<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/singapore" rel="" target="" title="Singapore "><span>Singapore</span></a><span> began denying entry to the country to men with long hair on </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-on-this-day-january-9/0cf188b9-4dbe-4962-b0ed-0978b3f7e60a#4" rel="" target="" title="January 9, 1972"><span>January 9, 1972</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Under </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-on-this-day-january-9/0cf188b9-4dbe-4962-b0ed-0978b3f7e60a#4" rel="" target="" title="Operation Snip Snip"><span>Operation Snip Snip</span></a><span>, all visitors would be denied entry to the country unless their hair was cut above their collar.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ban was part of Singapore's efforts to keep hippies out of the country.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-december-17-what-happened-on-this-day-harold-holt/50376feb-a0cd-4f4c-b449-6e407b3f1780" target="" title="Harold ignored doctor's advice and vanished days later"><strong><span>Harold ignored doctor's advice and vanished days later</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Soon, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced that any man with hair below the collar, covering the ears or touching the eyebrows would be served last in government offices.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A month later, </span><a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/the-block/robbie-williams-jimmy-page-neighbour-feud-battle-over-a-swimming-pool-mega-basement/d2b584a1-94ef-4cbb-82ff-c75e36c55faa" rel="" target="" title="Led Zeppelin"><span>Led Zeppelin</span></a><span> decided to cancel their scheduled concerts in Singapore rather than submit to a haircut.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cliff Richard, The Who, Tom Jones and Cat Stevens also cancelled their tour plans.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-january-9-what-happened-on-this-day-singapore-haircut-ban/4fe0cdf5-8a30-4bdc-af77-30576b5b1a61" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Meanwhile, the Bee Gees were immediately sent home after a performance because of their shaggy 'dos.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Locals were not spared the draconian new laws.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Civil servants would be fined, or sometimes fired, if their hair went below the collar or over the ears.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-december-24-what-happened-on-this-day-juliane-koepcke-german-teen-plane-explosion-survivor-peru-amazon-jungle-survival-story/c37e531a-8770-4ae5-b88a-3be8481783d5" target="" title="The girl who fell 3km from a plane explosion and survived"><strong><span>The girl who fell 3km from a plane explosion and survived</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Long-haired locals at government facilities were told they would be attended to last, despite their place in the queue.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The government actively discouraged private businesses from hiring men with long hair.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And it was common for police to round up hirsute men and take them straight to the barber for a trim.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If Singaporean citizens returned from overseas with long hair, their passports would be confiscated until they had a haircut.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>From mid-1970, long-haired men were banned from appearing on television.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It all stemmed from </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/singapore" rel="" target="" title="Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew"><span>Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew</span></a><span>'s deep suspicion of hippie culture.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/today-in-history-january-5-tasman-bridge-disaster-tasmania/a8009273-f1fc-4ca5-aeb0-d424e25763a6" rel="" target="" title="Deadly disaster as ship knocks down major bridge"><strong><span>Deadly disaster as ship knocks down major bridge</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We are a very exposed society, having both an important air and sea junction, and the insidious penetration of songs, TV, skits, films, magazines all tending towards escapism and the taking of drugs, is a very dangerous threat to our young," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It is a malady which has afflicted several of the big capitals in the West and would destroy us if it got a grip on Singapore."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Singapore also banned a list of popular songs believed to be referencing drugs, including The Beatles' </span><em><span>Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds</span></em><span> and the entire soundtrack to </span><em><span>Hair</span></em><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Also banned was Creedence Clearwater Revival's </span><em><span>Proud Mary</span></em><span>, which is about a ferryboat ride with no apparent drug references.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ban on music with drug references was lifted in 1993.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While the long hair ban was never formally revoked, it has not been enforced for several decades.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/today-in-history" rel="" target="" title="For more from our Today in History archive, click here."><strong><span>For more from our Today in History archive, click here</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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