ladbible homepage
ladbible homepage
  • iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK
    • US
    • World
    • Ireland
    • Australia
    • Science
    • Crime
    • Weather
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Film
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • Netflix
    • Disney
  • Sport
  • Technology
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Money
  • Originals
    • FFS PRODUCTIONS
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • SPORTbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
Radio 2 changes decision on airing Fairytale Of New York's offensive slur

Home> Entertainment

Published 15:26 1 Dec 2022 GMT

Radio 2 changes decision on airing Fairytale Of New York's offensive slur

BBC Radio 2 have decided to switch to a censored version of Fairytale of New York

Joe Harker

Joe Harker

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

It's December, and that means everyone holding back their mighty tide of festive joy for the sake of decency and decorum can finally open the floodgates.

You can now wear your Christmas jumper, stick on The Muppet Christmas Carol as many times as you want and listen to all the Christmas music your heart desires.

Of course, that means it's also time for the same seasonal arguments to rear their heads such as whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie, or if the lyrics to 'Baby It's Cold Outside' are sexist.

One of these most popular debates rages around what might be the most popular Christmas song of all time, 'Fairytale of New York' by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl.

It's one of the most iconic songs of all time and a real favourite whenever people get drunk enough this time of year to decide they'll have a crack at karaoke.

Advert

However, there's one line in the song some people reckon should be censored and you can probably already guess which one it is.

That's right, it's the part where Kirsty MacColl sings 'you scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy f****t', which causes some obvious problems as that's a homophobic slur.

In recent years plenty of broadcasters have decided to play a censored version of the song, swapping the offending lyric out for 'you're cheap and you're haggard' by cleverly splicing in some audio of MacColl singing a revised version.

Kirsty MacColl and the Pogues worked on one of the greatest Christmas songs of all time.
Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo

At the karaoke microphone, a lot of people like singing 'you taped over Taggart' as a funnier replacement.

Radio 2 is the latest broadcaster to make the switch, as it told HuffPostUK it had decided to play the censored version this Christmas, while other BBC radio stations will be able to 'choose the version of the song most relevant for their audience'.

They said: "On Radio 2 we are reflecting what we are hearing back from many of our listeners who love the song, but find some of the lyrics jarring in 2022, and playing an alternative version provided by the record company."

The BBC split opinion back in 2020 when Radio 1 decided to make the switch over to the censored version of 'Fairytale of New York' but Radio 2 continued with the original recording that some found offensive.

BBC Radio 2 have switched their stance and decided to play the censored version of 'Fairytale of New York'.
dac / Alamy Stock Photo

The Pogues lead singer Shane MacGowan previously defended the inclusion of the word 'f****t' in the iconic song, saying there's 'no political correctness to it'.

He said: "I've been told it's insulting to gays; I don't understand how that works. Nobody in the band thinks that's worth a second's thought.

"The word was used by the character because it fitted with the way she would speak and with her character.

"She is not supposed to be a nice person or even a wholesome person. She is a woman of a certain generation at a certain time in history and she is down on her luck and desperate.

"Her dialogue is as accurate as I could make it but she is not intended to offend! She is just supposed to be an authentic character.

"Not all characters in songs and stories are angels or even decent and respectable, sometimes characters in songs and stories have to be evil or nasty in order to tell the story effectively."

While he goes for the uncensored version himself, MacGowan has absolutely no problem with people removing the lyric if they find it offensive as he's not interested in arguing about it.

Featured Image Credit: YouTube/ThePoguesOfficial

Topics: Christmas, Music, BBC, News, UK News

Joe Harker
Joe Harker

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

X

@MrJoeHarker

Recommended reads

Gigi Hadid speaks out for first time after her and sister Bella were featured in Epstein filesKevin Mazur/MG22/Getty Images for The Met Museum/VogueShirtless boy pictured in 'never-seen-before' snaps of Michael Jackson as explosive new lawsuit surfaces(Oscar Abolafia/TPLP/Getty Images)Toddler caught in wolf's mouth at zoo as parents were 'distracted by phones'ROMAIN COSTASECA/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Trump announces exact deadline he will unleash 'hell' on Iran after expletive-ridden Easter morning messageAlex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images

Advert

Choose your content:

3 hours ago
15 hours ago
18 hours ago
19 hours ago
  • Taylor Hill/WireImage
    3 hours ago

    Kate Beckinsale says Mark Ruffalo 'benefits from having a penis' after being fired by agent

    Kate Beckinsale claims she reached out to Mark Ruffalo after she was fired over liking a post on social media

    Entertainment
  • Prime Video
    15 hours ago

    Mother's Milk actor Laz Alonso recalls change of script he demanded ahead of The Boys season 5

    "I didn't think a brother from Harlem would say that."

    Entertainment
  • Tommaso Boddi/WireImage
    18 hours ago

    Hugh Hefner’s widow Crystal remarries after sharing reality of relationship with Playboy founder

    Crystal eloped with her partner earlier this week with a 'meaningful' ceremony, over nine years on since her ex-husband's death

    Entertainment
  • Karwai Tang/WireImage
    19 hours ago

    Former Love Island winner Jack Fincham admits he’s 'starting again from zero' in honest life update after rehab

    He told people about 'what I'd come home to' and how he was starting over

    Entertainment
  • Eamonn Holmes uses offensive slur on live TV when asking Kerry Katona about appearance
  • Shane MacGowan once spoke out after backlash over use of homophobic slur in Fairytale of New York
  • Mum who ‘influenced’ daughter that died of cancer to reject chemotherapy hits out with major claims
  • Wife of Ian Watkins' Lostprophets bandmate breaks silence on paedophile's sick crimes more than a decade later