Last week, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) banned Dire Strait’s anthemic song “Money for Nothing” from having airplay on Canadian radio stations, on the grounds that it contains three instances of the anti-gay slur “faggot”. The CBSC reviewed the song after receiving a complaint from a listener in Newfoundland. The conclusion of the review was that  lyrics were found to be “unacceptable”, contravening the human rights clauses of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ code of ethics. As a result the song has been banned from being played on radio stations nationwide, and another “Jobsworth Busy Body” has managed to perpetuate the scourge of political correctness that continues unabated, polluting our world!!

As you would expect Dire Straits’ keyboard player, Guy Fletcher, criticised the ruling on his website. “I reckon Canada could ban about 75% of all records ever made”. What a waste of paper.” Although “a part of me understands the decision”, he continued, “you can and should be allowed to write a song or poem and use language that is or has been in use by real people in everyday life … Money for Nothing does not ‘celebrate’ a slur. In it, Mark Knopfler uses real everyday US street language to describe how a numbskull worker in a hardware department … feels about a video being shown”. The reality is that if there was any real validity to claims of homophobia, they would have surfaced long before in the intervening quarter of a century since the song was released.

Radio bans of songs  traditionally have had the reverse effect in the UK. BBC Radio One famously banned Serge Gainsborough and Jane Birkin’s “Je t’aime” in 1969 because of it’s salacious content, and sexual simulation”. In January 1984, Radio One banned another record after disc jockey Mike Read refused to play Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s “Relax” because of it’s references to “obscene acts”. In both cases the records went to No1 in the charts in no small part due their radio bans. In the case of Frankie Goes To Hollywood, “Relax” was the best selling song of 1984, and one of the biggest selling records of all time!!

Looking at Dire Straits back catalogue in these times of political correctness madness, I can see a strong case for banning several other of their songs. Here are the songs and a bonkers reason for banning them –

Brothers In Arms – surely a hint of gay love and incest?!! A double whammy!!

Private Investigations – very suspect. Clearly a reference to oral sex!!

Romeo And Juliet – Shakespeare’s lovers were having under age sex!!

Single-Handed Sailor – must be an allusion to a “handjob” from a naval officer!!

Sultans Of Swing – encouraging the trend for swinging!!

Tunnel Of Love – clearly a reference to the female genitalia!!

Silly I know, but my point is a serious one. The culture of political correctness is out of control, when one Mr Angry in Canada can object to a song on very dubious grounds, and a classic song of long standing, that has given millions of listeners great pleasure, can be banned at the drop of a hat!!

Before all Dire Straits vinyl records and CDs are piled up on a bonfire and burned by fanatics as a sacrifice to the God of Political Correctness, why not preserve some of them for posterity as a souvenir?…………Get your favourite Dire Straits vinyl records and compact discs  ( singles or albums ), framed and mounted, by clicking on….. http://www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Alternatively you can buy a Dire Straits “Song Souvenir” for a family member, or friend……this would make a unique present or original gift for a special celebration  ie a 40th or 50th Birthday, A Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Mother’s or Father’s Day  or Valentine’s Day!!  THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!

For all the latest news from Mark Knopfler…… www.markknopfler.com/