Fairytale of New York should be banned from radio

[Alrighteo]

This is from one of the UK tabolids

You made a snarky comment about the first 5 lyrics not making it a Christmas song

I don't think it does - I'm allowed to have a different opinion.

I think it far more patronising to assume I unaware of the lyrics when I’m made clearly comments to the contrary – it's the the whole tired if you don’t think the same as me you need "educating" argument.

Best Christmas song ever and with the wonderful and amazing Kirsty McCall who never got the recognition she deserved

This is Ireland in 1987 on the programme that everybody watched.

I think Shane is smoking and drinking on it.

Yes, he has suffered from the drink.

Faggot wasn't a homosexual slur when the song was written

Well, it was in the US (I lived there at the time), but not here - and it still isn't, really. How often do you hear it used in the UK with that meaning? It still fine for British people to call cigarettes 'fags', though you would never hear that in the US, where the offensive meaning is much more common. Even the ever-woke BBC had a recent sitcom on Radio 4 called, "Fags, Mags & Bags".

There is a lot of faux outrage about FONY. We don't have to censor songs because the word means something offensive in another country. Are we going to start banning 'spook' because it's a racial slur in America, or closing down Zizzi's because it means penis in France?

if you don’t think it’s a Christmas song you can’t read.

I'm not sure why some posters believe Christmas songs have to be jolly - a cursory look at AIBU this time of year reveals the whole gamut of Christmas-related family angst. It's actually refreshing (and realistic) that a few songs reflect that!

FONY is a favourite of mine. Also Joni Mitchell's River and Coldplay's Christmas Lights. All songs that capture the contrasts of loneliness and yet hope that Christmas brings up in many people.

It’s a great song about expectation, addiction, celebration, real relationships, and hope. People are messy, complicated and flawed, and Jesus knew and accepted that - if we want to to drill down the the ‘real’ Christian meaning of the festival. It’s arguable far more to do with the ‘real’ meaning of Christmas than twee bollocks about snow and Santa baby and jingle bells
The song’s protagonists use vile language, yes; but they aren’t exactly people you’re meant to want to emulate!

I'm a member of the LGB community and a woman and i flipping love it! They're just characters in a song. -not Kirsty and Shane themselves. And others have said 'faggot' wasn't homophobic in Ireland at that point.

@APheasantPluckersSon you beat me to it!
And yes, it's a Xmas film.

I agree that it's a masterpiece.

Faggot is not a word really associated with gays in the UK. As far as I am concerned its a thing you buy from the butcher or frizen by Mr Brains

Frozen

I find this song so depressing - but I think the lyrics and story are really powerful

I love 'River' too @limpshade. Give me a 'real' Christmas over the Enforced Fun of endless Slade and Wizard any day.!

Are we going to start banning 'spook' because it's a racial slur in America

I was pondering this word recently because I was reminded of The Human Stain. Two countries divided by the same language and all that.

My uncle used to call us faggots as DC. He was a prick but it wasn't meant in a homophobic way at all.
Hands up. 🤗 The views will soar.

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 the reason I like Fairytale of New York (and also Greg Lakes, 'I Believe in Father Christmas') is because it isn't about the schmaltzy, fake, plastic Christmas that is peddled in an attempt to make us buy stuff. I think it's a really poignant song.

I'm so sick of the current knee-jerk reaction to fucking ban everything because you think it will be good for other people.

Of course you can read it in a particular way that exposes the ugliness of it, so therefore you can listen to it without any I'll effects but those "other" people, the unwashed masses, the lowest common denominator, cannot be trusted to understand the complicated and contentious undertones and would not be able to listen to it without assimilating all its ugliness wholesale...ban it, ban it, ban it.

For. fuck.sake.

There wasn't much joy in 'do they know it's Christmas' was there?

In fact, when Band Aid 30 was released they even changed the lyrics. Some to reflect the Ebola crisis but this one

Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you

Was changed to...

Well tonight we're reaching out and touching you

In recognition of the original line not being appropriate in this day and age.

It was a hard hitting song which did the job at the time but it never should have been touched again.

and people who don’t think Die Hard is a Christmas film?

Always remember, Its Not Christmas until Hans Gruber Falls from Nakatomi Tower

Don’t care about the lyrics ,there are worse but I really hate the song.

I love it. Shows there's a nasty side to Christmas spirit !

This song is a masterpiece. I think people should stop getting offended on behalf of the LGBT community over the word Faggot. I’m sure they couldn’t give a flying fuck and belt that song out loud when it comes on.
Rather this than Cold outside. When we start censoring these songs, it’s a slippery slope.

That Ed Sheeran version is a travesty