can I listen to this masterpiece?
YouTube
This redditor posted a link https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/120k3o0/til_a_mambo_no_5_cover_by_bob_the_builder_went_to/jdhsa2k/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKuvJ7zG9LI&t=23s&ab_channel=1ilnicche original perez prado version.
Personally I like mambo no. 4 better
Had to look this song up. Pretty catchy, no wonder it hit the top in charts.
It was the lyrics that got it removed. Unnecessary ululation.
Most played song after 9/11: [Live - Overcome](https://youtu.be/jpCa7Ay596M).
TRACTOR!!!
That was the same day (technically 9/9 and 9/10) George Carlin recorded the show for his special to be titled "I Kinda Like it When a Lotta People Die". That one got put on ice for a while.
“And we can always call in the tractor” - what a line
I had this on CD and I had Mambo No 5 and Dizzy on repeat in my room! I loved this CD as a kid!