Fairytale of New York should be banned from radio

[Alrighteo]

This is from one of the UK tabolids

Snowmen are not legally sanctioned to conduct marriage services

Well that was a sentence I never expected to read

And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time'

Rubbish. I was actually in Africa in 1984 and there was snow in July, never mind at Christmas time!

(OK, it was on top of Mount Kenya, but it was snow none the less)

This line pisses me off no end because the presence or lack of snow is nothing to do with people being poor or ill!! You can’t buy the weather!!! it’s like saying “ahh they’re so poor they cant even afford a white Christmas”

It's more about what it signifies. Not a literal translation.

Thank you SO much whoever posted the Christy Moore version. I had totally forgotten about him for over 20 years. He played a big part in my life when I had an Irish boyfriend back in the day who introduced me to him and I loved his music. Then I split up with said Irish fella, became totally anglicised again and completely forgot poor old Christy.

I also LOVE FONY. It brings a tear to my eye every time I hear it.

Pure poetry - was even our wedding song despite not getting married at Christmas!

You do realise banning songs purely because you don’t like the lyrics is called censorship, something Stalin and Hitler were fond of.

It’s a great song.

I wouldn't mind it so much if it wasn't so fucking ubiquitous. Radio used to play a much better range of Xmas songs, now all you ever seem to hear is Fairytale Of New York and All I Want For Christmas Is You (barf).

I love it. Makes me cry, especially thinking of the lovely Kirsty McColl and the way she died in front of her two young sons so horribly. A death caused by a playboy who paid his staff to take the rap for him.

It's lyrically excellent and sounds beautiful.

Shane MacGowan is a wonderful songwriter and poet. Also, London You're a Lady should be the UK capital's anthem and sung at every opportunity of city pride. Best song about London there is.

Well I'm offended by homophobic idiots commandeering a perfectly good word for an especially tasty foodstuff that goes great with mash, gravy and pees. The word should be reclaimed.

Back to the song. I love it. To me its a bitter-sweet story that ends with a message of enduring love against the odds of addiction and immigration. It is the epitome of Christmas spirit in my book.

Difficult themes are dealt with and the meaning shouldn't be ignored because a few people see word choices in isolation rather than within the narrative of the song.

Personal freedom is an amazing thing. If I haven't persuaded you, you live in a world of off switches and mute buttons. Use them. Banning things because you don't like them is the first step towards an authoritarian state.

I'd go one better and just ban all Christmas songs because they're all dreadful!

In all seriousness though, I don't think Fairytale should be banned. Not a fan of the song, just can't get on with McGowens voice, but "normal" Christmas songs are just vapid nonsense. I forgot who it was who posted Don't Stop the Cavalry and I Believe in Father Christmas, but they're about the only 2 Christmas songs I like. I appreciate working in retail for 10 years may be influencing my opinion though

I have to say that 'Fairytale of New York' is a song that I now associate with my parents, my mother wasn't a junkie but my father was a violent alcoholic and every Christmas would be fraught with the fear of how he'd behave; would there be the usual walking on eggshells scenario ending with the inevitable consequences.

Yes, every year.
As an aside I can never watch the Christmas 'Only Fools And Horses' episode where they end up in Holland because of what he inflicted upon my poor mother after the family had left that Christmas Day.
But going back to the song, the phrase 'I've got a feeling this year's for me and you' was the same old regurgitated tosh he'd come out with and say to my mum whilst he was in the happy drunk phase, promising her that things would be better in the coming New Year, blah blah blah. I'd see her pushing him gently away, having heard it all before. Luckily, she eventually left him when I left home for uni.

All that being said, I do actually like the song, it came out when I was a teenager and I wouldn't want it to be banned but everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I respect those that don't want to hear it.

My eldest DS had taken the time to listen to the lyrics and commented on how bleak it is, I couldn't agree more but for many people this is the reality of the holiday season.

It's literally just playing on the radio as I'm typing this reply

That of course should be MacGowen's, my apologies

i do love Don’t stop the cavalry

It’s a great song.

If we can have Stormzy singing about finishing on a girls face on daytime radio we can surely deal with a bit of 1980s rough n ready language.

I’d take this any day over the majority of sexist, misogynistic, porn culture tripe pop our kids have these days.

Is it still acceptable to stick a sable under the tree?

🎵 I could have been someone
Well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Can't make it all alone
I've built my dreams around you 🎵

🎻🎻🎻

In the words of the also inimitable and equally Christmassy Tim Minchin:

some of the [hymns] have nice chords but the lyrics are dodgy

And on the wider subject of Christmas songs in general, this morning in Tesco they were playing Gary Glitter’s Another Rock 'n' Roll Christmas.

I only like the old classic Christmas songs (from the 1940s etc). So I hate this song too. Horrible voice.

It's a brilliant song and one of the few songs I know all the lyrics to because I played it on a loop going to work for most of December one year (kept me sane that year). It's poignant, bitter, romantic and nostalgic all in one. Takes you back to when you first meet someone and then how it goes wrong, but you still love them. Bloody brilliant lyrics and I love the old video that you sometimes see with it. The pair of them together are magic. I won't have a word said against it, it's a fucking masterpiece.

There are far worse songs out there with lyrics promoting violence , drugs and extreme misogyny

Dear fuck I’ve just got in a taxi and it’s playing on the radio

It's one of the best Xmas songs. It is a great antidote to all the overwhelming sugariness or faux empathy crap that is otherwise played. It's necessary, and reflects the truth of spending extended periods with one's family in enforced jollification, love/hate. Perfect for the time of year.

rufusthebewilderedreindeer (great name btw!) It's a fantastic song. Think you said you didn't like I Believe in Rather Christmas? We will have to agree to disagree on that one haha

And the bells were ringing out on Christmas Day.