"Fart" Blows Up a Controversy in Song "Marriott on Wheels"

Trish Lewis, a radio DJ for WUCX-FM in Saginaw, Michigan, spends every Monday afternoon, 1-3pm, hosting a show called "The Eclectic Chair". She plays all kinds of indy rock/pop, folk, and jazz music. A few months ago, Lewis began airing my songs, "Little Gracie" and "Rollerskate", into her diverse set lists.

Recently, Lewis spun my environmentally friendly song, "Marriott On Wheels," which contains the lyrics "knowing you chose a non-green death machine, you're doing your part to fart on the world."

Immediately following the show, the station manager received an anonymous email that if Lewis "aired any more excretion or any other (precious bodily fluid) words again [they] would have no choice but report [Lewis] and The Eclectic Chair to the Federal Communications Commission".

Lewis was shocked at the idea that she could be fired from a cushy volunteer radio position over the word "fart".

"FART for heaven's sake?! " stated Lewis. "Anonymous must mean it's silent but deadly?..My gosh if you knew all the words I've aired with permission of Howard Sharper my program manager (& mentor!) you would not believe I'd just been warned [for the use of "fart"]."


Essentially, my music was being banned. The first feeling I had was utter coolness. I have made it into the ranks of greatness. Being censored gives edge, rebellion, creating something that the mass media wants to hide from others. It's way hip.

The second was shock at the absurd. In an age when pop groups are dancing like strippers, while singing lyrics about humps, licking, grinding, being dirty, having sex, gangsta rappers are singing about drugs, pimps, bitches, hos, hustlin, killing, there's little me; a hippie with a metaphoric joke about how SUV exhaust emissions are "farting on the world" and it is a controversy.

I find this story to be utterly hilarious. I hope "fart" one day is freed from the political grips that imprison it's use on the airwaves.

Trish Lewis, said it best: "It's just too funny...that up here in Michigan a gal cannot sing fart even if she has a panty full!" http://radiochair.com




Set list on the day of fart reckoning:
THE WUCX-FM ECLECTIC CHAIR WITH TRISH LEWIS #2127


Introduction Mike Henderson and the Bluebloods “Mister Downchild” (Thicker Than Water) 1998 Dead Reckoning Records

♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫HOUR ONE♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫

1.) Miss Tess & The Bon Ton Parade “Pokey McMumbles” (Modern Vintage) 2007 Self www.misstessmusic.com

2.) Drake “Art School Girl” (These And Other Things) 2006 Drake the Band http://www.myspace.com/draketheband

3.) Amos Lee “Sweet Pea” (Supply And Demand) 2006 Blue Note Records

4.) Lyle Lovett and His Large Band “All Downhill” (It’s Not Big It’s Large) 2007 Lost Highway

5.) Old Crow Medicine Show “Down Home Girl” (Big Iron World) 2006 Nettwerk Productions

6.) Eric Lindell “Lay Back Down” (Low On Cash, Rich In Love) 2008 Alligator Records

7.) Eric Lindell “Lady Day and John Coltrane” (Low On Cash, Rich In Love) 2008 Alligator Records

8.) Roomful of Blues “Every Dog Has It’s Day” (Raisin’ A Ruckus) 2008 Alligator Records

9.) Joe Tex “I’ve Got To Do A Little Bit Better” (David Allen Coe Presents Joe Tex) 2002 Coe Pop Records

10.) Abbey Lincoln “Bird Alone” (Abbey Sings Abbey) 2007 Verve

11.) Koko Taylor “Piece Of Man” (Old School) 2007 Alligator Records

12.) Elvin Bishop “My Dog” (Booty Bumpin’) 2007 Blind Pig Records

13.) Guy Clark “Out In The Parkin’ Lot” (Workbench Songs) 2006 Dualtone Records

14.) Guy Clark “Analog Girl” (Workbench Songs) 2006 Dualtone Records

15.) Martha Scanlan “Call Me Shorty” (The West Was Burning) 2007 Sugar Hill Records

♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫HOUR TWO♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫

16.) Roomful of Blues “Lower On Your List of Priorities” (Raisin’A Ruckus) 2008 Alligator Records

17.) The Bridge “Get Back Up” (The Bridge) 2007 Hyena Records

18.) Tinsley Ellis “Stare At The Sun” (Moment Of Truth) 2007 Alligator Records

19.) Lee Rocker “String Bass, Guitar & A Drum” (Black Cat Bone) 2007 Alligator Records

20.) Ry Cooder “Green Dog” (My Name Is Buddy-Another Record By Ry Cooder) 2007 Nonesuch Records

21.) Miss Tess & The Bon Ton Parade “When Tomorrow Comes” (Modern Vintage) 2007 Self www.misstessmusic.com

22.) Lauren Molina “Marriot On Wheels” (Doo-Be-Doo) 2007 Self www.laurenmolina.com

23.) Kieran Kane & Kevin Welch with Fats Kaplin “Somewhere In The Middle” (You Can’t Save Everybody) 2004 Dead Reckoning / Compass Records

24.) Dave Van Ronk “The Outcast” (Wounded Heart Of America-Tom Russell Songs) 2007 HighTone Records

25.) Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire “Minor Stab” (Thrills) 1998 Rykodisc

26.) Tom Waits “Table Top Joe” (Alice) 2002 Anti Records

27.) Peter Karp “Strange Groove” (Shadows And Cracks) 2007 Blind Pig Records

28.) Bob Dylan “Beyond The Horizon” (Modern Times) 2006 Sony

29.) Laurence Blatt “Say Hello To Yesterday” (Out Of The Woodwork) 2007 LMB Music http://cdbaby.com/cd/lawrenceblatt