The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / Did CHUM & CKFH Really Censor "Dirty" Rock Lyrics In The 60s?

**Posted by RadioActive** October 22, 2025 10:27 am

A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away, the Toronto Star had a regular radio column. And to my surprise, for a time in the mid-60s, it was written by none other than Barbara Frum. (She didn't join the CBC until 1971.)

In this rather remarkable article I found from April 1967, Frum writes about Toronto's two major Top 40 stations - CHUM & CKFH - noting they tried to censor out an increasing trend of "dirty" lyrics that had begun popping up in rock and roll hits, as standards of the buttoned-up 50s began to loosen.

They echoed sentiments from two large U.S. chains indicating they were no longer willing to play any songs with sexual connotations - which some would argue is the very essence of rock and roll since its very beginnings, including the term "rock 'n roll" itself.

"We refuse to play any new releases with...intonations and nuances that...offend public morals, dignity or taste," a statement reads. "And we will refuse consideration to both sides of a record if one is judged unfit."

The article then cites a typical example: The Rolling Stones' "Let's Spend The Night Together," a song about a guy wanting to sleep with his girl.

Here's what I don't get: the song peaked on the CHUM Chart at #3 in Feb. 1967. Yet this article was published in April. Doesn't sound like a song that was banned to me.

I can only imagine what Allan Waters and his crew would think about the lyrics of rap songs that are on the radio today. Times have certainly changed. But what a fascinating and otherwise lost snippet of Toronto radio history.

**Posted by RadioActive** October 22, 2025 10:31 am

Also worth noting that "Double Shot Of My Baby's Love" reached #11 on CHUM in the summer of 1966. So if it was banned in 1967, it was already an "oldie."

And Mick Jagger and the boys were forbidden to use the lyrics to "Let's Spend The Night Together" when they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in January 1967. The Stones' frontman famously showed his eye rolling contempt on camera, while being forced to croon, "Let's Spend Some Time Together," instead.

**Posted by RadioActive** October 22, 2025 10:47 am

One more thing - I'd never heard of The Monkees' "Don't Do It," which the article states is one of the songs CHUM wouldn't play. Turns out there's a good reason for that.

It wasn't a Monkees song at all. It was written and recorded by a pre-Monkee Micky Dolenz in 1965, then later re-released once the group he was in became stars on TV. The fact it's not a very good song may be another reason it never got any radio airplay.

But for those like me curious about it, here it is:

**Posted by Lorne** October 22, 2025 1:25 pm

Since I was born in 1960, I don't have firsthand memories of what was making the CHUM Chart in 1966-67. However, many years ago I had been curious about whether "Double Shot Of My Baby's Love" had charted on CHUM, and when I looked it up in The CHUM Chart Book I found that it wasn't listed. Just checked the listings for The Rolling Stones, and "Let's Spend The Night Together" isn't shown either.

**Posted by RadioActive** October 22, 2025 1:28 pm

I know for a fact they played both of them, because I listened to nothing but CHUM in the mid-60s and that's where I heard them. Although I never liked "Double Shot" very much and it's still a channel changer when I hear it today.

**Posted by Fitz** October 22, 2025 4:03 pm

I don't remember hearing Double Shot on CHUM. I think the first time I became aware of the single was in reading a two part article on garage rock in Creem Magazine by Robot A Hull in 1978. May have heard the song after that and in fact I taped Dick Bartley playing the song and it's follow up in the 80's. Perhaps I bought both singles as a result of that. The second single was re-released in stereo no less. I can see why some people may not like the frat rock atmosphere of the songs but as a fan of all things garage - I appreciate the genre in most of it's many permutations. Just read on wiki that the song was released in a clean version but mine is the dirty one.

Dick Bartley Double Shot

Last edited by Fitz (October 22, 2025 4:07 pm)

**Posted by Lorne** October 22, 2025 6:23 pm

I think that what prompted me to look up "Double Shot" in The CHUM Chart Book was that, at least at the time that I did so, I was only familiar with it from hearing it played as an oldie on CKOC and not on CHUM.

**Posted by Chrisphen** October 22, 2025 6:55 pm

It's been noted before, but Frank Zappa stormed out of a CHUM interview when he noticed that some tracks on his records were physically scratched out so they couldn't be played.

**Posted by 67GreenRambler** October 22, 2025 7:16 pm

Springsteen heard that song on a jukebox in a diner he and bandmates would go to after playing the Upstage or Student Prince in Asbury Park. A direct inspiration for his own 'Sherry Darling".

**Posted by Fitz** October 22, 2025 10:08 pm

Chrisphen wrote:
It's been noted before, but Frank Zappa stormed out of a CHUM interview when he noticed that some tracks on his records were physically scratched out so they couldn't be played.

You mean CHUM FM right ?

I do remember reading about an incident there. The only Zappa track CHUM AM would have played was Valley Girl.

**Posted by Doug Thompson** October 22, 2025 10:28 pm

Chrisphen wrote: It's been noted before, but Frank Zappa stormed out of a CHUM interview when he noticed that some tracks on his records were physically scratched out so they couldn't be played.

That isn't quite accurate. In the CHUM archives, I have the tape of that interview with Frank Zappa and CHUM FM's Chuck Azzarello. What happened was, songs that weren't to be played on CHUM FM had a sticker over the particular cut(s) on the vinyl albums. Zappa noticed that on one of his albums and was offended and said so on the air. Music Director Benjy Karch then came into the control room and the three had a lively discussion on censorship. Frank never stormed out of the interview, but it became quite lively.

CHUM FM certainly played Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention particularly in the late '60s and well into the 1970s. Frank, on several occasions came into CHUM FM after one of his in town concerts and sat with David Pritchard.

Also back in 1964, CHUM Program Director Allan Slaight briefly banned The Rolling Stones from the CHUM airwaves. I don't know if Gary Topp is on here, but as a kid, he sent a letter to CHUM complaining about the ban and received a reply from Slaight explaining CHUM's reasonings.

Last edited by Doug Thompson (October 23, 2025 3:02 am)

**Posted by Fitz** October 22, 2025 10:53 pm

I found this on You Tube. The incident I am recalling may have happened with Reiner Schwarz around 1971 but that may be an urban legend. Very prescient comment by Zappa about format poop on this clip and a interesting discussion about radio.

**Posted by Fitz** October 22, 2025 11:07 pm

BTW the YT banner says Rick Moranis. Back in the day I thought that Moranis and Chuck A sounded similar bur I think this may be Rick.

**Posted by Doug Thompson** October 23, 2025 3:01 am

The tape I have is definitely Chuck Azzarello, Frank and Benjy.

**Posted by mace** October 23, 2025 7:26 am

Lorne wrote:
Since I was born in 1960, I don't have firsthand memories of what was making the CHUM Chart in 1966-67. However, many years ago I had been curious about whether "Double Shot Of My Baby's Love" had charted on CHUM, and when I looked it up in The CHUM Chart Book I found that it wasn't listed. Just checked the listings for The Rolling Stones, and "Let's Spend The Night Together" isn't shown either.

Perhaps Spend the Night wasn't listed is because it was the "B" side of Ruby Tuesday.

**Posted by mace** October 23, 2025 7:33 am

RadioActive wrote:
One more thing - I'd never heard of The Monkees' "Don't Do It," which the article states is one of the songs CHUM wouldn't play. Turns out there's a good reason for that.

It wasn't a Monkees song at all. It was written and recorded by a pre-Monkee Micky Dolenz in 1965, then later re-released once the group he was in became stars on TV. The fact it's not a very good song may be another reason it never got any radio airplay.

But for those like me curious about it, here it is:

Song definitely has a 1965ish feel to it.

**Posted by Fitz** October 23, 2025 7:39 am

mace wrote:
Lorne wrote:
Since I was born in 1960, I don't have firsthand memories of what was making the CHUM Chart in 1966-67. However, many years ago I had been curious about whether "Double Shot Of My Baby's Love" had charted on CHUM, and when I looked it up in The CHUM Chart Book I found that it wasn't listed. Just checked the listings for The Rolling Stones, and "Let's Spend The Night Together" isn't shown either.
Perhaps Spend the Night wasn't listed is because it was the "B" side of Ruby Tuesday.

but the B sides of double sided hits were usually at some point actually listed on the CHUM chart and Lets Spend the Night was not.

for example the number 1 here:

Last edited by Fitz (October 23, 2025 7:43 am)

**Posted by Fitz** October 23, 2025 8:11 am

Doug Thompson wrote:
The tape I have is definitely Chuck Azzarello, Frank and Benjy.

The You Tube recording sounds identical to your description. Perhaps the Rick Moranis billing is an error and though the dates on the History of Canadian Broadcasting do sometimes contain errors this is what they say about Chuck A. This interview is supposedly from Nov/76:

[color=#cf2e2e !important]1976[/color]On May 24, testing began from the brand new CN Tower at 301 Front Street West. CHUM-FM began broadcasting officially from the tower at 12:01 a.m. on May 31. Effective radiated power was now 40,000 watts. Antenna height was now 1,380 feet.Programming Notes: John Donabie left and was replaced in afternoons by Chuck Azzarello. David Marsden left and was replaced in evenings by Don Shafer (had been in mid-days). Chuck Azzarello left in October.

Edit : I belive the David Marsden citation above is an error. I think he left in 1975. I have an article from the Globe which if memory serves me correctly is from 1975.

Last edited by Fitz (October 23, 2025 8:19 am)

**Posted by Fitz** October 23, 2025 4:03 pm

Speaking of B sides and dirty words/lyrics. I found a CKFH Chart with the B word on a B side look at number 16, pic taken from Rock Radio
Scrapbook:
A few years before Elton John

Last edited by Fitz (October 23, 2025 4:32 pm)

**Posted by Ale Ont** October 23, 2025 5:25 pm

I remember growing up in Ottawa, C-F-R-A ran "Bus Rider" by The Guess Who in its original form.
C-K-O-Y bleeped out "God Damn" from the line "I'm so awful BEEP glad I'm not in your shoes." When they did the song on "The Midnight Special", they just dropped the word.

**Posted by RadioActive** October 23, 2025 5:50 pm

Ale Ont wrote:
I remember growing up in Ottawa, C-F-R-A ran "Bus Rider" by The Guess Who in its original form.
C-K-O-Y bleeped out "God Damn" from the line "I'm so awful BEEP glad I'm not in your shoes." When they did the song on "The Midnight Special", they just dropped the word.

Yes, I think that happened here on both CHUM and CKFH. I remember thinking it's so obvious what the word is, but they can't air it despite that. Today, it would run with no issues.

**Posted by Paul Jeffries** October 23, 2025 7:46 pm

Then of course, there's the famous CHUM edit of Rough Trade's "High School Confidential":

What's the principal doing with her?
Who's that guy?
Is he ________ with her?
What's her perfume?
Tigress by Farberge
It makes me mmmmmmmmmmmm when she comes my way.

PJ

**Posted by Dial Twister** October 23, 2025 8:07 pm

I realise that most of you are not prudes, and are simply having fun with this discussion.

Given that, isn't it pathetic to think that still, half-a-millennium into our North American adventure, we're still so puritanical about the method by which every single one of us came to be.

And as stilted as we are about it here, the folks in the Bible Belt sure took it to a whole other level.

We can sing and watch movies about war, murder and pestilence, but let's not get "dirty". 😂

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.