Blue Mink’s Melting Pot banned over offensive lyrics

It may have been a flower power anthem, but you won’t be hearing it now. A golden oldies radio station has been forced to stop playing a sweetly sung plea for racial harmony after regulators ruled its lyrics offensive.

Blue Mink’s 1969 debut hit Melting Pot reached No 3 in the UK charts and has been a fixture on radio playlists for decades. But the song’s racial language, including references to “curly Latin kinkies” and “yellow Chinkies”, has been deemed inappropriate for modern audiences by Britain’s media watchdog.

Ofcom said “Chinky” was an unacceptable anti-Chinese slur and the potential for offence was exacerbated by the use of the word “yellow”. “Red Indian boy” was also problematic.

The watchdog acknowledged that there was less evidence of the offensiveness of “curly Latin kinkies”, but both it and a reference to “coffee-coloured people” could hurt minority groups.

Ofcom launched a formal investigation after receiving a single complaint about the song’s broadcast on Gold, a radio station specialising in music from the 1960s and 1970s.

Global, Gold’s owner, defended the track selection, noting that Blue Mink wrote it to promote racial inclusivity and equality. The song imagines the creation of a single human from people of many races. “You know you lump it all together, You got a recipe for a get-along scene,” sings Madeline Bell, the band’s African-American vocalist. “Oh what a beautiful dream.”

Global also pointed out that Gold listeners were unlikely to be offended given that they had chosen a station that played vintage hits.

However, Ofcom ruled that the passage of time did not mitigate the song’s offensiveness, which was not justified by its context. Gold had failed to point out the song’s title in advance, which might have helped listeners to appreciate the message.

Melting Pot has been permanently removed from Gold's playlist, which means in effect that it is banned.


https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/blue-minks-melting-pot-banned-over-offensive-lyrics-82kpk7jht?shareToken=d574c1adceabbecdb0be0e5213bc6226

it's a great song


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HGF4knhTg0

gelico wrote:



it's a great song


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HGF4knhTg0

Agreed and yet again woke PC culture strokes again. Telling organisations what they can and cannot play

PC idiots strike again, am I correct that only ONE person complained ?

nicko wrote:PC idiots strike again, am I correct that only ONE person complained ?  

hahahaha yes, nicko, that's just what i was going to say

ONE person has the power to deny everyone listening to that song

crazy huh?

I liked that song !

RW pc...you Brits and your censorship!