Criticism and Controversy
Not all of his songs were universally popular, for a variety of reasons.
At the peak of Williamson's career in 1983, "The Vasectomy Song" was banned from radio airplay because radio stations regarded its lyrics as too risqué, but despite this it was popular. The fictional song deals with a friend of John's having a vasectomy and then subsequently being arrested for obscene behaviour after being stopped by the police for speeding and asked to submit to a breath test. The song's humour is based on use of the term "blow into the bag" to refer to both the supply of a sample to test the success of the vasectomy and the use of the breathalyser.
One song on the Warragul album "Rip Rip Woodchip" helped raise awareness and money to provide protection for Australia's forestland but it provoked an angry reaction from loggers and lumberjacks who accused John of trying to kill off their livelihood, causing threats to sue him and cut his career short. The situation came to a climax when Williamson was asked to perform the song for the Rugby League Grand Final at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He however protected his right to voice his opinion politically, and was quoted as saying on the back cover of the song's 7" single, "Yesterday was the right time to stop the wholesale slaughter of our forests, flora and fauna. Every load of woodchip from our ancient and rare forests is stained with the blood of unique parrots and of marsupials such as koalas and rare possums. We are rapidly losing the very thing that makes me feel very fortunate to live in Australia."
"A Flag Of Our Own" from the Waratah St. album failed to find favour with a few country RSL clubs. Since the early 1980s Williamson wanted to express in song that Australia needed its own flag minus the Royal Union Flag. He received support from many people about the matter including ANZAC diggers who said they fought for Australia, not the flag. Regardless, Williamson was banned from a string of RSL clubs upon performing the song.
Fans who bought Hillbilly Road criticised two songs on the album, "Beach Of Love" and "Tomorrow's Worries", both in which the word sexy appeared but Williamson defended his right for "freedom of creative speech". However the album was still well received and hit No.1 on the Australian country charts.
While "Rip Rip Woodchip" and "A Flag Of Our Own" upset a few people, both songs were causes that Williamson felt passionate about and today he continues to promote them with the issues and benefits involved.
Read more about this topic: John Williamson (singer)
Famous quotes containing the words criticism and/or controversy:
“Parents sometimes feel that if they don’t criticize their child, their child will never learn. Criticism doesn’t make people want to change; it makes them defensive.”
—Laurence Steinberg (20th century)
“And therefore, as when there is a controversy in an account, the parties must by their own accord, set up for right Reason, the Reason of some Arbitrator, or Judge, to whose sentence, they will both stand, or their controversy must either come to blows, or be undecided, for want of a right Reason constituted by Nature; so is it also in all debates of what kind soever.”
—Thomas Hobbes (1579–1688)