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Original poster

The fairytale of New York, do you find the lyrics offensive?

146 replies

Sfuandtired · 27/10/2021 17:09

I’m Sat listening to the usual bleeped out version of the song on one of the music channels, and thinking as I usually do why do they not leave ‘those’ parts in? Surely it’s just a song? Does anyone actually find it that offensive?

OP posts:
Iloveallofthem · 27/10/2021 19:38

Whatever next.

Everything. EVERYTHING. Is deemed as as offensive these days. It's so fucking miserable

GTAlogic · 27/10/2021 19:41

No. I like the song. It's a message of hope despite a shitty situation and the words fit within the description of it.

jamandmarmalade · 27/10/2021 19:43

@Sfuandtired

I’m Sat listening to the usual bleeped out version of the song on one of the music channels, and thinking as I usually do why do they not leave ‘those’ parts in? Surely it’s just a song? Does anyone actually find it that offensive?
YANBU - i find it just ruins the song. Why play it all now?

Bring back the original version! Grin

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CaputApriDefero · 27/10/2021 19:44

You can't find that offensive but not find the weirdly rapey "Baby it's cold outside" so.

They're from a different time, we need to stop smacking 21st Century Offended labels on everything

CallMeNutribullet · 27/10/2021 19:45

No but I fairly I'm not a gay man

jamandmarmalade · 27/10/2021 19:47

Wizzard 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day' played in EVERY shopping centre played at volume 11 is offensive.

Deadringer · 27/10/2021 19:48

I am Irish and unlike some pps i never heard the word used as a homophobic slur growing up in Dublin, there was lots of other nasty words about, but not that one. It originated in America as a slur didn't it? I love the song but if it is offensive to gay people i think it could easily be changed to braggert or similar instead of beeping it out.

Rainbowheart1 · 27/10/2021 19:48

Not offended, and I don’t need the approval of someone from LGB to decide for me if I should be offended or not.

Everyone finds something offensive.
Just because you are offended, doesn’t mean your right.

LoislovesStewie · 27/10/2021 19:52

As I understand it (and correct me if I am wrong) but the word came to be an offensive slur in North America, in the UK it means either a meatball type dish or a bundle of twigs tied together. Again I realize that words change meanings so get that it is deemed offensive by some.
On another note I get the giggles when an American talks about their fanny as clearly the word means something different in the UK. Of course, being sensible I understand that sometimes words have 2 meanings.(Hope you like the quote from Stairway to Heaven)

JumperandJacket · 27/10/2021 19:54

To people who object to the editing, do you object to all editing on mainstream stations like Radio One? Would you rather they played every f, n**, etc?

madisonbridges · 27/10/2021 19:57

@PolytheneRam

I don't find it offensive at all, because it's subg 'in character'

I do like the alternative lyrics I heard last year though:

"you scumbag, you maggot, you taped over Taggart..."

😂😂😂😂
Thatsplentyjack · 27/10/2021 19:59

Bot at all, and it's nowhere near as offensive as half of the music I hear being played on the radio now. Although that gets beeped too, to the point that sometimes they may aswell not bother playing the song.

MrsSkylerWhite · 27/10/2021 20:00

Wasn’t that the point?

ABCeasyasdohrayme · 27/10/2021 20:01

I'm glad they took it out, the F slur doesn't need to be normalised and people shouldn't be doing their shopping or at a school disco or whatever and have to hear it.

Its an insult used by many to hurt many people.

I cant believe that the term 'Karen' (rightfully) gets outrage in here but people are absolutely fine with the F slur.

NalPolishRemover · 27/10/2021 20:03

My Irish grandparents used the word faggot in the context of light hearted giving out, usually to kids, in the form of ' oh you're a right little faggot' if for instance you hid some thing of theirs as a joke. There was absolutely no homophobia in their use of the word.

The use of the word fairy was a more common homophobic descriptor for their generation where I came from

Dazzledrop · 27/10/2021 20:14

@ABCeasyasdohrayme

I'm glad they took it out, the F slur doesn't need to be normalised and people shouldn't be doing their shopping or at a school disco or whatever and have to hear it.

Its an insult used by many to hurt many people.

I cant believe that the term 'Karen' (rightfully) gets outrage in here but people are absolutely fine with the F slur.

Exactly this!

It’s a slur typically targeted towards gay men and censored so as not to offend people who may have that slur aimed at them… if you’re not offended by this that’s probably because you’re not in one of the groups who it would be targeted at.

jamandmarmalade · 27/10/2021 20:17

@Mysterian

I'm a man and that word could be used against me. Yes it is homophobic. I've been out at christmas and when that song comes on a large number of people in the pub/bar scream "Faggot" at the top of their voice at that bit. They're either doing it because they're upset at an old Irish word... ...that's bollocks. They're doing it because they don't like LGBT people.

This thread is a lot of people who aren't in a protected minority telling people who are that they're wrong to be offended by a word. Not a good look.

That is horrid. I can see why that would be very painful for you. I genuinely never thought it was meant as a homophobic slur but then as a child i just thought it meant daft sausage.

I think the people in the bar that says more about them than anything. It's their insecurity.

jamandmarmalade · 27/10/2021 20:17

sorry that was to @Mysterian

MarDhea · 27/10/2021 20:39

@Mysterian

I'm a man and that word could be used against me. Yes it is homophobic. I've been out at christmas and when that song comes on a large number of people in the pub/bar scream "Faggot" at the top of their voice at that bit. They're either doing it because they're upset at an old Irish word... ...that's bollocks. They're doing it because they don't like LGBT people.

This thread is a lot of people who aren't in a protected minority telling people who are that they're wrong to be offended by a word. Not a good look.

That's awful and it shouldn't have happened to you. I can understand wanting to ban/edit the word from the song in order to avoid situations like that.

But it's quite a different thing to be offended by the song itself, in which the word is used in a completely different context.

The song itself is not homophobic. People can use the song in homophobic ways. Both things can be true at once. It's not an either/or.

Tillysfad · 27/10/2021 20:40

Well yes but it doesn't matter does it.

PickUpAPepper · 27/10/2021 20:41

No. I find the censorship offensive.

Thinkbiglittleone · 27/10/2021 20:51

@Danikm151

I don’t find it offensive. The words are in the context of the characters.
This, it's my favourite Christmas song and no i don't find offensive, but I think you may need to be selective in the audience it's played to.
PortraitOf · 27/10/2021 22:36

Yes I do. As a lesbian, with many gay male friends who have suffered lifelong homophobic abuse with the word “f@gt” hurled at them, I do find it offensive and I struggle to see why anyone who isn’t lesbian/gay etc should dictate that the phrase “isn’t” offensive.

It’s laughable that so many on here (mostly straight women, I assume) are quick to “defend” gay people when it comes to criticising gender theory and transgender women, yet will also openly turn a blind eye to blatant homophobia!

Actually, for me, it’s not even the word itself that is most offensive, but the way in which so many people seem to revel in being able to shout it with glee every time Christmas grows near and this whole debate resurfaces Hmm

PortraitOf · 27/10/2021 22:42

@tedsletterofthelaw

No.

But then I'm heterosexual so can't speak for whether it is offensive for gay people.

Absolutely this. I don’t doubt that the connotations might be lost on many people, especially those who grew up with Irish family etc… but when gay/lesbian people rehash this same tired conversation year on year (a quick Twitter search doesn’t hurt) and emphasise that yes, that phrase is certainly outdated at best and carries deeply hurtful associations for so many, surely it’s time to ask “does censoring this song really affect me?”

The answer is probably “no”, for someone who is not gay. No skin off your nose, so to speak, if a certain word is censored.

Regardless of the homophobia issue, the whole song is a pretty grim portrayal of a abusivo dynamic isn’t it? Confused

Madwife123 · 27/10/2021 22:43

I hate the casual use of F….t and everyone arguing it’s innocent. When you’ve watched someone be assaulted with that being screamed at them it holds a different meaning.

Would you all be arguing the N word is acceptable in a song?