Songs censored by the BBC

By LAURA JONES
NOEL Coward, The Beverley Sisters, George Formby and George Melly - these are just some of the acts banned by the BBC which feature in a new collection by Ainsdale historian Spencer Leigh.
After months of research and regular visits to the BBC archives in Caversham, the Southport music pundit has gathered all of the songs banned by the Beeb between 1931 and 1957 in one illicit collection.

So what gave him the idea?
He said: "I go down to look at the BBC archives from time to time because all the correspondence before 1980 is open to inspection.
"I was working on a book about Liverpool entertainers and the BBC, and I thought that one day it would be very interesting to see correspondence about all the Liverpool artists that had been banned, and that led to this."
The collection pulls together all 75 songs that were deemed too scandalous, corrupting or scurrilous to broadcast.

And more than a few of the risque line-up hail from Liverpool, including Lita Rosa and Arthur Askey, but Southport comes out looking squeaky clean.
"I don't think Marc Almond had any censorship problems," Spencer laughs.
With This Record is Not to be Broadcast receiving critical acclaim from trendy music magazine Mojo, the Ainsdale historian, who hosts a Radio Merseyside show, has found a younger fan base.
"It's very nice - it shows that people like the history of the music," says Spencer.
"I think that people who read magazines like Mojo are interested in the background of the music anyway."
And the glamour of being banned by the Beeb has probably lent the collection some street cred too.
He says: "It's an issue that goes back almost to the beginning of recording.
"I think it's an interesting subject because of instances like Frankie Goes to Hollywood in the more recent past.
"Nearly every artist has got into trouble at some stage."
And as for his favourite song, that would be Noel Coward's Don't Let's Be Beastly to the Germans.
"It's a wonderful, sarcastic piece - and the BBC had great problems with that," says Spencer.
"They were worried in case people took it seriously."