What's the big deal about "The Devil Went Up to Boston?"

[kestrell]

I just heard a DJ on WUMB mention that they would not be playing this song on the station, and if you watch the video you would know why. Not only can I not watch the video, I can't find the video online, as it seems to have been thoroughly removed from the usual channels.

So, having missed this kerfuffle, can someone tell me what was so offensive about it? I haven't been this curious about the state of Boston censorship since The Globe censored the Doonesbury cartoon because B.D.'s response to finding out he had lost a leg was "Son of a bitch!".

Comments

[alexxkay]

Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWVcIn7Q4Cc

He was probably referring to the "harsh language", though there might have been some objection to depicting the devil as a Yankees fan.

[kestrell]

Okay, I think I used the word "went" in the title when I should have used "came," or perhaps it was the other way around. Anyway, as far as parodies of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," this is not a very interesting version (yes, I have multiple parodies of this song, the best, imo, being "The Devil Went Back to Georgia," which features Johnny Cash as the Devil).

[dreda]

Probably just that it's about 40% profanity. Funny as all get out, though.

Does this link work? http://youtu.be/zWVcIn7Q4Cc

[teenybuffalo]

Heavens to Betsy. I just watched the video, which is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWVcIn7Q4Cc

The short answer, I think, is that they can't play it on the radio because there are so many uses of the word "fuck," to censor it they'd have to bleep out most of the song.

Here are some of the visual jokes from the video.

It begins with a silent moment when a scowling woman in a Celtics jacket marches out on stage and holds up a series of signs that say:

WE APOLOGIZE TO OUR MOTHERS
FOR THE HARSH LANGUAGE IN THIS PERFORMANCE
THE REST OF YOU...
CAN GO FUCK YOURSELVES
THE ADAM EZRA GROUP PRESENTS
THE DEVIL CAME UP TO BOSTON

The lead singer (well, reciter of the lyrics) is a big, imposing man with stubble and longish black hair in a ponytail, wearing a red t-shirt and jeans, and barefoot. There's a strong suggestion of Robert DeNiro as Louis Cyphre.

The chorus are wearing blue choir robes with white stoles. I have no idea why.

The stepdancer in the first instrumental break comes on wearing horns and a red tail and carrying a pitchfork, which she rips off and throws offstage before dancing.

There are three stepdancers in the second break, wearing tiny denim shorts and midriff t-shirts rolled up under their boobs. The shirts all say BOSTON.

At the end, all the performers march forward, link arms, and give the audience the finger. The fiddler is wearing ordinary flannel shirt and jeans. The woman from the introduction has a bottle of booze in a paper bag. The lead singer flicks a lighter for a little burst of flame.

There is a final moment of silence as we see their live audience: two older men seated at a table with a big sign reading "REVERE BEACH TALENT SHOW AUDITIONS." One scowls, the other sits there with his jaw slack, and they both look really uncomfortable. The end.

[jesse_the_k]

That as much better than any visual experience could have been.

[vvalkyri]

I think the choir robes and stoles are just to scream "choir" as opposed to "more guys joining". There was also a third man, sleeping, at the judges table.

[kestrell]

Thank you to both Val and TB for the link and the description--how did you know I go for that Louis Cyphre look? Oh wait, TB and I watch that movie together...

Now what I am really curious about is if and how they performed this at their recent free public concert in Boston...