It’s not extremely surprising that a song about a man who likes to steal women’s clothing and dress in it would do better in the UK than in the US.

It was banned from Radio London - not for the stealing part, but because of the idea of a man dressing in woman’s clothing. Too vulgar for the pirate station, but fine by the BBC.

Syd Barrett’s take on it:

Arnold Layne just happens to dig dressing up in women’s clothing; a lot of people do, so let’s face up to reality!