Why the BBC Banned One of the Beatles’ Greatest Songs Over Six Words

From “I Am The Walrus” to “Come Together”, quite a few of The Beatles’ biggest hits were banned by the BBC. Whether it came down to explicit lyrics or the use of branded product names, the British Broadcasting Corporation has found reason after reason to ban The Beatles’ music through the years. But fans and non-fans included were shocked when the BBC banned one of the Beatles’ greatest songs in 1967. And that song would be “A Day In The Life” from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

“A Day In The Life” is considered by many to be one of The Beatles’ absolute greatest songs. The track closes out Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band perfectly. The dramatic tune was indeed banned by the BBC, and their reasoning came down to a very vague reference to drug use.

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Why Did the BBC Ban The Beatles Song “A Day In The Life”?

“A Day In The Life” is a strange but addictive song. It gets quite surreal in various parts of its lyrics, which is very on-brand for the Fab Four. John Lennon sings about various news articles from the time with a satirical spin, notably the death of famed heiress Tara Browne. As it progresses, the song slowly transforms into an orchestral piece with lyrics that explore Paul McCartney’s childhood.

The particular lyric that prompted the BBC to ban it is a short one: “I’d love to turn you on.” And no, it’s not a sexual innuendo. The term was a common drug reference at the time, and such explicit lyricism was a no-go at the BBC. McCartney discussed the ban and the origin of that particular lyric in an interview with Rolling Stone years ago.

“This was the time of Tim Leary’s ‘Turn on, tune in, drop out,’” said McCartney. “And we wrote ‘I’d love to turn you on.’ John and I gave each other a knowing look: ‘Uh-huh, it’s a drug song. You know that, don’t you?’ Yes, but at the same time, our stuff is always very ambiguous and ‘turn you on’ can be sexual so… c’mon!”

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Today, “A Day In The Life” is a deeply revered Beatles song. Everyone from Jeff Beck to Phish have covered it. And the song itself actually inspired the “deep note”, also known as the recognizable ear-blasting sound used as an audio trademark by THX. Listen to the song and then the deep note; you’ll hear it!

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives

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