Los Angeles - Artists are shying away from recording songs from Hair, charged its two authors James Rado and Gerome Ragni, because the material is too explosive in its attacks on society.

"You couldn't get 'White Boys and Black Girls' (sic) played on the radio," said Ragni, "or 'Colored Spade'"

So far only three songs have been recorded as singles from the lengthy score, according to United Artists Music, which publishes the music.  Those include 'I Got Life' by Nina Simone on RCA, 'Let The Sunshine In' by Little Anthony on Veep and 'Where Do I Go' by Carla Thomas on Stax.

The two authors who are appearing in the local version which is still running in New York, contend their songs are in tune with the social revolution today.  "Music is the medium of today, the medium of the revolution," Rado said.  "If any perisod should be put to music, this is it.  Contemporary music is the language of the kids."

Ragni added: "Hair is the surface symbol of the rebellion of kids who want to show in a dramatic way they are rejecting the values of society all the way."

A number of songs recorded in the first LP of the off-Broadway cast version do not appear on the Broadway version. And several songs have been added have been added to the local production which were not used in New York.

Copyright Billboard.

Archivists Note: Hair went on to become the single most recorded show in history, with 726 recordings made from the score as of 1970. The Broadway cast recording spent weeks at the number one chart position and won a Grammy, and 4 songs recorded from the show reached number one on the charts: "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" by the 5th Dimension, "Hair" by the Cowsills, and "Good Morning Starshine" by Oliver.