15 Very Famous Songs From 1960s That Got Banned

The 1960s were a wild time for music—rebellion was in the air, and some songs pushed the limits so hard they got yanked off the radio or banned outright. From heartbreak ballads to protest anthems, these tracks stirred up trouble and made history. Here are 15 famous tunes that ruffled feathers and faced the music.

1. “Tell Laura I Love Her” – Ray Peterson
This sweet-sounding 1960 hit tells the sad tale of Tommy, a teen who dies in a car crash racing to buy his girl Laura a ring. Parents freaked out, saying it made reckless driving look cool, so radio stations pulled it fast. Still, its emotional punch made it a tear-jerking classic.

2. “Brown Eyed Girl” – Van Morrison
Van’s 1967 summer jam about young love had a line—“making love in the green grass”—that had conservatives blushing. Some stations swapped it for “laughing and running,” but whispers of interracial romance in the original title didn’t help. It’s a chill vibe now, but back then? Too spicy.

3. “My Generation” – The Who
Released in 1965, this rebellious banger had Roger Daltrey stuttering “f-f-fade away,” freaking out the BBC over offending stutterers. That “hope I die before I get old” line didn’t sit well either. Bans didn’t stop it—it hit number two in the UK anyway.

4. “Eve of Destruction” – Barry McGuire
Barry’s 1965 protest tune called out war and injustice with lines like “You’re old enough to kill, but not for votin’.” Some U.S. stations banned it, claiming it helped Vietnam’s enemies. It still shot to number one and became a counterculture must-listen.

5. “Eight Miles High” – The Byrds
This 1966 psychedelic gem sounded trippy, and folks thought “high” meant drugs—not a flight to London, as the band claimed. Radio stations ditched it over those dreamy vibes and droning guitars. It’s a pioneering rock track that flew too close to the sun.

6. “A Day in the Life” – The Beatles
Closing out 1967’s Sgt. Pepper, this haunting masterpiece got the BBC in a twist over “I’d love to turn you on”—code for drugs, they said. The Beatles swore it was innocent, but the ban stuck. Those wild orchestral swells still give chills.

7. “Mississippi Goddamn” – Nina Simone
Nina dropped this fiery 1964 protest after a church bombing, singing about racial pain with zero filter. Southern stations smashed promo copies and banned it for being too raw. It became a Civil Rights anthem anyway—powerful stuff!

8. “The Fish Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die Rag” – Country Joe and the Fish
This 1965 anti-Vietnam satire got spicy when “fish” turned into a curse word live. That got them booted from The Ed Sullivan Show. Its catchy “What are we fighting for?” hook made it a hippie favorite regardless.

9. “Let’s Spend the Night Together” – The Rolling Stones
Mick Jagger’s 1967 flirty invite was too hot for TV—Ed Sullivan made him sing “Spend Some Time” instead. He rolled his eyes through it, and the radio still banned the original. The sass kept it rocking the charts!

10. “Light My Fire” – The Doors
In 1967, Jim Morrison sang “Girl, we couldn’t get much higher” on Ed Sullivan, ignoring orders to ditch the “higher” bit. The Doors got banned from the show for that defiance. It’s still a smoldering classic.

11. “Lola” – The Kinks
This 1970 hit about a guy meeting a gal who’s a guy got the BBC mad—not for gender twists, but for saying “Coca-Cola.” They re-recorded it as “cherry cola” to dodge the ad rule. Catchy and bold, it dodged bigger trouble!

12. “Fortunate Son” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
John Fogerty’s 1969 anti-war rocker slammed privilege with “I ain’t no senator’s son.” Some called it unpatriotic, missing the point, and it stirred debates. It’s an underdog anthem that never backed down.

13. “I Am the Walrus” – The Beatles
This 1967 psychedelic trip had John Lennon spouting “Naughty girl, you let your knickers down.” The BBC banned it for that cheeky line, thinking it was dirty. Its weird brilliance shone through anyway—Eggman approved!

14. “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” – The Beatles
Another 1967 Beatles gem, this one’s “LSD” initials and trippy lyrics screamed drugs to the BBC, who banned it. John said it came from his kid’s drawing, not acid. Dreamy and dazzling, it kept fans hooked.

15. “Louie Louie” – The Kingsmen
This 1963 garage rock hit mumbled so much, folks thought it hid dirty secrets—cue an FBI investigation! After two years, they gave up; it was just gibberish. The chaos made it a legend—talk about a wild ride!