Wal-Mart nixed the cover art for Willie Nelson's new album "Countryman."  The packaging depicts an the image of a package of cigarette papers bearing an illustration of a marijuana leaf.  The retail giant morphed the image of of the pot leaf into a palm tree.
The change is relatively innocouous.  It's just the illustration, Wal-Mart isn't objecting to lyrical content.  Nelson isn't fighting the decision.  "They're covering all the bases," he told the AP.
I still despise the company's meddling with the artist's intentions.  I'd rather see it sold in a brown paper wrap than have the cover art altered.  The palm tree is better marketing than a blank.  I'm relieved  WM is willing to carry "Countryman."  Willie is a spokesman for NORML, the National Association for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, and I can't imagine that sits too well with the good ole boyse back in Benton.
The attached article mentions the trouble Willie had with his former label, the beleaguered Island Records.  Willie is now on Lost Highway.  The irony is the logo of Island records was what?  A palm tree!

http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,16920,00.html?tnews

Did Wal-Mart censor the CD "Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News"?
I got that CD there, and I was wondering if they tampered with the lyrics. I didn't see any signs of
censorship on the CD, but still unsure. I've never heard of it being censored.

Did Wal-Mart censor the CD "Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News"?
I got that CD there, and I was wondering if they tampered with the lyrics. I didn't see any signs of
censorship on the CD, but still unsure. I've never heard of it being censored.



I can answer that.. were the words "a**hole" and "d*mn" used in "Bukowski"? And then was "d*ckheads" in "The Good Times Are Killing Me" And then does "d*mn" appear in "This Devil's Workday"?

Those are the only swears on that CD I can remember. The only way they really could filter it was by deleting those three songs.. "Bukowski" and "This Devil's Workday" for being anti-God, "The Good Times Are Killing Me" being about drug addiction.

I hope I'm not stereotyping too much about demographics, but it would seem Modest Mouse fans would live in areas where there are better retail outlets than Wal-Mart.  Whereas, Willie Nelson, a country music superstar, is probably a bigger seller in rural "red" America where more people actually buy music at Wal-Mart.
Just a guess.  I might be totally wrong!

Word to Walmart: Willie Nelson does not smoke palm tree leaves.  ;D

If they don't like it, they shouldn't buy it.  That's not censorship.

If they don't like it, they shouldn't buy it.  That's not censorship.

Maybe censorship is too strong a word.  It's just that an illustration of a pot leaf represents defiance of authority, and Wal-Mart is a fascist corporation.

Wal-Mart nixed the cover art for Willie Nelson's new album "Countryman."  The packaging depicts an the image of a package of cigarette papers bearing an illustration of a marijuana leaf.  The retail giant morphed the image of of the pot leaf into a palm tree.
The change is relatively innocouous.  It's just the illustration, Wal-Mart isn't objecting to lyrical content.  Nelson isn't fighting the decision.  "They're covering all the bases," he told the AP.
I still despise the company's meddling with the artist's intentions.  I'd rather see it sold in a brown paper wrap than have the cover art altered.  The palm tree is better marketing than a blank.  I'm relieved  WM is willing to carry "Countryman."  Willie is a spokesman for NORML, the National Association for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, and I can't imagine that sits too well with the good ole boyse back in Benton.


Well, is this really censorship?  This is a retail chain, and it has it's own rules for what items they are willing to sell.  Those rules are well known, and it is up to the artist/publisher as to wether they will meet them or not.  A good example of somebody who does not is Prince.  For years most of his music is so filthy that it can't go on the radio in any way, shape, or form.  This is probably why you never find anything during or after his "TAFKAP" era.

All WalMart did basically said was "we will not sell this as it is".  The publisher has the choice as to make another version, change the package, or just not make a version for WalMart to sell.  And while WalMart is the #1 retail chain, there are many others (Target) that do the same thing.  If they want to put it in a plain black sleve and sell it with no art at all (Spinal Tap's "Black Album"), that is their choice as well.  WalMart does not tell them what to do, they just tell them what part is objectionable.  It is up to the artist/publisher to make any changes.

There have been cases of this in the past.  I remember one album (forget the artist or the album) in which the cover had a model photographed from behind in a thong.  WalMart asked for a change, so they cropped it to show her from the waist up.  Just that simple.

And nobody has a "right" to sell anything in any store.  That is eventually up to the retailer themselves to decide what to sell and what not to sell.  Personally, I can't say I have heard anything by Willie in years (other then his duet with Toby Keith "Beer For My Horses" last year).  And I listen to country stations almost every day.

My puzzlement with WalMart has always been in that the insist on music that is "rated PG", yet they will sell all kinds of movies and video games (Grand Theft Auto) which have a ton of objectionable material.  But this is probably because music artists have to self-censor their work anyways to make it on the radio, where movies and video games do not.

My question is if this was ANY other retailer (let's say Best Buy) would this even be an issue?

As Mushroom pointed out, there have been many cases of this in the past and I'm sure there will continue to be in the future.  I think another reason (possibly) that video games & movies with "questionable" content is that they are CLEARLY rated.  If a parent doesn't want their child to watch an R-rated movie, it is clearly marked with the R-rating.  Same with video games, they are marked with M for mature, T for teen & E for everyone.

I wouldn't like to see any other retailer do what Wal-Mart did.  Wal-Mart is the biggest retailer in the country.  That's why the company's decisions are the biggest target for criticism, and deservedly so. 
Wal-Mart is also a loathesome corporation in every way.  They have ZERO moral authority as far as I'm concerned.  They don't care if their employees can't afford housing, healthcare, and decent food, but God forbid anyone see an illustration of a marijuana leaf in their stores.  Sure, defend them if you want, I'm sure you will!
::)

Well, is this really censorship?  This is a retail chain, and it has it's own rules for what items they are willing to sell.  Those rules are well known, and it is up to the artist/publisher as to wether they will meet them or not.  A good example of somebody who does not is Prince.  For years most of his music is so filthy that it can't go on the radio in any way, shape, or form.  This is probably why you never find anything during or after his "TAFKAP" era.

All WalMart did basically said was "we will not sell this as it is".  The publisher has the choice as to make another version, change the package, or just not make a version for WalMart to sell.  And while WalMart is the #1 retail chain, there are many others (Target) that do the same thing.  If they want to put it in a plain black sleve and sell it with no art at all (Spinal Tap's "Black Album"), that is their choice as well.  WalMart does not tell them what to do, they just tell them what part is objectionable.  It is up to the artist/publisher to make any changes.

There have been cases of this in the past.  I remember one album (forget the artist or the album) in which the cover had a model photographed from behind in a thong.  WalMart asked for a change, so they cropped it to show her from the waist up.  Just that simple.

And nobody has a "right" to sell anything in any store.  That is eventually up to the retailer themselves to decide what to sell and what not to sell.  Personally, I can't say I have heard anything by Willie in years (other then his duet with Toby Keith "Beer For My Horses" last year).  And I listen to country stations almost every day.

My puzzlement with WalMart has always been in that the insist on music that is "rated PG", yet they will sell all kinds of movies and video games (Grand Theft Auto) which have a ton of objectionable material.  But this is probably because music artists have to self-censor their work anyways to make it on the radio, where movies and video games do not.

was the CD Black Crowes - amorica?
http://www.hank-dust.com/img/galerie/cover-artwork/popart/amorica.jpg
http://www.mts.net/~crea/bands/albums/blackcrowes/c94b.jpg

My puzzlement with WalMart has always been in that the insist on music that is "rated PG", yet they will sell all kinds of movies and video games (Grand Theft Auto) which have a ton of objectionable material.  But this is probably because music artists have to self-censor their work anyways to make it on the radio, where movies and video games do not.


I've never bought from Wal*Mart, but I guess they do engage in this hypocrisy.. hmm.. that's odd. I'd rather here a musician say "What If I Were To Cut You Up And Mail Each Part To A Different Town?" {real lyric} then see it in a movie.. or worse, do it in a game.

I've never bought from Wal*Mart, but I guess they do engage in this hypocrisy.. hmm.. that's odd. I'd rather here a musician say "What If I Were To Cut You Up And Mail Each Part To A Different Town?" {real lyric} then see it in a movie.. or worse, do it in a game.


Actually, this is not just "Wal-Mart", and the artists already make different versions of their songs.  These changes are made not to please Wal-Mart, but to please the FCC.  And it has been done since the 1950's.

I remember my mom had 2 different 45's of a Jimmy Dean song.  She got them from her brother, who worked part-time at a radio station.  The song was "Big Bad John".  At the end of the song, he sang the line "At the bottom of this mine lies one HELL of a man, Big John".  But according to rules of the FCC at that time, you could not say "Hell" on the radio.  Because of this, he made a second version, where the line goes "At the bottom of this mine lies a big, big man, Big John."

This is why many songs get changed, because the artist wants them on the radio.  "Let's Get Retardrd" by Black Eyed Peas becomes "Let's Get It Started".  "Purple Pills" becomes "Purple Hills".  And they are also made because some countries do not allow imports of "Objectional Music" at all.  It is to meet these requirements that artists make different versions.  And it just makes good commercial sense to release them for use in other venues like Skating Rinks, schools, and teen dance clubs can use them.

I tend to buy both versions myself.  Because I work as a DJ, I need to be able to meet all kinds of crowds.  If I am doing a church party, I am much more likely to play the clean version of a song.  If I am doing a night club, I will play the "adult content" version.

The difference is that Hollywood does not make a "clean version" of their movies.  Normally the TV stations do a quick hatchet job and either cut out, crop, or overlay the objectionable parts, with little or no imput from the director.


was the CD Black Crowes - amorica?


Actually that is not it, but it is another good example.
And as I said, WalMart does not demand *how* the songs are to be changed.  They just ask that they be changed. 

Who exactly is hurt?  The record company?  Willie Nelson's artistic integrity?  Every artist knows they have to make compromises if they want wide distribution (i.e. big bucks). 

And the decision to poo-poo a marijuana leaf is probably not the best rallying point for an 'Evil Wal-Mart' campaign.

My puzzlement with WalMart has always been in that the insist on music that is "rated PG", yet they will sell all kinds of movies and video games (Grand Theft Auto) which have a ton of objectionable material.  But this is probably because music artists have to self-censor their work anyways to make it on the radio, where movies and video games do not.



I don't shop there, so I don't know, but that does seem stupid.

Actually, this is not just "Wal-Mart", and the artists already make different versions of their songs.  These changes are made not to please Wal-Mart, but to please the FCC.  And it has been done since the 1950's.


So I see.  As usual, there's more to the story than meets the eye.  I remember both versions of "Big Bad John" myself!  Another gimmick in the old days was the fun of making listener think the word, without the word appearing in the song, eg. Jimmy Horton, "The Battle of New Orleans,"
If we didn't fire our muskets till we looked 'em in the eye
We held our fire till we seed their faces well
Then we opened up our squirrel guns and really gave 'em...
Weeellll, we fired our guns and the British kept a-comin'
There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago
We fired once more and they began to runnin'
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico

Along the same lines I think one of the worst cases of censorship overkill was a TV edit of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, in the strip-o-gram scene, the nurse-costumed stripper chants:
"I heard that YOU were feeling ill,
headaches, fever, and a chill,
I've come to help restore your PLUCK
'coz I'm the nurse who likes to...."
As you know, in the original movie, Jeannie slams the door before the stripper finishes the rhyme.  In the edit they cut to Jeannie slamming the door after the word PLUCK, so the stripper doesn't get to the second couplet.  So it's censorship based on not wanting fragile minds to think--not just hear--the word ****, but what are innocent children and pious grandparents doing with the word **** on the tips of their tongues anyway?  It's ridiculous I say!
;D

Leo Jay wrote:
And the decision to poo-poo a marijuana leaf is probably not the best rallying point for an 'Evil Wal-Mart' campaign.

I agree.  Here is a good place to start on such an endeavor:
http://webhost.bridgew.edu/jhayesboh/badbusiness.html
Speaking of marijuana leaf, I didn't pick up on why the '90s band the Presidents of the United States of America were so adamant about not having their name abbreviated.  Then a dude hipped me to what fans in-the-know knew: POT USA!
;)

Crazymom wrote:
How was my question defending them?  I've seen edited versions of CD's at other retailers and nothing is being said about those.  It's only when it's Wal-Mart that it becomes a major issue.
Question already answered.  Tell me the names of those other retailers, and I'll cuss them up and down the barn all night too!
:P
Like a bridge over troubled Wal-Mart, I will lay me down...