Overview
"Special K" is a single by British alternative rock band Placebo, released on 19 March 2001 on CD and 12" vinyl, taken from their third album, Black Market Music. The title is slang for Ketamine, and the song itself is supposed to explore "the link between drugs and love," and "Special K" is uppers and the rush of falling in love."
Release plans and censorship changes
The band originally planned to release the single in the UK as a two part CD set as well as a 12" vinyl release. However, several radio stations refused to play the single due to its lyrical content, which would prevent the song from charting highly. Undeterred, the band reshuffled the release into one 7-track enhanced EP for CD, which would be ineligible for the charts. They issued a statement via their official fan club website, which read:
"The British Music Industry which has recently been championing disposable, facile pop and music which promotes homophobia, misogyny and violence has in infinite wisdom, taken offence to the lyrical content of our new single 'Special K'.
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).