This Year’s For Me And You

at

Um.

Meanwhile…

Gulp.

Herrenvolk?

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75 thoughts on “This Year’s For Me And You”

    1. Alan

      Is iit really censorship if they play the version where Kirsty MacColl changed the offending lyric to Haggard? And what the hell does it have to do with Trump and the left?

      1. Toby

        As the well intentioned new Stasi teach us how to be more compassionate, it seems to be fuelling a rise in the Trumpist ideologies that the new orthodoxy were trying to oppose.

        People see this twaddle for what it is, nothing to do with inclusion and everything to do with control. And of course it has the opposite effect. Hence millions more vote for trump. QED.

        Is that clear for you?

        1. Nigel

          When Trumpist idealogues claim that they are Trumpist idealogues because of stuff like the BBC playing one version of a song and not another, I just assume they are straight-up lying. You should too.

          2. Oro

            @SOQ total votes in 2016 were 129m, total votes this time were 154m. That’s an additional 25m votes. If he only managed an additional 5m (your stat) votes from 25m new votes tbh that’s not actually a good performance.

  2. Rob_G

    I think the cancel culture can be a bit silly at times, but am delighted that this turgid mess of a song will no longer be polluting the airwaves, regardless of how it came about :)

        1. Oro

          ffs?

          Interesting that you and the other three women commenters on this had almost identikit responses (Altho ofc one can’t stick to a single sentence).

    3. Alan

      It will still be played, most likely the 92 version where Kirsty MacColl changed the offending lyric to Haggard, I can see most radio stations following suit this year as well

      1. J Dizzle

        Ah no, I’ll miss shouting ‘Faggot’. I remember hearing Shane Mcgown explaining the context used in the song and I felt it acceptable.

  3. v AKA Frilly Keane

    ah here

    people would really need to cop on to themselves

    It’ll be White Christmas next

    the whole season is about make believe, fantasy, high camp and excess
    None of it is reality or meant to be taken seriously

    Even the Beebs own promos tell ya that ffs

  5. Friscondo

    As someone who grew up in an era of stuff being banned and our so called moral superiors telling us what we could and couldn’t do, I can’t help but think this is from a similar outlook. There’s always someone who wants to ban stuff. That seems to be the human condition. I’ll still listen to it once or twice. McGowan is philosophical on the issue, unlike the new morality police, who who seem intent on occupying the space once filled by the Catholic Church. Plus ca change.

    2. Hector Rameriz

      I agree… I actually think it’s a better fit for a Christmas song.

      Peeing rain and people drinking to excess

  7. RT

    As a gay 30-something Irish man – FINALLY! Hopefully Irish media outlets follow suit.

    No doubt the rest of you commenting on “wah-wah cancel culture strikes again / PC gone mad / censorship” have not had to live with the annual 8 week or so licence it gives straight people (of all ages/races/backgrounds) to shout a “publicly forbidden” derogatory word for your identity at the top of their lungs because of this song.

    Would you still be singing the original as loud or bemoaning the BBC’s decision if the F-word in the song was the N-word?

      1. ACI Question

        Aren’t those words usually blanked or bleeped out when those songs are played on ye olde tv and radio ?

        As a straight bloke who won’t be impacted even the tiniest amount by this minor edit to a great Christmas tune I am OUTRAGED!!!!!!!

      2. RT

        You’re free to purchase/stream the song and listen to it to your heart’s content if it makes you happy – hopefully in the privacy of your own home given it’s capacity to offend.

        It’s not “banned” by anyone – get a grip with your melodramatic response. It’s a broadcaster’s prerogative to choose what songs they wish to promote and which they do not wish to play anymore – for whatever reason – and there will be other broadcasters who continue to play it. If you feel strongly about it, voice your objections to the BBC directly.

        3. SOQ

          As a 50 something gay man I think you should take your ban and shove it up your mahone.

          Is that all you have to be bothered about- really?

          1. Nigel

            Who’s more bothered by it? Who are the people throwing a fit here? Who are screaming and shouting and roaring about it? The BBC play a more ‘family-friendly’ version of a popular song and it’s like the end of the world. I remember when when they wouldn’t play Frankie Say Relax at all.

    2. Optimus Grime

      I’ll bet dollars to donuts that there are more songs (particularly of the spoken word with musical accompaniment variety) with the N-word in them than the F-word. And what about songs with the B-word and C-word?

    3. Cian

      Unless DJs also decide to censor the songs they play in pubs/clubs this won’t stop straight people shouting a “publicly forbidden” derogatory word for your identity at the top of their lungs.

      And even if they do play the censored version that sings “Haggard” – drunken straight people can still shout out FAGGOT

    4. seanydelight

      Ah fella, get a grip. It’s the tale of unlikable set of characters and their views. You’re meant to be offended by it. Not everyone in the world is likeable. This absolute tonic to the mainstream idea of Christmas is important… It’s not a happy wholesome time for everyone.

      Take the blinkers off.

    5. Charger Salmons

      Hi RT,
      I think you make a very good point about the f-word and its offensiveness towards homosexuals.It is a particularly nasty word and one I never hear my gay friends use even in jest.
      The n-word for black people is more problematic because I don’t buy into the argument that a word only becomes offensive depending on who is using it.
      In a way the Pogues song is like the Black and White Minstrel show, Al Jolsen or Alf Garnett.
      Times,fashions and tastes change and mature.
      Coming out as gay even today requires tremendous courage and I think you’re right to suggest that listening to this song being sung for weeks on end in public is scant reward.
      But then the whole Christmas radio schtick drives me demented anyway.
      At least this year RT if the pubs remain closed you’ll get a break from it.

    6. V aka Frilly Keane

      I tell ya something else

      I think we’re celebrating homelessness
      With all those cribs
      And the people that kneel and pray in front of them
      Worshipping a family forced to live in a stable
      With animals
      Should be ashamed of themselves

      I’d prefer to see cribs and nativities banned

  9. wearnicehats

    I think they should ban Slade’s “so here it is” song because the lead singer’s first name is Noddy and that clearly references Noddy and Big Ears which is frightfully offensive to those people with enlarged aural appendages.

      1. ian-oh

        Where does Big Ears put his best friend when singing Christmas songs?

        .

        In a Noddy Holder.

        .

        I’ll get me hazmat suit.

  10. ian-oh

    As someone who is often called a liberal as a pejorative, I find this whole argument utterly pointless.

    The song has a narrative structure with characters, one of which decides to use a slur against another character in the form of the word ‘f@ggot’.

    This is like Dire Straits ‘Money for nothing’ song where one of the characters in the song says:

    ”See the little f@ggot with the earring and the makeup
    Yeah buddy that’s his own hair
    That little f@ggot got his own jet airplane
    That little f@ggot he’s a millionaire”

    The character bemoans the fact that he has to move refrigerators and colour TVs while throwing abuse at Knopflers character who may or may not be himself (possibly not due to him not been known to wear make up, not sure if he wears an ear ring though?) Being a middle ages man (the offending character) possibly in their mid 40s or 50s (impossible to tell due to the crude animations in the original video) who resents what he see’s as someone he takes issue with succeeding without any of the hard work he has put in over the years.

    It’s a story about perceptions.

    I am not sure if those offended by these two songs fully understand the difference between narrating an event and making a definitive statement of belief. Neither Shane McGowan nor Kristy McColl as themselves are using the offensive word, they are singing about a couple who do in the course of their chaotic existent. You can be damn sure people who formed the basis of these characters would say and possibly do far worse.

    If we are to take this issue further, most hip hop albums, pretty much every Quentin Tarantino movie (although outside of Django Unchained and Jackie Browne I haven’t been overly enamoured of his work since Pulp Fiction, but still, that’s my opinion) and a whole raft of other poems, novels and songs would also need to be sanitised. The question is should they though?

    Having said that, not being a gay man means I view this through a rather narrow lens so am open to being educated by those who have strong feelings on the use of the word, which does in fairness carry very disturbing and violent connotations.

    However, I do believe (and to be bluntly honest I do not like the song at all, find it overly sentimental and overplayed) that the song itself was never intended to offend, might be wrong on that, but neither McGowan nor McColl ever gave any indication that they did?

    However, despite all the above, I am not sure I’d be overly upset if they did only play the edited version but at least I would hope people understand the purpose of the use of the word before jumping in to attack its use?

    1. Charger Salmons

      I tend to agree with you on the Tarantino stuff.
      The two Kill Bill movies were dreadful.
      Although I thought his One Upon a Time in Hollywood to be sublime.
      Brad Pitt was wonderful in it.
      Such a great actor whose on-screen work is overshadowed by his private life.
      As for Fairytale of New York I’m just delighted that it gives Shane McGowan a good pension and a new set of quality gnashers.
      But I’m normally pig sick of it by Dec 2nd.

      1. ian-oh

        I actually nodded off in the cinema watching the first Kill Bill movie and was told to stop snoring by a few people in the audience. Never did bothered to follow up on the rest of it or the sequel, utter crap was what I saw up to that point so did not expect it to improve.

        I also quit Inglourious B@stards about an hour in, got maybe 30 mins into the Hateful 8, awful attempts to recapture the clever dialogue of the previous movies.

        I did love Leonardo di Caprio in Django Unchained though, excellent performance and all the other actors were pretty solid too.

  12. Paulo

    Funny how things have gone the opposite way and the fear is “young people being offended”. The same young people would probably give out stink about someone of their parents’ generation expressing a similar “conservative” type view on a different topic.

    Ironic really! But you can’t be having your cake and eating it – can you?

    1. ian-oh

      I always wondered about that expression.

      We live in a time of plenty (relatively, I still cannot afford one of those cars or yachts posted on here and I feel persecuted for that, but I digress) so surely people can just buy two cakes? Eat one, have one, job done!

  13. Micko

    Just don’t play it then

    Reworking art to suit the palette of the times is never a good thing..

    Just ask George Lucas*

    Play it as it is or not at all. Art is a product of its time and should NEVER be altered. It’s a mirror that reflects our society and should be viewed in that context.

    Otherwise – it’s not art.

    *Can’t even watch the original trilogy anymore without CGI crap everywhere!!! Grumble grumble

        1. ReproBertie

          Did you ever see the interview where Harrison Ford was asked if Han shot first?

          “I don’t care.”

          (Han totally did!)

          1. Micko

            About two years ago we Air BnB’d a house down in Wexford. Turns out they had a massive DVD and VHS collection for guest use. Really nice place.

            And there they were. The original trilogy on VHS. (Early 90’s versions)

            We watched all of them in their perfect original condition.

            Glorious.

            And yeah – Han shot first ;-)

          2. ReproBertie

            I picked up a copy of the original in a 2-DVD pack with the 1st remastered copy. It was the only way to be sure the next generation would see it unsullied.

    2. Nigel

      It really is terriblle that so many of your day-time listening to BBC music shows has been spioiled by this.

      1. Charger Salmons

        WWOZ 90.7 FM New Orleans is my go-to radio station for most of the day.
        A community radio station from the heart of The Big Easy.
        And WSM Radio from Nashville if I’m in the mood for some country.
        I stopped listening to the BBC output years ago although I was fond of BBC Radio 6.
        http://www.wwoz.org
        wsmradio.com

        1. Nigel

          BBC 4 make, and have a vast library of, some of the best, most compelling audio drama in the world. Surely you’re a fan of Home Front?

          1. V aka Frilly Keane

            +V
            Always worth a look see when you’re idling with the remote

            Fay (my late mother) always had it on

            Keep yere eye out for Glenn Campbell with the Royal Philharmonic in the Festival Hall

  18. DOC

    BREAKING NEWS
    BBC Radio 1 have decided to remove the original version from ALL Jukeboxes and replace it with the new version…
    Just one problem with that
    The pubs are closed

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