From the MCRFB news archives:
An Open Letter To The Music Industry: April 8, 1967
(Information and news source: Billboard; April 8, 1967).
Addendum: Gordon McLendon, Top 40 radio pioneer and then-owner of several radio stations across the country, including the legendary KLIF in Dallas, voiced great concern in early 1967 as to which way the recording industry was heading, in allowing “raunchy” and suggestive lyrics in popular music airplay on the radio.
In this Billboard ad, McLendon went on to attack the recording industry, while advocating of his intent to abolish records on all of his McLendon stations, songs that were not accompanied with a lyric sheet per their review.
McLendon, at the time, strongly felt certain songs were undermining the moral character of the country by their questionable “subliminal” context expressing drug or sexual connotations, whether stated or implied, which the McLendon group would ban unsuitable for any airplay if found to be in question. He also went on in further recommending radio broadcasters across the country follow suit likewise, of the guidelines and steps he imposed in the ad.
In Detroit, it bears to note that just one month after this ad was published, WKNR station owner Nellie Knorr barred Tommy James’ “I Think We’re Alone Now” from airplay on Keener, she found the lyrics too “suggestive.” But that’s how radio was trying to “keep it clean” back in 1967.
And what was the one particular recording which prompted McLendon to state of his resolve to ban records he judged “unfit” for airplay on his stations?
…”Try It,” by the Standells.
