Fairytale of New York should be banned from radio

[Alrighteo]

This is from one of the UK tabolids

Clearly chocked full of Christmas spirit.

The full lyrics are posted upthread. It’s a Christmas song.

These lines:

I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own

I think they are so emotional. Especially when Shane sings them in response to Kirsty's lines.

Can't they just blank out the f word? They do it all the time with the other f word.

I had no idea what some of the lyrics were, agree they are incomprehensible to kids (and many adults apparently l)
I wouldn't ban it, I like it.

I don't know what the late, great Kirstie Maccoll was thinking of when she agreed to get involved in this fucking dirge

Have you listened to Kirsty's songs? A lot of them are about someone who has crossed her in love, and they are very raw indeed.

I love it. Santa Baby on the other hand makes my skin crawl. Whenever Santa Baby is played on the radio I turn it off. I guess anyone who hates Fairytale of New York has an off button too.

Have you listened to Kirsty's songs? A lot of them are about someone who has crossed her in love, and they are very raw indeed.

Yes, and they normally have a great tune, unlike this drivel, and they don't have that tuneless twat McGowen ruining them.

Really odd to find myself agreeing with people that say 'PC' or 'snowflake'. Exception that proves the rule, I guess.

Yes, the lyrics are offensive. But I the singers are representing two complicated and dysfunctional characters. I don't think the words 'slut' or 'faggot' are said by people anyone would want to emulate.

I really like that it's a song that communicates a less than perfect Christmas. It's a bit fucked up, but so many of us are.

I think it's a brilliant song and would never ever want to see it banned.

I don't mind bleeping out of words that are no longer acceptable - as happens frequently with many other songs - but to say it should be banned is madness. There are sooo many songs covering similar ground or with more controversial themes than this.

Same as that. Never heard of this DJ either.

He's brewing up a storm in Irish media though! Not impressed to see our lovely Shane (with all his faults) described as toothless and drunken (accurate though the description may be!)

Here's BBC 1 on it......

You love folk music but you think some folk songs should be banned @ScreamingValenta? Is that what you're saying? I'm not sure it's a genre that sits well with censorship. Love it or hate it but don't start telling other people what they can't listen to.

I do think we should take on board how a lot of members of the LGBT community feel about that song, and not enthusiastically sing along to that particular F word.

Meh; it depends if you come from the 'always offended' camp I think. I'm part of that community, as is DD and I have given the use of the word Faggot in the context of this song no thought whatsoever. Because it isn't used as a slight against LGBT

I think the song is good but don't get why it's considered a christmas song

Really? I mean surely not?

But he's a DJ, he can play what he likes. You can listen to his show or not.

Is toothless and drunken not just a factual description?

"I think it’s a fantastic song. But it doesn’t belong with Christmas songs- it’s ridiculous"
Quite.

If you are the kind of idiot who thinks that the mere mention of Christmas puts it in a list alongside Slade and Wizzard then more fool you.

It is an adult song about despair, poverty and squalor set against Christmas as a savagely poignant counterpoint.

I wonder whether people miss the rapey nature of 'Baby it's cold outside', the Sex-for-Luxury goods bargain in Santa Baby....

Probably.

Christmas in the song and it's all dancing around the mistletoe.

People are thick. (:Grinch:)

Well if we’re looking at banning this one then I’d like to use my snowflake rights to ban the % of crude overtly sexualised music played at the moment. I was absolutely cringing my arse off nipping into Home Bargains first thing Monday morning (largely populated by pensioners at this time) to lyrics delightfully demanding that I strip down and grind my fine body or some similar piffle.

“ I have given the use of the word Faggot in the context of this song no thought whatsoever. Because it isn't used as a slight against LGBT ”
Eh?

A 'faggot' in 80's Ireland didn't mean a homosexual btw. It meant an arsehole.

That's probably still not very Christmasy.

Will agree that if a DJ has a moral problem with a song and wants to no-platform it, that is up to them. I would understand if it is about the Christmas thing, or the age of some of the people who will hear it.

I do think we should take on board how a lot of members of the LGBT community feel about that song

LGB, maybe. But T? I’ve never heard the F word used to describe a T person.

Alex Dyke (in the article) is quoted as saying ""I think Christmas songs should be about excited children, toys, Christmas trees, snowy streets, ski lodges, reindeer, wrapping paper, Santa, family, peace on earth and love".
I think one of the reasons for FONY's initial and continuing popularity is the antidote it offers to the usual schmaltz and cliché of Christmas songs, as reflected in that list. I've always thought it was quite a moving song, although am biased as a big fan of both singers. As Shane says, the characters are meant to be quite damaged and raw, but with some glimmer of hope for a better future beyond their chaotic lives. I think the insulting language fits the context of that, as it would in a story - if it needs to be censored though, so be it; it's not for me to decide whether words that have never been directed at me as insults should be found offensive or not.

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.

I don’t think it should be banned, but I do think we should take on board how a lot of members of the LGBT community feel about that song, and not enthusiastically sing along to that particular F word

in that case we also need to take on board how females feel about being referred to as "sexy bitches" and "hoes" in every other bastard song - but oh wait, our opinion doesn't matter.

Just popping in to say there isn't actually an NYPD choir. They made that bit up.

That always tickles me.

It puts me in mind of "Streets of London", the Levellers' "Hope Street" or some of Christy Moore's music. No bad thing.

Perhaps all those of us who love it should buy it again and show the haters where they can go...