It's more than just a song, it's basically an anthem!

It’s hard to imagine a song as joyful and iconic as “Deep in the Heart of Texas” causing trouble, but in 1942, it did just that! At the height of World War II, the BBC banned the toe-tapping Texas anthem from its daytime radio broadcasts. With its joyful rhythm and unmistakable “clap clap clap clap,” it’s the kind of song you don’t just listen to, you have to participate in.

Texans loved it, kids loved it, even our friends across the pond loved it. But as it turns out, not everyone was ready for that kind of musical enthusiasm- especially not during wartime Britain. The reason as to why it ended up getting banned? It was considered too jaunty, and British officials feared factory workers might literally stop what they were doing to clap along.

Why the BBC Banned "Deep in the Heart of Texas" in 1942

According to the BBC:

In 1942, in the middle of World War Two, the controllers found reasons to ban songs they felt would stir the wrong emotions in its audience. 'Deep In The Heart Of Texas' was judged to be so jaunty that it was banned from the airwaves in case factory workers downed their tools to clap along with the song.

I guess I can understand that, I mean, listen to this and try not to clap along!

Yeah, I would totally stop what I was doing to join in- which would be terrible if I was a factory worker in 1942! No word, though, on whether the United States took such a stance on the song.

These days, you hear the song in movies, TV shows, celebrations and sports events, but in 1942 you could not hear it on British airwaves. Glad that's over with, because I think banning that song here in the Lone Star state could be illegal!