The Filthy Fifteen: the songs that led to the creation of the Parental Advisory sticker
There was a time when you could pick up an album, whether on CD or vinyl, without being warned that its content might be morally dubious.
But thanks to the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), that now-familiar Parental Advisory label on the front of albums, which has been co-opted for shirts and merchandise over the years, became a regular sight in record stores from 1985.
This move by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) was seen as a way to appease the moral panic surrounding music and to respond to major retailers like Walmart, who refused to stock titles deemed to be 'soiling' the social fabric.
The PMRC, led by Tipper Gore , specifically cited 15 songs as problematic and requiring parental supervision for purchase or listening. The objections ranged from overt sexual themes to concerns about Satanic Panic , fuelled by perceptions of metal music and Dungeons & Dragons .
So, what 15 songs prompted the RIAA to finally concede and add a label advising parents to exercise caution when buying for younger family members? We've compiled a list of all the songs the PMRC deemed questionable and objectionable, leading to the creation of the Parental Advisory label.
1 . Cyndi Lauper - She Bop (1983)
This quirky and energetic pop hit from She's So Unusual was included on the Filthy Fifteen due to its veiled references to female - ahem - 'self-love'. While Lauper initially downplayed the explicit meaning, the suggestive nature of lines like, "She bops and they bop and they bop and they say / She bops and they bop and they bop all day," was interpreted by many as a coded celebration of female sexual pleasure, making it controversial for the time. | Koh Hasebe/Photo Sales
2 . Venom - Possessed (1985)
A band at the forefront of early extreme metal, Venom's Possessed from their album of the same name directly confronted dark occult themes with lyrics like, "Possessed by evil / Driven by hate / Satan's my master / Seal my fate." This overt engagement with satanic imagery and themes made them a clear target for the PMRC's campaign against perceived negative influences in music. | NielsPhoto Sales
3 . Mary Janes Girls - In My House (1983)
This upbeat R&B track from their self-titled album was surprisingly included on the Filthy Fifteen due to lyrics that were considered sexually suggestive and inappropriate for younger listeners. Lines like, "In my house, you can do it all night long / In my house, we can get it on," were interpreted as direct invitations to sexual activity within a domestic setting. | Contributed Photo Sales
4 . Black Sabbath - Trashed (1983)
Inspired by a real-life incident involving guitarist Tony Iommi crashing a car while allegedly under the influence, the lyrics of Trashed from Born Again, such as, "I got trashed, out of my head / I wrapped my car around a tree / I got trashed, nearly dead / But I'm still here, you see," were seen as a dangerous and irresponsible glorification of drug and alcohol abuse and its consequences. |Photo Sales
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