The '70s song written to be banned that charted anyway

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Way before Rupert Holmes became known as the Piña Colada singer he wrote a song for an obscure band from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania known as The Buoys with the intention of getting it banned hoping the controversy would kickstart The Buoys career. The song about cannibalism was kind of upbeat and bouncy, the era's hippie audiences picked up on what it was about and started calling requesting the song be played, and wouldn't you know it the song hit #17 on the Billboard charts exactly 50 years ago today. The Buoys after that sank without a trace and 'Timothy' is sort of an oldies cult song today. Do you remember it?

It was sometimes claimed that the "Timothy" in the song was supposed to be a mule (trapped down there with the miners in the mine), and not a person. But it sure sounded like it was about cannibalism to me when I heard the song (then and now).

Screamin Jay Hawkins, of "I Put a Spell On You" fame also recorded a song with a certain...non standard subject. Dont know how high it charted though.



And now...

lets "cleanse the pallet" with this bouncy happy tune by Joe Jackson.

I thought this was going to be about that Rolling Stones song... ¬_¬

I was thinking cannibalism right away when I listened to the song. I remember that song as well.

On topic...

Voltaire begins the singing about three minutes in, but the first three minutes are sort of entertaining, too.