Why Is Fairytale of New York Offensive?
Let’s take a look at the song together!
Disclaimer!
I recommend skipping this article for those who find the song “Fairytale of New York” offensive. We will discuss why this song was banned and some of its original lyrics.
I will be giving my honest opinion as well!
Fairytale of New York is a Christmas classic and is one of those songs that you either like or hate due to its offensive terms. The song was released in the 80s and ended up being in the UK charts within December of how popular this Christmas anthem is.
Me, personally — I don’t find it offensive, I see it as a song being sung between two characters telling a story in a fun way. A song is a song at the end of the day is the way I see it. It’s like some people may say naked portraits are inappropriate but others disagree and say it’s fine because it’s art.
However, though, my opinion is now out of the way — let’s move into more of the subject at hand to why it’s offensive and why it got changed up a bit for a couple of radio stations; but to also find out what the song is about.
So, I think we should start with:
What’s the song about?
In summary, the song is about an Irish couple who emigrated to America in the 40s and went through a really rough time with Christmas coming up. However, they ended up finding redemption.
“Once upon a time, a band set out to make a Christmas song. Not about snow or sleigh rides or mistletoe or miracles, but lost youth and ruined dreams. A song in which Christmas is as much the problem as it is the solution. A kind of anti-Christmas song that ended up being, for a generation, the Christmas song.”
But Why Is The Song So Offensive?
Looking at the plot of the story which the song tells, it seems like a casual story, but what makes it offensive to others is the bad language they use for example:
“ You’re a bum, you’re a punk, you’re an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap, lousy faggot
Happy Christmas, your arse, I pray God it’s our last “
Lyrics from Fairytale of New York.
Reading these lyrics, there are a lot of harmful words being used while these two characters are singing to one another about each other, and the last line can be interrupted in two different ways.
The first one is she hopes that the relationship will break off by next Christmas or she hopes he passes away…which is pretty dark I must admit.
So, I can understand why people would find this song offensive and dark, and due to this, the writers have re-wrote some of the lyrics to make it more friendly; like the line “You’re cheap and you’re haggard” in place of the homophobic slurs.
But it wasn’t their intention to offend others with this song.
It’s supposed to be a “romance” Christmas song at the end of the day, and reading through the lyrics while listening to the track has helped me create a better opinion.
As we have been talking about, the song is telling a story about a couple struggling. Within the verse with the slurs, it’s like a couple arguing, throwing insults towards one another.
And I must admit, nearly every relationship can get like this; where it can get dark — and feel like it could break off any moment. Although within a committed relationship and work things out between each other and apologising the relationship is saved, and that’s what this Christmas song does within the last verse.
“I could have been someone” Well, so could anyone
You took my dreams from me when I first found you
I kept them with me, babe, I put them with my own
Can’t make it all alone, I’ve built my dreams around you
