The BBC has a long history of banning songs for unusual reasons, and one of the most peculiar cases occurred in 1997 when Denim's 'Summer Smash' was deemed unfit for air. The song, which features the onomatopoeic title, was considered too reminiscent of the tragic circumstances surrounding Princess Diana's death in a Paris tunnel that summer.
Denim, the indie project of Lawrence of Belgravia, was not alone in facing censorship following the tragedy. Kylie Minogue's fifth album, originally titled 'Impossible Princess', was delayed until 1998 and temporarily renamed to avoid association with the event.
Other notable BBC bans include The Who's 'My Generation', which was initially prohibited due to Roger Daltrey's vocal stutter, and David Bowie's 'Space Oddity', which was withheld until the Apollo 11 crew returned safely to Earth. The Kinks' 'Lola' also faced issues, not for its subject matter but for a reference to a soft drink company, requiring lyric changes.
