Dean Friedman: Ariel

I remember this so clearly from 1977 that it was a shock to find that it hadn't been a hit in the UK. It was a hit in the US and also controversial. 

How, you are asking, could such a sweet, bubble-gum pop song be controversial? Dean Friedman explains:

My first label insisted that I edit and change the second verse to Ariel, in which I refer to her as "a Jewish girl". They were convinced that radio stations in the south would use it as an excuse not to play the record. (In fact, many stations in the south insisted on  playing the full length version which included "Jewish girl".) Also, the entire third verse was edited out of the single version to make it shorter for radio. 

I fought to keep the original version  intact on the album which is why the single version is different than the album. One of my biggest record biz regrets is that I let them do it. (Not that I had a lot of say over the matter as this was my very first release.)  

In fact, when the single was released my management company received threats from the JDL (Jewish Defense League) protesting the edit. While I was never a fan of Mayer Kahane, now deceased leader of the JDL, in this instance, they were 100 per cent correct.

The video I've posted has three verses, and I remember the third verse from 1977, so I suspect the full song was released as a single over here.

And if you are thinking of the Half Man Half Biscuit song The Bastard Son of Dean Friedman, it's only fair to point out that he wrote a witty reply to it: A Baker's Tale.