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The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, Canada’s answer to the Broadcasting Commission, has decided that “Money for Nothing” is too offensive to be broadcast on Canadian radio stations.

The song, taken from the album “Brothers in Arms”, was released in 1985 and at the time became the first music video broadcast on MTV Europe when the channel was created in 1987. It was written by guitarist and songwriter of the group. , Mark Knopfler. Not unknown artist Sting also sings on the song. He is also listed as a co-composer of the song because Knopfler borrowed a melody line from a song by The Police.

“This little bassoon”

The reason it will now be banned from radio is the song’s repetitive verse “this little faggot”, described as derogatory towards homosexuals, reports Reuters.

The word fag has several meanings. It is used for British meatballs, a unit of measurement for packets of sticks and as a derogatory word for gay. The lyrics fall into the latter description.

Protest

according to rolling stone Several radio stations played the song repeatedly for an hour straight to protest the decision. “Money for Nothing” is still allowed to play, but then an edited version where the word fag was removed.

The origin of the ban was an anonymous complaint from a listener in St. John’s, Newfoundland, who had heard that he was fed up with the harassment.

– The language was real

Dire Straits keyboardist Guy Fletcher says on his own blog that he shares Knopfler’s view on the matter and writes:

“Mark says that since the song was banned, he replaced the word faggot with the word fudger (a slang term similar to the word fucker. Journ.anm) in Canada.”

In 1985, Knopfler, in a interview with Bill Flanaganwhat the song is about.

– The main character of “Money for Nothing” is a guy who works in a store that sells televisions, refrigerators, kitchen accessories and microwave ovens. He’s the one who sings the song. Actually, I also wrote the song in such a store. I borrowed a piece of paper and started writing the song there. I wanted to use the language the store clerk used because it was real.