How appropriate
Guido points out that NuLabour sullied a fine band and a fine song when they played James's Sit Down for Gordo's speech.
True enough. Although, it's also worth noting that this excellent song also contains these lyrics...
I imagine that some of the three million unemployed could probably sympathise with those words, as would anyone who has been otherwise hit by this recession.
Methinks that either someone really didn't think this through, or someone thought it through really, really carefully...
UPDATE: thanks to the heads-up from Gregg Beaman in the comments, I found James singer Tim Booth's reaction when Gordon used Sit Down as his introductory song last year...
Obviously, I don't subscribe to Tim's politics, for all that I love James as a band (why is it that artists are almost always Lefty twats?), but I think that calling the Gobblin' King a "desperate politician trying to restore unity" is pretty spot on.
Perhaps Tim would like to "have some words"...?
What struck Guido was the interesting choice of music at the beginning. “Sit Down” by James which includes the lyrics:Those who feel the breath of sadness
Sit down next to me
Those who find they’re touched by madness
Sit down next to me
Those who find themselves ridiculous
Sit down next to me
A somewhat insensitive choice for the Prime Mentalist’s entrance…
True enough. Although, it's also worth noting that this excellent song also contains these lyrics...
Now I’ve swung back down again
It’s worse than it was before
If I hadn’t seen such riches
I could live with being poor
I imagine that some of the three million unemployed could probably sympathise with those words, as would anyone who has been otherwise hit by this recession.
Methinks that either someone really didn't think this through, or someone thought it through really, really carefully...
UPDATE: thanks to the heads-up from Gregg Beaman in the comments, I found James singer Tim Booth's reaction when Gordon used Sit Down as his introductory song last year...
We have always been supportive of the Labour Party, as well as Greenpeace, Amnesty and CND, but obviously the machinations of a desperate politician trying to restore unity by using our song is not something we are totally behind. The Labour Party has become quite similar to the Conservative party and it's hard to tell the difference between the two these days, it's certainly not as clear cut as it used to be.
There are some real ironies in the lyrics of "Sit Down", which was played just before Gordon Brown spoke to his conference this week. "Those who find they're touched by madness/Sit down next to me/Those who find themselves ridiculous/Sit down next me." That would have been a nice irony if they had played that line and he had put his hand up. And then there's, "If I hadn't seen such riches/I could live with being poor".
Obviously, I don't subscribe to Tim's politics, for all that I love James as a band (why is it that artists are almost always Lefty twats?), but I think that calling the Gobblin' King a "desperate politician trying to restore unity" is pretty spot on.
If the Labour Party started using it regularly we would have to have some words but as a one off, that's life, isn't it?
Perhaps Tim would like to "have some words"...?
Labels: economy, general hilarity, music, musings, The Gobblin' King
| 10 blogger comments
| links to this post
10 Blogger Comments:
I'm reminded of the music that Sedgefield constituency played when Blair resigned - "Things can only get better" by D-Ream
At least someone in the Labour party has a sense of mischief
It does strike me as someone HAS to have been taking the piss when they selected that song.
Was trying to think of something ever worse for the twat to make an entrance to and for some reason I started humming the theme from MASH...
Surely Tim Booth savaged Big Gordy for using 'Sit Down' last year (2008) in Manchester.
He didn't use it today too surely?!
Meanwhile in Ireland:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7u3brFiuy0
Let's hear it from Alice Cooper:
“If you're listening to a rock star in order to get your information on who to vote for, you're a bigger moron than they are.”
Jack Hughes said...
Let's hear it from Alice Cooper:
I was thinking along exactly the same lines as to artist, but I would have chosen "Welcome to my nightmare", followed by "The awakening".
Since this is turning into a "suggest a theme song for the Labour Party Conference" contest, I would like to advance The Funeral Party by The Cure...
DK
Or they could have gone with If You Tolerate This, Then Your Children Will Be Next by Manic Street Preachers. Or maybe Carrion by British Sea Power.
I think most artists support lefties because traditionally the left have been perceived as cooler and less establishment than the right-wing - who are often seen as the representatives of the upper classes and big business. And no indie band wants to support big business. Even though they kind of need big business to sell their records.
It will be interesting to see whether this changes now that the left-wing in this country have become both the establishment and almost a forum for reactionary politics. I'd say that if bands wish to appear to be cool, for autonomy and pro-freedom they should support LPUK...
TNL
DK,
Totally off topic I admit, which is a sin I know but are you SURE you are not ghost writing for the Daily Mash:
"If I was David Cameron I would seize this historic opportunity to tell Rupert Murdoch to piss up a rope, but he won't because, like all our political leaders, he really is a male prostitute who will do incredibly dirty things in a public toilet for five quid and a chocolate Hobnob."
Just wondering...
The obvious choice has to be The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home