Fairytale of New York should be banned from radio

[Alrighteo]

This is from one of the UK tabolids

Her children love it therefore play on!

I grew up in Tipperary, where I lived with a large, extended family. My parents were there occasionally, but it was mainly my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and my sister. It was an IRA safe house and there were always loads of people living there

and

I was literate at a very early age because I was given adult books to read, such as Dan Breen’s My Fight for Irish Freedom. There was one Noddy book in the house, which I read and thought was beneath my intelligence, or any kid’s intelligence."

Yeah, Shane McGowan sounds British all right

grew up in Tipperary

That's a long way.

Has anybody seen my coat?

I've read the lyrics and I'm not sure I know this song...

I always thought of the Pogues as a London Irish band. Does Shane even have an Irish accent?

@Drpeppered
Agree with you over those lyrics . Almost terms of endearment !
To me a Christmas without hearing the ironic Fairytale of New York isn’t complete .

@RuffleCrow
Strangely my very strait laced Mum used to call me a «little faggot « in the 1950’s when I was a girl of about 9 . She also called me a little baggage too . Faggot is a piece of wood - I preferred being called baggage on balance .

Does baggage have anther meaning I don't know about?

I actually find bits of it very poignant.....but I appreciate I'm odd like that.

To be honest, there's worse songs out there. I'm far more offended by Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke which is positively date-rapey as far as I'm concerned.....

Forget the lyrics, the Irishness, Shane, whatever...
...Kirsty. Always remember the wonderful Kirsty, her life snuffed out way too soon. If hearing about abuse and faggots on the radio means people keep on remembering her, then it's all good as far as I'm concerned.
Although I do wonder how her sons react to it every year. Must be really hard

Kirsty's mum said she enjoyed hearing her sing "You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot" after she was killed, as she imagined her singing it to the millionaire whose boat it was.

Agree re Kirsty. She was wonderful.

Yes, Kirsty died far too young in a terrible way. Doesn't mean we all have to love this overblown song forever, surely?

Of course nobody’s saying you have to love the song.

I love this song. Precisely because its gritty, real and reflects that this period of time isn't all fluff and nonsense for a lot of people - either the period it was written about, or present times. It's a moment of genius.

I don't know many people that have the Christmases you see in a john lewis advert, but a lot strive for it. I think this song is more representative of how Christmas plays out for most (maybe not as extreme). Alcohol, extreme emotion, hope and disappointment. I would say they have captured the spirit of many of my Christmases gone by.

@Gonetoget totally sums it up for me. It's a Christmas song, but about a Christmas that's far from the illusory perfection we are all supposed to enjoy in our cosy, tastefully decorated homes with our loving non-dysfunctional families around us. That's not the reality for vast, vast numbers of people and this song speaks to them of dashed ambitions and the hopelessness of the grind of life over dreams. I love it, the lyrics are so evocative. It's poetry amongst the fake glitter and tinsel. That DJ is a wanker btw. Wants to be a "shock jock" but is just a self promoting dick.

Thanks nottonight I’ve just bought A Drink with Shane MacGowan for my DC as a stocking filler - I think they will love it

This song always reminds me of going home one night and noticing a drunk, semi-conscious woman, aged around 60+, on the floor in a pub doorway, bleeding from a head wound. Called an ambulance. While waiting, an equally drunk man staggered up and began kicking her, shouting at her to get up and come home. Ambulance arrived, I left them to it. I think of them whenever I hear this song and imagine them once young and full of hope. It's an excellent piece of writing.

I don't mind the lyrics, what I can hear of them, it's his bloody awful voice I can't stand!

What @DrivingMsCrazy said

This was being played everywhere in town last week, even the buskers were singing it,

Although I do wonder how her sons react to it every year. Must be really hard I think they'd be very proud her memory and amazing voice lives on.
Shane born to Irish parents definitely considers himself Irish. Growing up in the UK would have been hard for him in the era, if anything he embraces Irishness more.