Thursday, February 1, 2024

Does Anyone Else Have a Song They Like the, "Clean," Version of More Than the Unedited?

I generally loathe the, "Clean," version of songs. I want the true, original, unedited version. Let me hear the swear words or frank discussions of sex, drugs, and/or rock & roll. I absolutely hate, "Kidz Bop," and how it tweaks lyrics to make them, "Family friendly," and laugh at some weird ways they alter songs. All of this said, sometimes the clean version of a song weirdly is better than the uncut/dirty.

"In Da Club," is a hit song from 50 Cent and I bet if you asked 100 people to sing the chorus they all would sing the version from the clean/radio edit. That song is one where besides bleeping some lyrics there are some significant changes in actual spoken words including the chorus. You see, in the unedited version of the song 50 Cent actually says, "You can find me in the club, bottle full of bub'. Look, mami, I got the X if you into takin' drugs. I'm into havin' sex, I ain't into makin' love, so come give me a hug if you into gettin' rubbed," but everyone I know recites the version they've heard on the radio and which just seems to flow better because we're used to it. Those lyrics are, "You can find me in the club, bottle full of bub', Mama, got what you need, if you need to feel the buzz. I'm into havin' sex, I ain't into makin' love, so come give me a hug if you into gettin' rubbed." Notice the key sentence difference that says a drug name versus discussing a buzz?

I'm not offended by the discussion of ecstasy AKA X in the song, but I just am so used to hearing the edited lyrics it sounds, "Off," to my ear when the actual dirty version of the song is on. Plus, other lyrics are altered too which makes me stumble if I'm trying to hum along. This all results in the rare case where I'd honestly rather listen to the cleaned-up version of, "In Da Club," than the uncut. After all, when 50 Cent was at the Super Bowl he did the clean version of the song. When I was in Jr. High busting a move to this at school dances it was the clean version I heard. The clean lyrics are the ones I've known and enjoyed for years, along with everyone else. It is strange to say, but I like the clean version the most. Does anybody else have a song where that is the case? CeeLo Green's, "Forget You," instead of, "Fuck You," for example? Perhaps that new, "ABCDE Forget/Fuck You," song? There are varying examples, I imagine!

1 comment:

  1. Give me the dirty version EVERY TIME!! Sorry, David, but if that is the way the artist wrote it that is the version I want to f**king hear.

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