Should some songs never be sung again?

[Atethehalloweenchocs]

I was at a social event where there was various songs which we were singing along to. One of which was Delilah. Obviously the content is abhorrent, but its a banger of a tune, and something that loads of people know. The day after, found an old playlist with a bunch of Michael Jackson stuff on. AIBU to think it is ok to sing along to a song with a good tune even if the content or artist is problematic?

But I am aware that Two Little Boys is the story of the lives of two boys and their paths through life, and death in the case of one of them. I always would learn the words as I played, and I was at an age when they became ingrained.
I still don't want to play it any more though.
I recently started to play "Childhood" by Michael Jackson, which of course, is his own plea for understanding.

I was listening to a programme about Beethoven the other day, who was a brilliant but troubled human being. And everyone loves a bit of Beethoven!

How about?

You're so hot, teasing me
So, you're blue, but I can't take a chance on a chick like you
That's something I couldn't do
There's that look in your eyes
I can read in your face that your feelings are driving you wild
Ah, but girl, you're only a child
Well, I can dance with you, honey, if you think it's funny
Does your mother know that you're out?
And I can chat with you, baby, flirt a little maybe
Does your mother know that you're out?
Take it easy (take it easy)
Better slow down, girl
That's no way to go
Does your mother know?

Being sung every night at the Abba Arena.

What's abhorrent about Delilah?

I just relistened to it. It's a rather poetic tragedy, and if anything, even more relevant in these days of increased awareness of violence and knife crime.

The singer doesn't even know why he did it. He tries to justify it by blaming Deliah, but even in the end, he's still singing Why? why?

At this rate, we’re going to be left with

No music to listen to
No films to watch
No books to read
No art to admire
No comedy to watch

Delilah is about the man who killed her blaming her for his actions. "Forgive me Delilah I just couldn't take anymore". What a stand up human being.

I'm conflicted with R Kelly's music. Ignition in particular. Not only because it was (still is) a banger of a tune, but it holds so much nostalgia to a great time in my life.

I am thinking more rock bands but I presume if we banned everything made by rock bands that misbehaved we would all be listening to classical music probably written by people who probably also misbehaved?

I don't check the background of plumbers, the people who serve me in shops etc. before i interact with them nor the background of authors to ban books

It's difficult as I liked The Who but Pete Townsend was found with a stash of child pornography apparently and now I can't listen to their music.

Yep. Cancel everything. Until it's all gone.

You are extremely naive if you think they wouldn't.

I like Opera, two of my favorites are Carmen and Don Giovanni.

One is racist and the other is about a man who has a servant list his number of sexual conquests around Europe.

I usually cite these when people talk about rapper's lyrics.

The lyrics of Delilah were written by a woman.

I sometimes find myself singing I believe I can fly…and then feel immediately disgusted with myself when I think of what an abhorrent beast r kelly is.

Well that confused me, I thought that Orville had been up to no good!

I find myself increasingly intolerant nowadays of the musicians whose music I love. Their attitudes to women seep through and make me uncomfortable.
Van Morrison and Paul Weller haven't been played in my car for ages. I do miss them, but it's too offputting hearing some of the lyrics and knowing their family life.
Shame I don't like female singers.

If I like a song, regardless of who it's sung by or it's lyrics, then I like it and I'll play it.

I believe the Taliban do pretty well without music….

Part of the issue is that the world seems to have become so broad brush, black and white that we are increasingly losing the art of nuance, and there is a kind of glee taken in wilfully misunderstanding someone’s motivations in order to “other” them. So if Person A hears Person B listening to, say, Michael Jackson, there often follows a kind of performative outrage: “”OMG Person B doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with child abuse!” And no amount of protestations by Person B that they’ve chosen to separate the artist from the art will stop Person A finger pointing.

There are bands or singers I actively choose not to give royalties to any longer, but I wouldn’t beat myself up if I caught myself singing a snippet of one of their songs one day, because I know it doesn’t make me a CSA sympathiser. Similarly I don’t avoid old songs with “problematic” - by modern standards - lyrics; I might choose not to play them at a party but if it’s a banger I’ll listen to it in the privacy of my car or with headphones on.

I also think there is a difference between choosing privately not to listen to an artist’s output (or watch their films, read their books etc) because their actions now make you feel uncomfortable enjoying their art, and publicly calling for them to be “cancelled”. I’m not a massive fan of cancel culture or censorship in general TBH.

No plays to watch - Othello anyone?

I've had a hard time breaking away from Morissey/The Smiths because he's a racist piece of shit but still love the music.

I think it’s important to separate the art and the artist - all through history great artists have been flawed people (and criminals by modern standards) and to stop appreciating their art for either their own behaviour or the content of the art would leave us much poorer. A PP has commented about opera up thread, but there also classic painters (Toulouse lautrec being one who springs to mind for financing prostitution) musicians and writers - basically this is not a ‘modern’ problem.

that being said - ‘blurred lines’ can go away and never be played in my hearing again as far as I’m concerned….

Two Little Boys was written in the 1900s about the Boer war. RH is associated with it in more recent times, but he didn't write it.

Which still makes it a difficult song.

Bill Wyman, of the Rolling Stones, was having a full blown, (cheerfully admitted to,) relationship with Mandy Smith when she was 13. Encouraged by her mother. He later married her, but they got divorced very quickly.

I've not noticed anyone banning records by the Rolling Stones.

It is seen as "of it's time.🤔

Exactly.

Art is art - it isn't real life. Can we no longer enjoy it without being slammed for condoning things the artists may or may not have done?

This. Are we cancelling songs too now?