In what has to be one of the most embarrassing bans in the BBC’s long history of censorship, the premiere UK broadcaster has forbidden airing the new single by LA duo Sparks, “Dick Around.”

Um, hello? Did they even listen to the song? (You can sample it on the band’s MySpace page.) I realize that Russell is singing at a pretty fast clip, but his diction is immaculate—it should be pretty clear the song is not some paean to the male member. Sheesh.

SPARKS REACT TO BBC BAN

RON AND RUSSELL MAEL HAVE REACTED ANGRILY TO SPARKS’ NEW SINGLE DICK AROUND BEING BANNED BY BBC

RON MAEL THIS MORNING RAGED: “THE BBC HAS OFFICIALLY KILLED OFF OUR NEW SINGLE DICK AROUND, OSTENSIBLY THROUGH RATHER CHILDISH OBJECTIONS TO THE TITLE, AN INNOCENT REFERENCE TO THE IDLE LIFE.

THAT A PIECE OF MUSIC CAN BE CONDEMNED PURELY BY ITS TITLE WITHOUT THE ‘DECISION MAKERS’ EVEN HAVING THE DECENCY TO OPEN THE CD CASE IS A TRAVESTY AND AN INSULT TO BOTH US AS THE CREATORS OF THE MUSIC AND TO THE LISTENERS OF THE BBC”

RUSSELL MAEL RESPONDED “THE REACTION FROM THE PUBLIC TO THIS RECORD HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT POSITIVE SO THE BBC SHOULD STOP TRYING TO BE THE MORALITY POLICE WHEN IT IS SO CLEARLY MISPLACED”

Adding insult to injury, the band—who are much, much more famous in England than at home—had to get up at the crack of dawn today to appear on BBC morning radio… but the host DJs couldn’t play the song the Mael brothers had shown up to promote.

I think the broadcaster is just punishing the guys for their 1994 send up “Now That I Own the BBC.” Here’s hoping they get all “Candle In The Wind” on that one and give it a topical update, with heavy lashings of vitriol, and circulate it as a free mp3.