Songs about Thatcher!

This is for all non-EC or peripheral-EC topics. We all know how much we love talking about 'The Man' but sometimes we have other interests.
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Poor Deportee
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Songs about Thatcher!

Post by Poor Deportee »

All the talk about (a) 'Tramp the Dirt Down' and (b) the Twitter confusion over Cher (hasthtag: that - CHER - DIES) got me proposing that Thatcher was indirectly responsbile for vastly more contributions to pop music than Cher ever did. In addition to 'Tramp,' we've got

-EC, 'Shipbuilding'
-Richard Thompson, 'Mother Knows Best' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWjm6XdtEb0
-The Pogues, 'Wake of the Medusa' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyUwykasKhY

but I'm betting this is just the tip of the iceberg. Any more suggestions?
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I hope no living thing cries over his bones
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Jack of All Parades
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Re: Songs about Thatcher!

Post by Jack of All Parades »

Nice idea- I would add Mr. Thompson's "Walking Though a Wasted Land" as yet one more as he has acknowledged in the past its connection to her:

http://youtu.be/NucthnjcGNY
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
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Otis Westinghouse
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Re: Songs about Thatcher!

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Morrissey's Margaret on the Guillotine. According to the Moz, the police actually came to search his flat for a guillotine!

And The (English!) Beat's Stand Down Margaret.

And some Roger Waters song I've never heard:

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainmen ... -1.1311109
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Jack of All Parades
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Re: Songs about Thatcher!

Post by Jack of All Parades »

I thought of another one last night and this should warm VG's solidarity heart:

"Between the Wars"- Billy Bragg

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... KuGivy7NQA

Later heard it on Canadian Radio as they were interviewing Mr. Bragg as he is currently touring in Canada and he used this song in discussing Ms Thatcher.
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
sheeptotheslaughter
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Re: Songs about Thatcher!

Post by sheeptotheslaughter »

Celebrate (the day after you) The Blow Monkeys and Curtis Mayfield.
redlandmark
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Re: Songs about Thatcher!

Post by redlandmark »

The second verse of Thompson's "Can't Win" also seems relevant

Oh what kind of mother would hamstring her sons?
Throw sand in their eyes and put ice on their tongues
Ah better to leave than stay here and grieve
And play the game

Don't waken the dead as you sleepwalk around
If you have a dream, brother, hush, not a sound
Just stand there and rust, die if you must
But play the game


Never mind the verse, the guitar solo on this version is so angry, it could only be about Thatcher!

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Jack of All Parades
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Re: Songs about Thatcher!

Post by Jack of All Parades »

Though not ostensibly about her, I think Bruce Springsteen's song "Death to my Hometown" has a universality about it that makes it fit her legacy easily-and it does share a celtic melody!

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... 0110,d.dmQ
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
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Otis Westinghouse
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Re: Songs about Thatcher!

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

By the same token Ghost Town would have to be listed as on e of the most enduring epitaphs on her era.

Blow Monkeys win the prize for entitling an album in her 'honour': She Was Only a Greengrocer's Daughter (or something close).
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Jack of All Parades
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Re: Songs about Thatcher!

Post by Jack of All Parades »

A nice synopsis of relevant songs from that time and their dearth now. Otis- a nod to your "Ghost Town":

http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/n ... ritish-pop
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
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