I probably am unreasonable because it's for charity so I'm sure no one will feel bad about ripping me to shreds but the what that rapper on the Grenfell Tower Bridge Over Troubled Waters song says

[TheIncredibleBookEatingManchot]

It could have been his mum or his nephew or him up there.

But a couple of lines earlier he says he's never even met any of the victims so what makes him think he could have been in their homes?

I might be a little forgiving if it turns out he lives in or has lived in a tower block as equally unsafe as Grenfell turned out to be but...

At least 79 people have died, many more are injured, traumatised, homeless and bereaved WHY IS HE MAKING THIS ABOUT HIM?

[FloatyCat]

I don't understand the relevance of the song compared to what has happened - bridge over troubled water??

[WonkoTheSane42]

He's not literally saying he could have been there, he's just identifying with them due to perceived social class. He's not making it about him per se, but people do identify with people they see as being like them more strongly than totally different groups.

[DCITennison]

He's not aging he/his family could have been in the homes of the victims, he's saying he/his family could have been the victims.
He's not making it about him he's empathising, finding common ground, relating to being from a background of low quality or inadequate social housing.

[Lonelystarbuckslover]

I think Stormzy grew up in flats like that, had friends in tower blocks. I interpret it as being 'there but for the grace of god go i' or 'imagine if I'd lost someone I love'.

Bridge Over Troubled water is a bit of an evergreen song for people who are grieving or having a tough time - i.e. That you will be there for someone in times of trouble.

Kelly Jones' line about 'when friends just can't be found' takes on a whole new meaning in this version I think

[Rainybo]

You get the award for today's longest thread title.

I think the inference is that it could have happened to anyone. I don't think he is making it about him, he is empathising.

[TestTubeTeen]

Poetic licence.

He's saying there is solidarity, and empathy because it could have been any one of us. We don't know where or who disaster will strike.

[SpiritedLondon]

I can't believe you're struggling with this. He's saying that the people who died were ordinary people like him. That by virtue of his upbringing that he or any of his family could have been living in Grenfell tower. Oh and by the way... his name is Stormzy.

[thisiswhatyou]

It's a DREADFUL song!

[AgathaRaisonDetra]

Has anyone bought it yet?

[Terfing]

It's a terrible version of a fantastic song

[Rainybo]

And a quick google shows that he grew up in Thornton Heath/Croydon and there are 39 tower blocks in that borough. Not clad, but could easily have been given the number that have already been identified across London. YABU.

[HattiesBackpack]

Oh I nearly started a thread about this and didn't because I wussed out!

This charity single version is not very good. (Ok I think it's bloody awful!) i think that they made a mistake rushing this out, it's a very poignant song and they would have been better taking their time and making a good job of it. Most of the vocals sound forced and fake, and there is too much 'power housing'. It would be much more powerful sung naturally.

There, I said it!!

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

I haven't heard the song and the longer I can avoid it the better as I loathe every version ever recorded!

[SantasLittleMonkeyButler]

Are you really confused by this?

"It could have been me" just means "it could have been my house" or "it could have been my friend's house" surely? You don't have to literally take it to mean that Stormzy was likely to have been in Grenfell Tower that night .

[thisiswhatyou]

It's bad, Pink

Like, really bad!

[Lonelystarbuckslover]

I haven't but its number 1 so someone has.

I thought I was going to be immune to it tbh, I was feeling cynical and I understand residents of Grenfell have expressed feeling patronised and dislike it, they don't want a charity record, they want justice which is a long way off sadly. I get that.

However, Stormzy's bits struck a chord with me. I imagine it's the main route through which young people have donated to the cause, which is something at least.

Stormzy did the rap at Glastonbury on Saturday and had a lot to say about the government in relation to Grenfell and the injustice. He seems committed to the cause. He's a political sort.

[Amanduh]

It could have been him or his friends or family from the council estates and tower blocks they lived and live in. He's showing empathy, common ground and solidarity. He's not making it about him.
As for the song meaning, it's about helping and being there in comfort for someone in a time of need.
Yabvu

[DailyMailReadersAreThick]

How are you confused by this? It's so very obvious

[oohhhhitshappening]

Wow some comments on here... ITS A CHARITY SONG

[LiveLongAndProspero]

So its a charity song, so what? It's still complete shite. But it will make lots of money anyway, so what does it matter?

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Just because it's a charity song doesn't mean it can't be crap!

[TheIncredibleBookEatingManchot]

It's not empathy to say it could have been me. Empathy is far bigger than that.

Saying it could have been me suggests you only care about something as far as it affects you, and makes it sound like you want to get in on the sympathy.

It's actually very insensitive to look at someone's tragedy and rather than simply saying, "that's awful, I feel for you, I will help you" ( or words to that effect) and instead say, "how terrible, it could have happened to me."

[DonaldStott]

It's bloody awful. Full of self indulgent vocal acrobatics.

The sentiment is good. The song is terrible.

[Badhairday1001]

Are you always so literal op? It seems quite obvious that he is identifying with the people who lived in those flats and saying that it could easily have been somebody close to him.

[SaucyJack]

I had to Google a line by line who's who.

I'm still none the wiser re: half of them.