Censor (song) explained

Censor (Dogshit)
Cover:Censor_(1988)_cover.png
Type:single
Artist:Skinny Puppy
Album:VIVIsectVI
Released:1988
Recorded:mid-1988
Genre:Electro-industrial
Length:22:35
Label:Nettwerk
Prev Title:Addiction
Prev Year:1987
Next Title:Testure
Next Year:1989

"Censor" is a song by Canadian electro-industrial band Skinny Puppy, taken from its 1988 album VIVIsectVI and released as a single in the same year. "Censor's" original title was "Dogshit", which was changed for this release's marketability.

Content

The song

"Censor" was originally released with the title "Dogshit" as the introductory song off of Skinny Puppy's 1988 album VIVIsectVI.[1] [2] Nettwerk, Skinny Puppy's record label at the time, suggested the change for the single's marketability.[3] The decision to rename the song was ultimately the band's,[4] and the title "Dogshit" still appears on the 12-inch's spine.[5]

Two main versions of "Censor" exist: the four-minute album mix and the ten-minute extended mix, both of which are featured on the single. Musically, the song begins with an extended intro with distorted, looped, and cut up samples. It then transitions into a multilayered blend of programmed industrial beats, fretless bass, and synthesizer sounds all overlaid with Nivek Ogre's enigmatic and intentionally grating vocals. The last third of the song introduces electric guitar and more electronic noise. The extended mix is deliberately sparser than the original version, and it features a number of new sounds and samples. Ogre's vocals do not enter the track until two and a half minutes in.

The single

Two additional songs originally from the CD versions of VIVIsectVI appear on the "Censor" single.[6] Cofounding member cEvin Key thought of these tracks, "Punk in Park Zoo's" and "Yes He Ran", as a cross between the style of Skinny Puppy the style of some of his side projects, like Doubting Thomas.[7] "Punk in Park Zoo's" is a short and aggressive song that features a different, more abrupt ending than that which appears on the VIVIsectVI compact disc. It is heavily distorted and noisy and was created during a jam when the band took a break from recording "Dogshit".[8] "Yes He Ran" repeatedly employs a sample of Jim Morrison saying "everywhere".[9]

Personnel

All credits adapted from liner notes.[10]

Skinny Puppy

Additional personnel

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kern, Jay. Skinny Puppy – Synthesis. January 2014. Mythos Press. 82.
  2. Web site: Wolanski. Coreen. Skinny Puppy: Every Dog Has Its Day. Exclaim!. May 11, 2018.
  3. Key . cEvin . cEvin Key. Goettel. Dwayne. Dwayne Goettel. City Limits Interviews Skinny Puppy . https://web.archive.org/web/20181110052730/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y8NT5uONEc . 2018-11-10 . dead. MuchMusic. Toronto . . May 13, 2018.
  4. Spainhower. Mark. Skinny Puppy Interview. Vinyl Propaganda. 1988. 1. 8. 19 May 2016.
  5. Web site: Brap...The Skinny Puppy Discography. Prongs. May 11, 2018.
  6. VIVIsectVI . CD liner notes . Skinny Puppy . 1988 . May 10, 2018 . . NET 021 CD.
  7. Key . cEvin . cEvin Key. Goettel. Dwayne. Dwayne Goettel . Peter Day . An Interview with Skinny Puppy . WMXM 88.9 . . October 31, 1990 . May 11, 2018.
  8. Web site: Key. cEvin. cEvin Key. Topic: ViViSectVi last 5 tracks. Litany.net. May 17, 2018.
  9. Web site: Cigéhn . Peter . The Top Sampling Groups List: Skinny Puppy . Internet Archive: Wayback Machine . 19 July 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20041030150321/http://www.sloth.org/samples-bin/samples/group?entry=Skinny+Puppy . October 30, 2004 .
  10. "Censor" . CD liner notes . Skinny Puppy . 1988. . W2-3021.