In Europe, stations play the grown-up versions of songs, and even play songs for which there is no hope of a censored version. Example: The Ballad of Chasey Lain, which received some radio play in Germany a number of years ago.

By Europe you mean continental? FM/DAB radio in the UK follows ofcom standards, but French daytime music tv plays F You by Lily Allen.

Outside of the UK, almost no one makes the distinction between 'continental' Europe and those islands on the coast of France.

Also, that water between England and France? Most of the world refers to it as 'the Channel', while the British tend to refer to it as 'the Atlantic'. Both are correct, of course, but it does show how significant the British find that 4 mile wide gap.

I'm British and I have never heard anyone call the Channel the Atlantic. I'm not saying your generalisation is wrong (there does seem to be a very us|them mentality here) but just thought it was worth a note - in fact, we call the tunnel, The Channel Tunnel.

Nobody has a monopoly on exceptionalism.

>Does it get uncensored air play in Europe, Asia, etc?

Yes, in Europe we're mostly treated like adults.

> Yes, in Europe we're mostly treated like adults.

Mostly. But in many European countries, instead of fines you'll face jail-time if you broadcast words that have been deemed unacceptable by the government. For example:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech#Germany

While in the US, adults are expected to recognize and counter those obnoxious and hurtful words with rejection, education and civil discourse.

Well, for Germans it's ok to NOT be treated as adults, because last time they played the grown ups they killed around 20+ million people.

I'd say, though, that there are far more words you cannot broadcast in the US, free speech and all. If not because of law, then because either the networks wont let you or because some people will "crucify" you.

I remember some years ago there was a huge brouhaha even because Janet Jackson showed some tit on a live show...

The point is, not everyone listening to a broadcast is an adult. I mean, the laws are completely obsolete, but there's a logic to them.

You've clearly never had a 12 year old spew all the seven dirty words at you (and some I had to look up)

What are you protecting kids from at this point?

You never set a standard based on a worst case scenario. Just because 30% of 12 yr old kids (btw I made that number up) are swearing left right and center does not seem logical to not protect the other 70% from swearing.

I'm pretty sure it does. It's like protecting them from idolatry or hereticism, at this point.

12? I knew all there was to know about cussing at 7, and I'm well into my 30s. Oh and there was no internet at the time.

To be clear, it plays uncensored over the air in the States too as long as it's on Satellite-radio or pay-TV.

The version I've been hearing on XM at the gym is censored.

Pretty sure that's unusual-most (but not all!) programs are explicitly uncensored.

Though I sometimes suspect that radio stations wouldn't play certain songs during the day if the average listener actually understood the English lyrics. (I'm from Germany.)

Likely only on the station Triple J, which does give a strong language warning before songs (but will happily play pretty much anything uncensored).

Most other stations even sensor the line 'big-ass coat'...

It's funny how content doesn't play into whether a song is censored or not... I mean this song is about shopping.. and a few 'bad' words are censored.. It's also probably one of the more innocent rap songs out there. Maybe we can drop this censoring bullshit when people realize the words aren't really the thing thats bad..

I've heard uncensored 50 Cent & Eminem in the toy section of Japanese department stores (as well as elsewhere in the stores, but hearing in the toy section was most memorable). Many of the locals don't understand most of the lyrics, but liked the tune or beat.

I've heard the uncensored version in Canada.