[Oliver_W]

Shane MacGowan has issued a statement that could end the ongoing debate around The Pogues' Christmas song "Fairytale of New York".

Controversy has rumbled on for years over the song's use of the word "faggot", which is sung by the late Kirsty MacColl.

Many consider the use of the word offensive given its modern use as a homophobic slur. Others argue that the context of the song means the word should be interpreted as traditional Irish slang for a "lazy person".

MacGowan has now issued a statement to Virgin Media Television's The Tonight Show, in response to calls from two RTE 2FM DJs to have the word censored during airplay.

Presenter Eoghan McDermott took to Twitter this week to object to the word which he condemned as a “slur” and “insult”, while presenter Stephen Byrne revealed how he felt when he heard it played in a club, “I stood in a room as over 200 people screamed a word thats been used to make me feel like an outsider, with such joy and cheer”.

McGowan, who wrote the song in 1987, and who sang it with the late Kirsty MacColl, released a statement explaining why he included the word in the song.

“The word was used by the character because it fitted with the way she would speak and with her character,” he wrote.

“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.”

He continued, “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 and 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.”

MacGowan went on to say that he does not want to get into an argument about the song and has no problem with it being censored during radio airplay.

“If people don't understand that I was trying to accurately portray the character as authentically as possible then I am absolutely fine with them bleeping the word but I don't want to get into an argument,” he concluded.

RTÉ yesterday confirmed that the song will continue to be played uncensored on RTE radio as it has for the past 30 years.

I didn't even realise people were whinging about the use of the word in that song, it's just a word after all. It's his song and if he's happy to see it censored that's fine, but I don't think it should be, I'd rather people just grew a pair <3



Also, I wonder when the crying is gonna start over the "slut shaming" which is also in the lyrics

[Liam-]

Leave our Christmas songs alone!

[Ramsay]

I'd rather they kept it as it is but I wouldn't really mind if it was censored, it would be different if it was it was the whole song they were looking to ban, but it's just one word.

[Matthew.]

i don’t see the issue with it being censored

[user104658]

Ban the whole song I can't stand it. But not because of this. It just grates on me like ****ing sandpaper.

[reece(:]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Ban the whole song I can't stand it. But not because of this. It just grates on me like ****ing sandpaper.

[Underscore]

Originally Posted by reece(:

I can hear this gif a year and a half on

[Firewire]

Someone posted on Twitter that they’d prefer “you taped over Taggart!” and now I wouldn’t have it any other way!

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Firewire

Someone posted on Twitter that they’d prefer “you taped over Taggart!” and now I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Oh I saw that, it'd be hilarious if they did change it to that

[arista]

"Also, I wonder when the crying is gonna start over the "slut shaming" which is also in the lyrics"

how nice

[Tom4784]

I think it's a dumb controversy and one undoubtedly stirred up by people who aren't even part of the LGBT. I don't take issue with the song and I don't think I've ever met another LGBT person who cares either.

[GoldHeart]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

I think it's a dumb controversy and one undoubtedly stirred up by people who aren't even part of the LGBT. I don't take issue with the song and I don't think I've ever met another LGBT person who cares either.

Yeah the whole song is full of insults , it's basically a drunken miserable couple fighting at Christmas time . It's not exactly promoting these "slurs" . I've always liked the song it's like a funny untraditional Christmas . But obviously it's not a child friendly song .

[Shaun]

I read somewhere it has the 'Gold Digger' effect: ie. straight whities are desperately keen to sing that line because they can't get away with saying it in everyday conversation (much like "she ain't messing with no broke *****s") and I think there's some truth in it. Definitely a tinge of "lol this is a bad word!" and treating a slur like a little joke.

That said, I love the song and don't mind its usage too much. It's dated and offensive but I don't think the two protagonists of the song are meant to be shining examples of humanity anyway.

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by Shaun

I read somewhere it has the 'Gold Digger' effect: ie. straight whities are desperately keen to sing that line because they can't get away with saying it in everyday conversation (much like "she ain't messing with no broke *****s") and I think there's some truth in it. Definitely a tinge of "lol this is a bad word!" and treating a slur like a little joke.

That said, I love the song and don't mind its usage too much. It's dated and offensive but I don't think the two protagonists of the song are meant to be shining examples of humanity anyway.

At this time of year it's nice to have a guilt-free excuse to use words like bum, slut, and fagot!

[Lostie!]

It's my favourite part

[Ashley.]

Originally Posted by Lostie!

It's my favourite part

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Lostie!

It's my favourite part

[Twosugars]

Originally Posted by Lostie!

It's my favourite part

+1

[hijaxers]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

I didn't even realise people were whinging about the use of the word in that song, it's just a word after all. It's his song and if he's happy to see it censored that's fine, but I don't think it should be, I'd rather people just grew a pair <3



Also, I wonder when the crying is gonna start over the "slut shaming" which is also in the lyrics

Why would he mind ? the song has made him an absolute bloody fortune ! Everytime its played its money in the bank , wish i had written it.

[LaLaLand]

A ****** is a Welsh food I'll have ya know! Shouldn't be censored, just say she was calling him that

[LaLaLand]

They can censor it all they like, people are still gonna sing it in the pubs Christmas time, that bit seems to be everyone's fav part too

[Alf]

Is this a publicity stunt to get it to this year's Christmas number 1?

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by Alf

Is this a publicity stunt to get it to this year's Christmas number 1?

I'd rather a Christmas song get it than whoever won XFactor or the boyband du jour!

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

I'd rather a Christmas song get it than whoever won XFactor or the boyband du jour!

I wish the gave Johnny Mathis "when a child is born" this sort of publity, that's my favourite.

There are reasons for the snowflakes to hate that one, lyrics in that song include "whether you're white, brown or yellow"

[Crimson Dynamo]

vile song

utterly vile