BANNED VINYL: The Lost Classic That Should’ve Stayed Lost
Artist: Chanelle Barton
Title: “When a Man Loves a Woman in the ASS” (1978)

From the murky depths of music history comes an album so infamous, so deeply entrenched in controversy, that it was banned in 17 states before the first track even played. Chanelle Barton’s “When a Man Loves a Woman in the ASS” is a record that stands as a testament to an era’s misguided attempt at pushing boundaries. Yet, while the album was swiftly discarded by mainstream society, its scandalous legacy has lived on, underground and elusive, in the hands of curious collectors and nostalgic outlaws alike.

The genre-bending masterpiece blends outlaw country with lounge-core in ways no one ever expected—and some wish they’d never heard. With lyrics that could be described as either a feminist satire or a tragic misinterpretation of Percy Sledge’s soulful classic, it leaves listeners unsure whether they’ve just witnessed a feminist triumph or an egregious lapse in judgment. Whatever it is, it certainly stirs a response, and that was exactly what Barton had in mind.

The record features a slew of tracks that toe the line between inappropriate humor and stark emotional rawness. The opening track, “Boot Scootin’ Boundaries”, is a raucous anthem that begins with twanging guitars and slurs into a drunken commentary on relationships, boundaries, and the damage we do to ourselves in the name of love. The second, “I Crossed the Line (And So Did He)”, is a heartache ballad with an uncomfortable twist—tracing the emotional wreckage of a romance that’s as absurd as it is painful. Then there’s “Love Hurts (Especially There)”, the song that sealed the album’s fate, becoming a cult favorite for its audacity, and its almost deliberately offensive commentary on love and lust.

Critics quickly labeled the album as “tone-deaf, tacky, and tragically catchy,” while radio stations collectively avoided it like the plague. However, its underground popularity soared—bootleg copies of the album now fetch thousands of dollars, primarily from ironic vinyl collectors, eccentric music enthusiasts, and baffled Europeans trying to make sense of the American counterculture of the late ’70s.

Some listeners claim the album is a brilliant feminist satire, a cutting critique of the very conventions it appears to embrace. Others, however, believe it’s simply a misguided mess of bad taste, caught in the wrong time and place. Regardless of which camp you fall into, one thing is undeniable—this is an album you weren’t supposed to hear. And now that you’ve heard it, you can’t un-hear it.

It’s the type of album that, after listening, leaves you questioning both your own morals and the limits of artistic expression. Is it a true classic that transcends its time, or just a beautiful disaster best left in the dustbin of history? In the world of vinyl and rare finds, “When a Man Loves a Woman in the ASS” is the one record that perfectly embodies the phrase, “You either love it or you hate it.” And no matter which side you fall on, you can’t deny the power it has to make an unforgettable impression.

So, whether you’re shaking your head in disbelief or shaking it to the rhythm of the absurdity, Chanelle Barton’s album will forever stand as a bizarre relic of music history.