At My Soiree: Jesus Christ

Thirty-four years ago today began the ban of all Beatles music on U.S. radio stations. Just as the group was to begin its U.S. tour in August, radio station after radio station joined the growing ban on playing their music.

America was not alone; banning the Beatles was a very popular thing to do. At least one radio station in South Africa, Spain, Holland, and Israel, to name a few, joined in at different times and because of different songs. The BBC even got into the act, banning songs for supposedly promoting drug culture and including the name of a brand. Israel also banned the fab four from playing there until 2008 - the "unbanning" and apology coming a bit late in the day!

The ban in the U.S. resulted , mostly, from John Lennon's statement to the London Evening Standard, on Mar 4/66.

Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue with that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first - rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me.

John was largely misunderstood, and many reacted in knee-jerk fashion. John defends himself and explains: