Banned Songs Vol III - Lightening Striking Again

Lou Christy's song, 'Lightening Striking Again' was banned by the censors. Now what did middle America have to differ with their kids fucking inside a car out in the rain, unless fearing the lightening itself? This was before child support & sperm banks, mind you...

 

I guess they really did suppress this song, since so few have heard of it. But I'd like to find a copy of it. I guess it was considered sexually inflamatory by horrified parents of the day. Of course, so was Elvis a decade earlier.

 

MTV America banned British Sea Powers new video...for using the words “wetter and wetter” in an “unsuitable manner”, hehe i mean...what the hell...???

 

Yes, definitely. I think the word, "Moist," would have been more suitable. When it comes to wonder-ware, "Moist" is a profoundly descriptive explative used in human homogenized emotion to describe the erotic response to touch. Although, I have no idea what they are talking about.

Wetter & Wetter sounds amateurish, like the lawn sprinkler or a wet T-shirt contest.

I agree,

Your imaginary friend

 

Didn't he also do a song called 'Rhapsody in the Rain' about the same subject matter? Wonder what was on his mind......

 

I think so. I guess Lou-baby had a thing about singin' in the rain. I've always heard that more from feminine fantasies, being swept off their footsies & embracing in the downpour, not caring about those million killowatt blasts & huge power lines just over head. Actually a golf course would be even more challenging or a boat in the middle of a lake. Alas, who am I but a mere man who's never been struck by lightening as I have since this conversation began. Do you feel the static-cling? Oh, no, it's my sweater. My starstricken daze was often grounded by something called reverse polarity! Do you know of it? Did you ever get Zapped kissing somebody? C'mon —Truth or Dare!

Maybe he was just tapping into their collective consciousness & trying to get wet at the same time? They'd of called him 'Lou da Psyche' in my neighborhood. Or Rainman.

Must...Look up...this...song...'Rhapsody in the Rain'...blip blip blip... Name Baaaaad! Obey Mistress_Sassafras or you will be spanked!

(...in the rain?)

Nice Poster & did you do the icon or is that generic. (Sometimes generics just as good as the real stuff...

 

While listening to Lou Christie?

 

That would be a plan...Ou avec du jazz. Hmm, Centerville. Yesterday, I saw your art. The Peter Max inspired one, and all your cats. He did a show nearby a couple of art festivals ago. You are fond of cats. So what medium do you use mostly? This of course has everything to do with Lou Christie. Excellent Title which keeps us squarely within the threads. Actually I know very little about the guy. Only rumors. Didn't you have a picture of you with an old door in the background. VC? Just wondered... I post a lot in the Art Forums & I get into political issues. There are some of my pictures in my gallery & others are just for posts. Hmmm, let me think of other marginally sensual songs that might be discussed here. I'm curious as to where this photo is & Centerville; you can email it (if you wanna):H

 

But of course...

Lightnin' Strikes
—Lou Christie

[Written by Lou Christie and Twyla Herbert]

Listen to me, baby, you gotta understand
You're old enough to know the makings of a man
Listen to me, baby, it's hard to settle down
Am I asking too much for you to stick around

Every boy wants a girl
He can trust to the very end
Baby, that's you
Won't you wait but 'til then

When I see lips beggin' to be kissed (stop)
I can't stop (stop)
I can't stop myself
(Stop, stop)

Lightning is striking again
Lightning is striking again

Nature's takin' over my one-track mind
Believe it or not, you're in my heart all the time
All the girls are sayin' that you'll end up a fool
For the time being, baby, live by my rules

When I settle down
I want one baby on my mind
Forgive and forget
And I'll make up for all lost time

If she's put together fine
And she's readin' my mind (stop)
I can't stop (stop)
I can't stop myself
(Stop, stop)

Lightning is striking again
Lightning is striking again
And again and again and again

---- Instrumental Interlude ----

Lightning is striking again
Lightning is striking again

There's a chapel in the pines
Waiting for us around the bend
Picture in your mind
Love forever, but 'til then

If she gives me a sign
That she wants to make time (stop)
I can't stop (stop)
I can't stop myself
(Stop, stop)

Lightning is striking again
Lightning is striking again
And again and again and again
Lightning is striking again
And again and again and again

 

Lou Christie (Bio)

Lou Christie was born Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco, on February 19th, 1943, in Glen Willard, Pennsylvania. A former student of classical music, he moved to New York in 1963 where he sang backing vocals on a variety of sessions. Lou recorded unsuccessfully with such groups as "the Classics" and "Lugee and the Lions".

In 1963, Lugee was signed by Roulette Records and recorded his debut single for them, 'The Gypsy Cried'. It was only after the disc was released that he found out that a record executive had decided to give him a new stage name, Lou Christie. "And I was pissed off about it for 20 years," he admits. "I wanted to keep my name and be a one-named performer, just "Lugee". 'The Gypsy Cried' was a local hit in Pittsburg before New York based Roulette Records picked it up. The song became a hit across the US, climbing to number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and achieved sales in excess of one million. The following year 'Two Faces Have I' proved even more successful, reaching number 6. These two smashes earned him an invitation to join Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars, which toured the United States extensively. A romance developed between Lou and Supremes lead singer Diana Ross, but, just as his career was getting into high gear, Christie was drafted into the US military.

Lou served six months at Fort Knox and when his service was up, he resumed his career immediately. After recording a song called 'Lightning Stikes', he took the master to his new label, MGM. They hated it so much that the president of the company actually took the tape and threw it in a waste basket. Dejected, Lou moved to California to try to promote his song, which in the end, MGM decided to release after all. It took eight weeks after first appearing on the Billboard chart, but 'Lightning Strikes' went all the way to number one and gave Lou his third gold record.

His next single, 'Rhapsody In The Rain' proved to be controversial, so much so that entire chains of radio stations refused to play it. Lou was forced to go back into the studio to re-record some of the suggestive lyrics. Although it seems odd by today's standards, AM radio in the 1960s was not about to play a song about a couple making love to the rhythm of a car's windshield wipers. The single went on to be a top 20 hit on both sides of the Atlantic.

In 1969, this time signed to Buddah Records, Christie had his final Top 10 hit with 'I'm Gonna Make You Mine', his style virtually unchanged from the earlier hits. His brand of music fell out of fashion when disco reigned in the 1970s and the singer went through an extended down period. Numerous singles followed on various labels into the 80s, but Christie was unable to regain any commercial ground.

A curious, almost anachronistic performer, he spent nearly two decades performing on the US rock 'n' roll revival circuit, touring often with Lesley Gore. But in the 1990s, years after scoring his first hit record, his career went on the rise again. His album, 'Beyond The Blue Horizon' was released in 1994 on the Varese Sarabande label, and songs from that record have been featured in several movies, including Rain Man, A Home Of Their Own, and Dutch.

In 1999, Lou recorded his first album of all-new material in more than 20 years (Pledging My Love), and his stage shows are frequented by Tom Jones-style groupies. It isn't uncommon for his female fans to throw bras and panties on stage while he performs. "It's kind of flattering and kind of strange at the same time," he says.

Christie, who now lives in New York, says he isn't bitter about the leaner times he experienced because it prompted him to become a better showman. "All of the success that I had in the early '60s in one way, took me away from performing," he notes.

Today, he even cherishes all of his names.
"When I do my income taxes, when I do all of my business, everything is signed
'Lou Christie Sacco.'"

Lou Christie's Top 40 Hits

The Gypsy Cried - (#24) 1963
Two Faces Have I - (#6) 1963
Lightning Strikes - (#1) 1966
Rhapsody In The Rain - (#16) 1966
I'm Gonna Make You Mine - (#10) 1969 (You were born that year)

 

The possibilities of what this budding romance could have been.

The ultimate reward.

 

Strange Fruit - Billie Holiday
"Strange Fruit" Banned by many radio stations that felt the bleak song, written about a race-motivated lynching, could cause black unrest - 1939

 

Yeah, I've heard of that, possibly on one of the PBS music documentaries. Very interesting. She was really popular. Plus Lou was a real enigma wasn't he? Not the one-hit wonder I expected. Getting it on with Diana Ross, student of the Classics, Italian, blond & given a stage name he didn't find out about until after he was billed. Do you think they drafted him on purpose? I would have never known any of this stuff. I don't know why the suggestive lyrics topic came up but I'm glad it did. Let's do some more banned songs. Have anything else on 'Strange Fruit' or any songs like it? I'll think on it, but those were the ones that came to me immediately.