Ode To Tipper Gore

Album: Cherry Pie (1990)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Can 55 or so seconds laced with profanity be called a song? "Written" by lead vocalist Jani Lane, "Ode To Tipper Gore" is the final track on the September 1990 Cherry Pie album.

    Lane died in 2011 in tragic circumstances; in his last interview with Denice Ames, he explained how it came to be recorded. He turned up at the studio late, and the engineer was sitting around with nothing to do. The live taping of a Warrant show had come in, and at some point this man received a phone call in which he was ordered to "Take all the profanity out!" So he did, and ran it together as a joke for Lane.

    Lane said he was surprised he'd used so much, but decided to focus his anger on something he thought was stupid, which was Tipper Gore's attempt to censor rock albums. After putting the track together, Lane said he invited her to a Warrant concert, but she didn't show up.

    Lane was far from the first rock musician to take aim at Tipper Gore; Danzig did so a lot more eloquently in 1988 with "Mother." >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Motley Crue

Motley CrueFact or Fiction

Was Dr. Feelgood a dentist? Did the "Crüecifixion" really happen?

JJ Burnel of The Stranglers

JJ Burnel of The StranglersSongwriter Interviews

JJ talks about The Stranglers' signature sound - keyboard and bass - which isn't your typical strain of punk rock.

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn YankeesSongwriter Interviews

Revisit the awesome glory of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees: cheesily-acted videos, catchy guitar licks, long hair, and lyrics that are just plain relatable.

Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins

Tom Bailey of Thompson TwinsSongwriter Interviews

Tom stopped performing Thompson Twins songs in 1987, in part because of their personal nature: "Hold Me Now" came after an argument with his bandmate/girlfriend Alannah Currie.

Zac Hanson

Zac HansonSongwriter Interviews

Zac tells the story of Hanson's massive hit "MMMbop," and talks about how brotherly bonds effect their music.

Francis Rossi of Status Quo

Francis Rossi of Status QuoSongwriter Interviews

Doubt led to drive for Francis, who still isn't sure why one of Status Quo's biggest hits is so beloved.