Heaven 17 - (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang

"(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang" is a song by British synth-pop band Heaven 17. It was their debut single, released on 6 March 1981, and the lead single from their debut studio album, Penthouse and Pavement (1981). It was a minor hit in the UK in 1981, despite being banned by the BBC. It was also a minor dance hit in the US. It developed from an instrumental, "Groove Thang", that Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh created earlier that year for Music for Stowaways, an album they released as British Electric Foundation.

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Why was it banned? LCD Soundsystem covered it and they are one of my favourite groups.
- Good question, probably because of the verse
  Democrats are out of power Across that great wide ocean Reagan's president elect Fascist god in motion
  Generals tell him what to do Stop your good time dancing Train their guns on me and you Fascist thang advancing
  Thatcher was uncomfortably close the Reagan (Jesus I've just had the most disturbing mental image), and the Beeb loved banning anything they deemed subversive at the time.
  
  Thanks. I need to do some reading on the things the BBC banned around that time. It was before my time. I do remember Tiper Gore's crusade in the 90s and actively seeking out the music with warning labels.
  
  Here's quite a good list of songs banned by them and the reasons for it.

8 comments