Pills and Soap post 2001 lyrics?

Pretty self-explanatory
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emotional_fascism076
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Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 10:56 pm

Pills and Soap post 2001 lyrics?

Post by emotional_fascism076 »

Is it true that the live versions of this song after 2001 have different lyrics? I don't recall hearing any but it's mentioned on the Wiki.
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And No Coffee Table
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Re: Pills and Soap post 2001 lyrics?

Post by And No Coffee Table »

Yes.

Original lyrics:

The king is in the counting house
Some folk have all the luck
And all we get is pictures of Lord and Lady Muck
They come from lovely people with a hard line in hypocrisy
There are ashtrays of emotion for the fag ends of the aristocracy


Revised lyrics:

The king is in the counting house
Some folk have all the might
And majesty will run on Bombay Gin and German spite
They come from lovely people with a hard line in hypocrisy
There are tears of mediocrity for the fag ends of the aristocracy


I assume the reason for the change was the line about "Lord and Lady Muck," generally considered a reference to Prince Charles and Princess Diana, was seen as outdated or in poor taste after Diana's death in 1997.

The new lyrics also appear in "Stick Out Your Tongue" on Wise Up Ghost.
Hawksmoor
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Re: Pills and Soap post 2001 lyrics?

Post by Hawksmoor »

I'm not so convinced about the reason for the change. I'd never read 'Lord and Lady Muck' as referring specifically to Charles and Diana, I assumed it was simply a reference to the photo-shoots of the royalty/aristocracy generally, which are designed to divert our attention from what the rich and privileged are actually doing to our lives.

I think the changes are a mixed bag. 'Majesty will run on Bombay Gin and German spite' is a much better, and cleverer, line than the 'Lord and Lady Muck' thing. But 'ashtrays of emotion for the fag ends of the aristocracy' is a better line than the rather lame 'tears of mediocrity'. In the second version, 'fag-ends' seems to spring out of nowhere, whereas in the original, it ties neatly to the 'ashtrays' bit.
emotional_fascism076
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Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 10:56 pm

Re: Pills and Soap post 2001 lyrics?

Post by emotional_fascism076 »

I never noticed. So can anyone recommend what the best show might be that includes this updated version?
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