CCO listeners won't get Physical
The area’s No. 1 radio station has refused to play the nation’s No. 1 song, “Let’s Get Physical,” by Olivia Newton-John, apparently because it’s too physical.
“I’m glad that I chose not to put it on the air,” said Denny Long, music director at WCCD-AM. “It was just a matter of good taste.”
Long said he based his decision on the merit of the music, not on whether it would offend the station’s audience, the largest in the Upper Midwest.
The single is from Newton-John’s latest album-called “Physical” - which has sold almost 2 million copies nationally. The title refers to physical fitness, according to MCA Records, which produced the album.
But Long feels differently. “Besides the album cover, which shows her (Newton-John) in jogging clothes, the album has absolutely nothing to do with exercise - at least exercise as we know it”, he said. “I don’t think our listeners really want to deal with such trite lyrics,” he said.
“The tempo and the melody do not have much to offer our type of listener, who is 30 years old on up. The fact that it’s directed at an under-20 audience, combined with the lyric content, made this an easy decision for me.”
The decision to ban it was not a common one.
“There were some radio stations in Utah that wouldn’t play it, because of all the Mormons, but that’s the only place we know of,” said Joan Bullard, a vice president for MCA Records.
“If this were a widespread phenomena, Olivia couldn’t stay No. 1 on the charts for 10 weeks,” she said. She said such staying power has only been accomplished twice before with Guy Mitchell’s “Singing the Blues” in 1958 and with Debby Boone’s “You Light Up My Life in late 1977.
Bullard said that she found it “amusing” that WCCO has kept the record off the air, because “Olivia has been criticized for being so white-bread.” (Translation: wholesome)
According to spokesmen for other local stations, the song hasn’t created any unusual controversy.
“We’ve had no complaints at all.,” said Dave Hamilton, music director of KDWB-AM and KDWB-FM. “It’s one of the most solid records in the 25-40-49 age group. We play it in hot rotation” (Translation: about once every four hours).
For those who don’t want to part company with WCCO or $7.50 (the cost of the album), here are the lyrics:
I’m saying all the things that I know you’d like
Makin’ good conversation
I gotta handle you just right
You know what I mean
I took you to an intimate restaurant.
Then to a suggestive movie
There’s nothin’ left to talk about
unless it’s horizontally,
Chorus
Let’s get physical, physical
Let’s get physical, physical
I want to get physical
Let’s get into physical
Let me hear your body talk, your body talk, your body talk
I’m sure you’ll understand my point of view
We know each other mentally
You got to know that you’re bringing out the animal in me.
Said Long: “If that has to do with jogging, I’ll eat it.”
By Bennie Miller Rubin, Staff Writer