With all the Social Justice Warriors and virtue-signalling in the entertainment industry today, it’s fun to take a look at some songs from back in the day that would be considered “hate speech” today.  And the fun thing is, most of them are nothing of the sort.  Here are a few.

The first selection here may not be considered PC today, but it was and is one of the greatest rock&roll tunes over written.  The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down is a paean to a brave man who fought and lost in America’s only family war.  And no, the song never mentions slavery.  It’s a sad, touching song.  Forget Joan Baez’s middling cover; here, from Martin Scorsese’s The Last Waltz is the song’s originators, The Band.

And how about Sammy Hagar’s response to Imperial blackmail to force the states to the old double-nickel speed limit?  Here he is, pre-Van Halen, with I Can’t Drive 55.

Speaking of Van Halen; around 1982, they did a cover of Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman.  The video was yanked from MTV; here is it in its entirety.  Take a look and see if you can tell why.

The penultimate selection here would be abhorred were it released today, due to a flurry of teacher/student “relationships” in recent years.  Van Halen touched on the subject with Hot for Teacher, but it was the Police with Don’t Stand So Close To Me that really nailed it.

Finally, from early 70s folks singer Melanie, this tune really fits only in the non-PC selection because of one line; listen, and see if you can guess which line I’m referring to:

On that musical note, we return you to your Thursday, already in progress.