Don't Play That Song

Jon Michael
  • 4.2 (5)
  • MUSIC HISTORY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Don’t Play That Song is the podcast about the music you almost didn’t hear. From banned anthems to censored hits, every episode tells the story of the songs radio refused to play. Join me every week as I go behind the music, beyond the headlines and deep into the songs that sparked outrage and rewrote the rules.

Episodes

  1. The Kinks - Lola (The Ban Over the Brand)

    06/03/2025

    The Kinks - Lola (The Ban Over the Brand)

    It’s the summer of 1970, and The Kinks are about to shake up the airwaves with a song about a chance encounter in a club, a little ambiguity, and a whole lot of swagger. But it wasn’t the gender-bending lyrics that got “Lola” yanked from the BBC’s playlists. It was a soft drink. This week, we’re diving into the story behind “Lola”, how a love song with a wink of subversion almost got sunk by a brand name. We’ll talk about Ray Davies’ transatlantic sprint to rewrite a single lyric, the ripple effect of the ban, and why “Lola” still resonates more than 50 years later. Grab a drink, a cherry cola perhaps, and let’s get into it. Want to hear all the songs we couldn’t play on the show? Head to dontplaythatsong.com for the official companion playlist. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and follow the show wherever you get your podcasts. Follow the podcast on Instagram @dontplaythatsongpod

    22 min
  2. Loretta Lynn – The Pill (Banned by Country Radio)

    05/27/2025

    Loretta Lynn – The Pill (Banned by Country Radio)

    When country legend Loretta Lynn released “The Pill” in 1975, she wasn’t just singing about birth control, she was kicking down the doors of country radio with a truth most stations didn’t want to hear. A woman taking charge of her own body? That was too much for the Nashville old guard. Banned by dozens of stations across the country, the song still became a cultural lightning rod and a chart hit. In this episode, we dig into the story behind “The Pill,” from Loretta Lynn’s own experience raising six kids by age 34 to the explosive reaction the song sparked in conservative circles. It’s a three-minute anthem that challenged the status quo, reshaped country music, and proved you didn’t need permission to tell your truth. Want to hear all the songs we couldn’t play on the show? Head to dontplaythatsong.com for the official companion playlist. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and follow the show wherever you get your podcasts. Follow the podcast on Instagram @dontplaythatsongpod Sources For This Episode: https://time.com/6219550/loretta-lynn-dies-the-pill-legacy/ https://theboot.com/loretta-lynn-the-pill-secret-history-of-country-music/ https://cocaineandrhinestones.com/loretta-lynn-pill-ban https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/loretta-lynn-feminism-song-pill/6837/ https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/loretta-lynn-the-pill-feature/ https://countryreunionmusic.com/loretta-lynns-the-pill-sparked-controversary-and-change/ https://www.thedailybeast.com/after-country-stations-banned-loretta-lynns-the-pill-it-became-her-biggest-pop-hit https://americansongwriter.com/revisiting-the-meaning-of-loretta-lynns-1975-womens-reproductive-rights-song-the-pill/ https://tasteofcountry.com/controversial-banned-loretta-lynn-songs/ https://www.newyorker.com/recommends/listen/loretta-lynn-the-pill https://pitchfork.com/features/afterword/loretta-lynn-obituary

    15 min
  3. The Who - My Generation (The Banned and Broken Rock Classic)

    05/27/2025

    The Who - My Generation (The Banned and Broken Rock Classic)

    Before it became a classic rock staple...before it showed up in commercials and movie soundtracks…“My Generation” by The Who was a full-blown act of rebellion. In this episode of Don’t Play That Song, we dive into the story behind one of the most explosive singles of the 1960s, and why some radio stations refused to play it. With its defiant attitude, feedback-drenched sound, and that now-iconic stutter, the song didn’t just raise eyebrows. It raised questions. Want to hear all the songs we couldn’t play on the show? Head to dontplaythatsong.com for the official companion playlist. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and follow the show wherever you get your podcasts. Follow the podcast on Instagram @dontplaythatsongpod Sources For This Episode: https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/the-who/pete-townshend-my-generation-not-queen-mother/ https://www.thewho.com/music/my-generation-3/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/46f837da-9ffa-494d-94e7-c7ffb0781bea https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/roger-daltrey-stutter-the-who-song-my-generation/ https://www.guitarworld.com/features/bewildering-technique-that-went-way-beyond-any-standard-root5th-ideas-listen-to-john-entwistles-isolated-bass-on-my-generation https://www.thisdayinmusic.com/liner-notes/the-who-my-generation/ https://americansongwriter.com/3-classic-rock-hits-that-were-praised-or-banned-for-featuring-stuttering/ https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/nov/17/shel-talmy-obituary

    15 min
  4. The Kingsmen - Louie Louie (The Song the FBI Tried to Ban)

    05/27/2025

    The Kingsmen - Louie Louie (The Song the FBI Tried to Ban)

    What happens when a garage rock anthem is accused of being obscene without anyone actually knowing the lyrics? In the premiere episode of Don’t Play That Song, we dig into the wild true story of “Louie Louie” by The Kingsmen. From its sloppy brilliance and slurred vocals to the full-blown FBI investigation, this episode unpacks how a three-chord party song from 1963 became one of the most banned, misunderstood, and investigated songs in American radio history. Want to hear all the songs we couldn’t play on the show? Head to dontplaythatsong.com for the official companion playlist. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and follow the show wherever you get your podcasts. Follow the podcast on Instagram @dontplaythatsongpod Sources For This Episode: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/jack-ely-louie-louie-the-dirtiest-song-of-the-sixties https://www.originals.be/en/originals/3837 https://www.goldradio.com/news/music/louie-louie-fbi-richard-berry-kingsmen https://blog.mcmenamins.com/the-story-of-louie-louie-part-i https://www.openculture.com/2020/12/how-the-garage-rock-anthem-louie-louie-became-the-subject-of-a-lengthy-fbi-investigation-1964.html https://www.whbc.com/the-day-louie-louie-was-deemed-pornographic https://vault.fbi.gov/louie-louie-the-song https://pitchfork.com/news/59444-the-kingsmens-jack-ely-singer-behind-louie-louie-has-died

    16 min
  5. NEW SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT: Don't Play That Song

    05/20/2025

    NEW SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT: Don't Play That Song

    Hey guys! I’m launching a brand new show I think you’re really gonna love. It’s called Don’t Play That Song, and it’s all about the music that got banned, censored, or pulled from the radio. Every week I'll dive into the wild, surprising and sometimes ridiculous reasons why certain songs were silenced. Whether it was a lyric, a message or just a sound that made people nervous. From chart-toppers to forgotten deep cuts, I'll tell you the full story behind the tracks that made someone say, “Don't play that song!" First episodes are dropping soon, right here on this feed. Hit follow, and get ready for the songs they tried to keep us from hearing.

    1 min
  • 5 Episodes

4.2
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Don’t Play That Song is the podcast about the music you almost didn’t hear. From banned anthems to censored hits, every episode tells the story of the songs radio refused to play. Join me every week as I go behind the music, beyond the headlines and deep into the songs that sparked outrage and rewrote the rules.

Information

  • Creator
    Jon Michael
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Don't Play That Song