Shane MacGowan Says He's "Fine" With 'Fairytale Of New York' Censorship
The debate on Christmas song censorship has focussed on The Pogues' festive hit.
Amid the newly re-triggered controversy over the lyrics of Christmas classic ‘Fairytale of New York’, the song’s writer Shane MacGowan has said that he’d be “absolutely fine” with the word “faggot” being censored on the radio.
From time to time, debates have re-emerged as to the use of the word, sung by Kirsty MacColl in the 1987 Christmas hit for The Pogues and which has since become officially the most-played festive song of all time. The word “faggot” is rightly regarded as a homophobic slur in this day and age, but some have argued that the contemporary context of the song means the word should be interpreted as traditional Irish slang for a ‘lazy person’.
This week, RTE 2FM presenter Eoghan McDermott tweeted to object to the word, which he condemned as a “slur” and “insult”, while his colleague Stephen Byrne revealed how he felt when he heard it played in a club.
Continue reading: Shane MacGowan Says He's "Fine" With 'Fairytale Of New York' Censorship