![]() “Discipline and self-restraint when practiced by an individual, a family, or a company is an effective way to deal with this issue. May I be very clear that I am strongly opposed to censorship of any kind in our society or anywhere else in the world,” Denver said. ”I simply want to say to you that I suspect that, unless the industry ‘cleans up their act’ - and I use that in quotes again - there is likely to be legislation.”ĭenver wasn’t the friendly witness that the pro-PRMC Senators expected. Senator James Exon then alluded to a controversial point that concerned Zappa. Thanks to the Constitution, they are free to buy other forms of music for their children,” he added. ![]() Gore to bring Prince or Sheena Easton into their homes. ![]() In this context, the PMRC demands are the equivalent of treating dandruff by decapitation.” “It is my understanding that in law First Amendment issues are decided with a preference for the least restrictive alternative. “The PMRC proposal is an ill-conceived piece of nonsense which fails to deliver any real benefits to children, infringes the civil liberties of people who are not children, and promises to keep the courts busy for years dealing with the interpretational and enforcemental problems inherent in the proposal's design,” Zappa said. In his opening, Zappa read the entire First Amendment to the panel and then read a condensed version of a longer statement. John Denver was scheduled to testify first, but due to a conflict, Zappa and his lawyer appeared before the committee. The lyrics for “Darling Nikki” and "Dirty Mind" were introduced into the record. Labeling is little more than truth in packaging, by now, a time honored principle in our free enterprise system, and without labeling, parental guidance is virtually impossible,” she said.Ī consultant from the group listed objectionable material, with frequent references to Prince, and other artists that included popular Heavy Metal bands, Prince-related artist Morris Day, the Rolling Stones, the Jacksons and Twisted Sister. Voluntary labeling in no way infringes upon First Amendment rights. Moreover, it involves no Government action. Censorship implies restricting access or suppressing content. Tipper Gore explained why her group wanted labeling for the benefit of parents. The full transcripts from the hearings show frequent references to the First Amendment. It’s not clear if Prince was invited to testify, but accepting offers from the Senate were two witnesses sure to oppose the PMRC, Frank Zappa and Twister Sister’s Dee Snider, and also John Denver, who was viewed as favorable. A Senate subcommittee followed that became a public spectacle. Also, two Prince-associated acts, Sheena Easton and Vanity, were in the number 3 and 4 positions on the list. And soon, many recording companies agreed to voluntarily used Parental Advisory labels on certain CDs. Prince was named as the chief offender in a list called the Filthy Fifteen put together by the PMRC. At first, I was stunned-then I got mad,” Gore wrote at the time. I couldn’t believe my ears! The vulgar lyrics embarrassed both of us. The incident that sparked the controversy was Gore’s purchase of Prince’s “Purple Rain” CD in 1984 and her daughter’s questions about one of the more explicit songs on it, “Darling Nikki.” “The song went on and on, in a similar manner. But at least we feel we've made a little contribution to helping parents know what to avoid,” she told Newsweek. The objectionable things are still out there and have more acceptance in society. "But there's not much we can do about that," she says. "This digital age is amazing." Still, Baker believed that there is an on-going concern. "I know things have gotten worse. Susan Baker told Newsweek last November that the digital world has altered the parental advisory landscape. Gore and Baker helped form the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), which pushed for congressional hearings about the issue. But I think this conversation between parents and kids is as relevant today as it was back in the '80s,” Gore said.Īnother person who worked with Gore to have parental advisory labels placed on CDs and albums was Susan Baker, the wife of the then- Secretary of Treasury James Baker. ![]() “In this era of social media and online access, it seems quaint to think that parents can have control over what their children see and hear. Last year, one of the people at the controversy’s heart, Tipper Gore, told Newsweek that history may have changed some perception of the debate over labeling recorded musical performances containing “explicit lyrics.” Frank Zappa defends Prince, other artists at hearing Among the many media tributes to late musical icon Prince is one of the more interesting constitutional moments of the 1980s, when his “Purple Rain” album set off a hearing in the Senate that had Frank Zappa defending Prince and reading the First Amendment.
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