SONG THAT GIVES BAD ADVICE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 82, 23 April 1937, Page 6

SONG THAT GIVES BAD ADVICE

Ban on Gracie Fields' Record THE SAFETY FIRST TUNE ! It has come ais an edict from high authority. No more is Gracie Pields to be heard over the air with her recbrded advice to boys and girls as to how to cross a road in order to save being run ^ over. And it is all because Gracie, aecording to the same high authority, made a terrible blunder. She told the boys and girls to ''look to the left and look to the Tight," whereas it should have been "first to the right and then to the left." The whole circumstances under which the song is sung are appatently entirely, forgotien. Here it is briefly. The recording opens in an imaginary hospital ward in which children are patients with broken limbs as the result of being run over.- Gracie then announces that she has something to tell them about how to avoid these accidents and calls it her "Safety Eirst" song. The chorus runs; — "When you cross the Toad by day or' night, j "Beware of dangers that loom in sight,, Look to the left and look to the right, And you '11 never, never get run over." The famons comedienne concludes; — ."What have you got to do when you ,get out of hospital?" The children jreply by singing the chorus in unison. The time has a catchy air and many . .hundreds of New Zealand boys and girls already know it by heart. The hospital setting also leaves a vivid impression on the minds of boys and girls and dt is thus calculated to do a tremendous amount of good in a campaign that aims at the saving of life and limb. One w.onders if the Minister of Transport (Hon. B. Semple) knows about this decision to ban one of the most popular of children's records. The following is the text of the ietter xeceived by B elass radio stations on the subject:- — "A correspondent has drawii attention to the advice given in the recording to 'look to the left and look to the right,' which", it is considered, is likely ' to cause conf usion in the minds of children who hear it. - In New Zealand tho ruie is 'look to the right and then to the left.' As a result of the criticism, it has been decided not to broadcast this record again and it is suggested that you take Bimilar action," , r '