[Music] Fairytale of New York - PC gone mad or correct decision?

Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊



crodonilson

He/Him
Jan 17, 2005
13,575
Lyme Regis
It should also be noted that the editorial teams at each of the BBC's radio stations are perfectly entitled to schedule whatever they like to be played provided it matches the remit of that station, and I don't really see the need to justify any specific decision to their audience.

That's the next one that should be banned, lazy prejudiced lyrics.
 




vegster

Sanity Clause
May 5, 2008
27,931
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54999375

Just before we piss ourselves with excitement for Saturday after a crap international break, I was trawling through the news and saw this article.

Radio 1 are not going to play the original version of the Christmas classic and great song, Fairytale of New York. This is because the lyrics may offend some of its younger viewers. As someone who is young (late twenties), I don't know a single person in my age group, or even younger, who is even in the slightest bothered.

In fact, we just find this constant changing and banning of lyrics, tv programmes, films etc bloody irritating. A quick warning before playing or screening of controversial songs or programmes, should be the way, not erasing classics.

However, I do respect peoples views and if this offends them then fine, but is this yet more PC pandering or is it about time we made some changes to these dated Christmas Songs?

Interested to hear your views. Please don't send this to the bear pit either.
It's a nice distraction from the real news of failure of government on multiple levels and multiple departments. We mustn't look at the injustices of what happened at Grenfel, the PPE procurement scandals, the looming Brexit disaster, the inability to feed our own schoolchildren.. etc etc.... But let's go head mental about removing an offensive word from a Christmas song.
 


wellquickwoody

Many More Voting Years
NSC Patron
Aug 10, 2007
13,639
Melbourne
Seems rather apt......
 

Attachments

  • B39B12D6-D8BB-4F6C-AB1C-8606F725B92A.jpeg
    B39B12D6-D8BB-4F6C-AB1C-8606F725B92A.jpeg
    59.1 KB · Views: 86




midnight_rendezvous

Well-known member
Aug 10, 2012
3,737
The Black Country
Pretty much sums it up for me. The official Pogues Twitter seem to agree too :shrug:

56E2C22B-7B11-4B69-8576-947242D38D9B.jpeg
 




LlcoolJ

Mama said knock you out.
Oct 14, 2009
12,982
Sheffield
If that was the 'If I Should Fall From Grace With God' tour, I was there too. The support was Lynval Golding's post Specials band After Tonite and Lynval came out for the encore to play 'A Message To You Rudy'. Kirsty came on to sing Fairytale and was welcomed with sexist chants about what she should do 'for the lads'. I understand that guesting on that tour helped to cure her long term stage-fright. In phobia treatment terms, facing that every night, seems like some extreme 'flooding'

Pretty sure it was. Was definitely that album they were touring and I was 14 in 88/89.
 


Farehamseagull

Solly March Fan Club
Nov 22, 2007
14,179
Sarisbury Green, Southampton
As I said in the other thread, this seems like an incredibly sensible decision by the BBC if you actually read what they’re doing.

They’re playing a decent, amended version on Radio 1 that is more appropriate for current times and the youth of today who ultimately are their core audience. Despite being out of their target age range, I fall on this side. I don’t think the lyrics are appropriate or necessary anymore.

But if you’re one of those who needs to listen to the original, you can on Radio 2 and then it’s down to the individual DJ’s choice on Radio 6.

I can’t see any reason at all for a negative response to this. I shouldn’t be surprised but I cannot for the life of me work out why the Daily Mail brigade have got their knickers in such a knot again. Are they/you bored of Marcus Rashford already?!
 








Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
51,095
Faversham
Remember hearing McGowan’s South London accent when he was interviewed some years back. I like The Pogues, they throw a helluva party but I never knew they were English. Didn’t sit that well with me if I’m honest.

Don’t listen to Radio 1 and there’s far, far better Pogues songs to listen to so I care not a jot but if one of the BBC stations decided it doesn’t want someone saying ****** on air, it’s hard to disagree with.

McGowan was the singer in the 'nipple erectors' aka the nips.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCZwhuYBjOs

Cockney wanker.

Not only is he a massive cock, he has a massive cock according to an ex girlfriend of mine who had an encounter with it. :mad:

I rather enjoyed the Pogues. Never dig too deeply into the antecedants of musical entertainers. It always ends in disappointment.
 






ATFC Seagull

Aberystwyth Town FC
Jul 27, 2004
5,318
(North) Portslade
Remember hearing McGowan’s South London accent when he was interviewed some years back. I like The Pogues, they throw a helluva party but I never knew they were English. Didn’t sit that well with me if I’m honest.

Don’t listen to Radio 1 and there’s far, far better Pogues songs to listen to so I care not a jot but if one of the BBC stations decided it doesn’t want someone saying ****** on air, it’s hard to disagree with.

Surely if you've listened to the Pogues to any great length you'd know that most of them grew up in London! A huge amount of their songs reference London and second-generation culture. They've never made any attempt to hide or disguise what they were.

Why does it not sit well with you?
 


The Clamp

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 11, 2016
24,695
West is BEST
Surely if you've listened to the Pogues to any great length you'd know that most of them grew up in London! A huge amount of their songs reference London and second-generation culture. They've never made any attempt to hide or disguise what they were.

Why does it not sit well with you?

Dunno. I think I used the wrong phrase there. Haven’t listened to them much since I was in my teens and twenties, and it was always the soundtrack to a drunken time, didn’t pay much attention to the lyrics :)
 


ATFC Seagull

Aberystwyth Town FC
Jul 27, 2004
5,318
(North) Portslade
Seems rather apt......

I'm loathe to be disagreeing with the great Stephen Fry, but for me the "People are offended by __________, how ridiculous" is the biggest straw man argument used by the populist/right-wing/whatever side of the debate.

NO-ONE IS CLAIMING TO BE "OFFENDED".

The BLM statue debate in the summer. "People are offended by some statues, what snowflakes". Nope, no one said they were offended. People just think slave traders don't deserve massive statues of themselves in city centres.

This Pogues debate. "Who is offended by that word in the song". Probably no-one. It's been removed because it's now considered incredibly homophobic and nasty, and we don't want kids casually repeating it.
 




Swansman

Pro-peace
May 13, 2019
22,320
Sweden
I'm loathe to be disagreeing with the great Stephen Fry, but for me the "People are offended by __________, how ridiculous" is the biggest straw man argument used by the populist/right-wing/whatever side of the debate.

NO-ONE IS CLAIMING TO BE "OFFENDED".

The BLM statue debate in the summer. "People are offended by some statues, what snowflakes". Nope, no one said they were offended. People just think slave traders don't deserve massive statues of themselves in city centres.

This Pogues debate. "Who is offended by that word in the song". Probably no-one. It's been removed because it's now considered incredibly homophobic and nasty, and we don't want kids casually repeating it.

I'm offended by this statement. Meaning it is no longer true if it ever was, and that I can go back to not being offended.
 


LlcoolJ

Mama said knock you out.
Oct 14, 2009
12,982
Sheffield
Yep. March 12th so before my fifteenth birthday in June. About five of us went all around the same age.

Some night.

Failed to quote Stato there sorry!
 


BadFish

Huge Member
Oct 19, 2003
17,180
I'm 42 and I was listening to R1 last night with the Jnr Bobkins – 12 and 16. Why? Because I – and they – like the music it plays. I don't listen to it all the time, but once in a while I switch to it. Annie Mac, for example, is a fantastic broadcaster who plays great tunes.

Personally I couldn't care less about the station not playing the 'proper' version of FoNY and it makes me laugh how so many people who would (as you point out) never listen to Radio 1 are mortified and incandescent with RAGE about the decision. Like there is no other way they could consume the song!

I see that it's triggered the #DefundTheBBC lot into action – I'm imagining huge crossover there with those people who won't shop in Sainsbury's because one of its adverts featured a black family. But OTHER people are the snowflakes – let's just be clear about this...
Quite, I love the people who get upset about people being outraged 'on behalf of someone else' while doing exactly the same themselves.


Sent from my Redmi Note 7 using Tapatalk
 


LlcoolJ

Mama said knock you out.
Oct 14, 2009
12,982
Sheffield
Quite, I love the people who get upset about people being outraged 'on behalf of someone else' while doing exactly the same themselves.


Sent from my Redmi Note 7 using Tapatalk
Damn straight (or gay, trans etc).

And as sure as eggs are eggs, Shane will still cop for a million or so every Christmas and lots of people will enjoy the song (or hate it) whichever version is played.
 




Washie

Well-known member
Jun 20, 2011
5,661
Eastbourne
I do find it funny how the people who removed a word that a few gay people i know seriously dislike and finds deeply offensive are being calling snowflakes, by people acting like snowflakes.
 


LlcoolJ

Mama said knock you out.
Oct 14, 2009
12,982
Sheffield
I do find it funny how the people who removed a word that a few gay people i know seriously dislike and finds deeply offensive are being calling snowflakes, by people acting like snowflakes.
Snowflake!

I totally agree.
 


Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports


Top