“It is problematic that Beyonce Knowles does a pelvic grind against Mr Jay-Z at 9am on a Saturday morning.”

So says Lauren Deemus from the South Australian Liberals.

The Liberal Party Federal Council has backed a resolution urging the Government to investigate classifications for music videos, partly inspired by Beyonce’s ample booty in Crazy in Love and the confusing message that it sends young girls.

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock generously offered to look into the matter by requesting footage of the lingerie clad Pussycat Dolls:

I would like to have the particular programs that you have identified and particularly if you have a tape of them or can identify the particular clips so that I can invite the appropriate officers to undertake a review and to see whether or not those matters ought to be requested for further examination.

The censorship of the controversial video clip has a long and proud tradition in music, but we’re guessing Philip isn’t one to tape Rage regularly. So, to aid Ruddock in his efforts to classify each clip, we’ve thrown together a few controversial videos to provide a benchmark:

  • The first video to be banned by MTV was released by badasses Duran Duran.

  • Yep,  “Girls on Film“ was banned in 1981 for full frontal nudity. Warning, this is the uncensored version, so don’t be offended by the use of whipped cream. Or the haircuts.

  • Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time” video was restricted to late-night broadcasts on MTV, perhaps for fear of scaring small children with footage of the singer straddling a battle ship canon dressed in a black G-String that revealed a tattoo on each buttock.

  • Body Count’s Cop Killer is so controversial that we can’t find a clip on YouTube, so here’s the live version. And here’s Ice T getting grilled by Jana Wendt on A Current Affair. Watch Wendt read the lyrics aloud.

  • George Michael’s “I Want Your S-x” film clip managed to stave off the g-y rumours for another few years by depicting limbs writhing on black satin sheets and the ex Wham member writing the words ‘Explore’ and ‘Monogamy’ in lipstick on a naked thigh.
  • Prodigy’s “Smack My B-tch Up“ was banned in several countries. The name says it all, really.
  • Madonna is the world’s pre-eminent expert on getting one’s clip banned, earning the wrath of Christians and prudes everywhere by kicking off with Like a Virgin (gondolas, writhing, tulle) moving on to Like a Prayer (burning crosses, lingerie, the stigmata, a black Jesus), peaking at Justify My Love (sado-m-sochism, homos-xuality, cross-dressing, group s-x) and Er-tica (ditto), and most recently, pulling her American Life video (controversial military imagery) for fear of offending the troops in Iraq.

  • The S-x Pistol’s God Save the Queen, banned from the BBC for its subtle anti royal message.
  • Every parent’s favourite pin-up, Marilyn Manson, has released many a controversial clip but (S)aint was the only one to be banned by the artist’s label.