Fairytale of New York should be banned from radio

[Alrighteo]

This is from one of the UK tabolids

I'm sure that's what he was thinking Mary. And when I say 'thinking' I am being generous.

There are some bloody miserable Christmas songs . Earlier this evening I pushed my trolley round the supermarket in tne company of lonely looking or harrassed people to the strains of 'Won't you stay another day'. Such fun! I do like fairy tale of New York though.

“Faggot wasn't a homosexual slur when the song was written, in the same way that we don't say gay to mean happy and jolly”
Was it written before 1914?
No, but it was written by a British-Irish man and another British man. BertrandRussell

There's no real emotion in FONY, it's one of the fakiest Christmas songs ever.

Personally I think it should be studied as a piece of poetry on the A level curriculum!

Too true

Mistletoe and Wine? That Slade thing? The whole special song for Christmas shuddery mess? Ban them all, excepting traditional carols and FONY.

Love it and think it is a beautiful poetic reflection on Christmas. It’s a moment in time, reflection, emotionally searing for me.

I think the tacky, plastic, commercialised, saccharine, shallow side of Christmas where everyone is pretending to be perfect is much more problematic than this.

And I can’t BELIEVE that I’m one of the few noticing that his insults (chavvy? Is it fuck) are pretty anti Irish.

There's no real emotion in FONY, it's one of the fakiest Christmas songs ever

Are you saying FONY is PHONEY?

Rage against the snow machine - im sorry i think i prefer the original words!

Should Oliver’s Army be banned?

Ok well I wouldn't ban based on what Alex Dyke said, sounds like he only wants to play happy clappy age appropriate Xmas songs. Granted, FONY, like most Xmas songs, is overplayed this time of year but I like that it is not twee, not another warbling Mariah. Not everyone is having the perfect twee Xmas and might feel comforted by the depressing lyrics of FONY, that it's ok to have a shit time at Xmas!

Should Oliver’s Army be banned?

Good analogy, also a fantastic song, but

"One more widow, one less white nigger."

But only the most superficial reading could say that the song is racist. It's highly critical of the attitude expressed by that character, and British military imperialism generally.

(Definitely not on Christmas playlists, mind you )

That line in Oliver's Army has been edited for radio.

More poetic genius: Hong Kong is up for grabs/London is full of Arabs.

Bloody brilliant.

And for those who weren't there at the time, this song was inspired by the fate of a group of mostly British mercenaries caught and executed in Angola in 1977.

@nononever

Just as an aside, at the final law lecture of my degree the lecturer didn't say a word, he just played this song… in May. We all just sat bemused and mesmerised and when it finished he didn't say a single word about it, he just got straight down to business.

What was his point interestingly?

@Frankiestein402 - I don't think I had read anywhere up to your post that said that there wasn't an NYPD Band….there is no such thing as the NYPD CHOIR as the lyrics in the song go "The NYPD Choir sing Galway Bay"...

The NYPD Band is renowned for their skills.

@Emmetgirl

Not because of the lyrics but because I'm sick to bloody death of it having had to hear it every sodding year since it's release confused

What about Chris Rea driving home for Christmas since 1986. That's one long fucking long ride home!

"I have no respect left for you" doesn't quite ring true to character in the same way as the "You scumbag, you maggot" couplet.

It doesn't rhyme or fit into 6/8 time, either.

'You fucking prick, if it wasn't for meeting you, I'd probably actually BE on Broadway now ya cunt ya instead of hooked on fucking drugs' doesn't rhyme either lol

My fav Christmas song! Whenever I hear it it just reminds me of my childhood and how magical Christmas was/is! Not because of the lyrics just the memories behind it.

Somebody somewhere described Shane as an Irish Brit.

Those two words should never be uttered in the same sentence. I've been reading back to find it, but can't.

Can I just say that Shane would choke on his tea if he heard such a thing!

We might be unique in this (Irish), but even second generation Irish, born and bred in England will always claim to be Irish! Might be the rearin' lol.

We seem to be unique in our reluctance to claim British heritage... Everyone else seems proud to be born and bred in England. I suppose we have a unique history with England. We emigrated to Britain in droves in times of poverty in Ireland.

But every family in Ireland has an emigrant. Whether it's an aunt/uncle, brother/cousins etc. It had to be done. For the most part, people landed on their arses at first, but some really made it. Some just managed along quite nicely, but this song resonates with Irish people across the world. And I hope it resonates with other people as well.

I used to love it, but this song was playing when someone crashed into me and I had my 1 year in the car too (thankfully it was only me who suffered slight bruising) but everytime I hear it now, it just takes me back to that moment.

No, but it was written by a British-Irish man and another British man

😳 Shane MacGowan was born in England to thoroughly Irish parents, there is no 'British' in him.

I love the song, never tire of hearing it.