60′s & Beyond Notable Event – March 25th

In 1971, radio station WNBC in New York City is the first station to ban the Brewer and Shipley song, One Toke Over The Line, because of its alleged reference to marijuana. Then Vice President Spiro Agnew also named the singers personally as a subversive to American youth. It ironic that such a fuss was generated over their song and specifically their performing of their song because it was later performed on The Lawrence Welk Show, a television program known for its conservative, family-oriented format, by a duo known as “Gail and Dale.” At the conclusion of the song Mr. Welk remarked, without any hint of irony, “There you’ve heard a modern spiritual by Gail and Dale.” I guess its all about context!