‘Tis the season for the least festive song of the season.
Despite its cult status, The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” might just be the most anti-Christmas song out there.
From a New York City drunk tank, an Irish immigrant reminisces on his lost youth and bickers with his lover –– brought to life by the perfectly feisty voice of Kristy MacColl –– on Christmas Eve.
In a genre defined by Mariah Carey-esque gloss and capitalist dreams, frontman Shane MacGowan’s disillusioned perspective appealed to a cynical subsection of the LGBTQ+ community.
Even with that controversial lyric. (You know, the one that rhymes with maggot.)
It’s a complicated legacy and connection that makes MacGowan’s passing especially heart-rending. The Irish singer-songwriter died Thursday, November 30 at 65-years-old after being diagnosed with encephalitis last year.
MacGowan referred to “Fairytale of New York,” the UK’s most-played Christmas song of the 21st century, as the Celtic rock group’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Still, it never reached coveted chart-topper status on the UK’s Christmas Top 20. After the somber tune’s release, it peaked at No. 2 behind the Pet Shop Boys’ “Always on Mind.” (MacGowan quipped that they were “beaten by two queens a drum machine.”)
The band recorded the call-and-response track for their third album If I Should Fall from Grace with God with Steve Lillywhite. It was the British producer who suggested that his wife –– the late MacColl –– sing the female character’s parts.
Although she provided “the right measure of viciousness and femininity and romance,” her character’s lines (which MacColl had no hand in penning) led to both boycotting and censorship of the track.
As you may recall, after reminiscing on halcyon years –– “Sinatra was swinging / All the drunks they were singing / We kissed on a corner / Then danced through the night” –– the two vocalists trade lyrical barbs.
The realities of addiction, depression, and dead dreams hit as MacGowan’s character jeers, “You’re an old slut on junk / Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed.” In response, MacColl retorts: “You scumbag, you maggot / You cheap lousy f*****.” Oof.
Understandably, many were offended by usage of the slur, especially in years following its release.
Its intention was muddied by the context of its appearance, which was enough to appease some critics. Still, in a 1992 performance on Top of the Pops, MacColl changed the line to “You’re cheap and you’re haggard,” an alteration that’s since been adopted by radio stations across the world.
Furthermore, the fact that the group included openly gay guitarist Philip Chevron and MacGowan himself was subject to a “gay panic” assault in 2004 helped assumptions that it was not outright anti-LGBTQ+ track.
However, the BBC censored the word in 2007 before reversing the decision and then doubling back in 2020.
Shane McGowan gives us a statement with his reaction to the #FairytaleofNewYork censorship calls @VirginMedia_One #TonightVMT pic.twitter.com/LudzWjZK9l
— TonightVMTV (@TonightVMTV) December 6, 2018
In 2018, MacGowan finally responded to the critiques in a statement, describing the female character as someone who “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 added, “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.”
Yet, that hasn’t stopped following generations from arguing about it. In 2021, Pink News called it a “tired debate … for sweet precious clickbait.”
It’s a sentiment that’s been further echoed by other members of the LGBTQ+ community. In the Independent, gay writer Larry Womack called the slur “sloppy and unnecessary, yet efficient and somehow perfect in its wild barbarism.”
“[The song] was meant to exist outside polite society, where people know that junkies who scream horrible things at their partners are still worthy of love,” he explained.
But, where does that leave us now?
Outside of “Fairytale of New York,” MacGowan and The Pogues were known for giving a voice to the working class, writing folk ditties that spoke to a stuck generation.
If we can forgive a single word –– one that almost certainly wouldn’t be included if the song was written today –– perhaps we can appreciate the band’s message at-large.
After all, there’s a reason why it continues to be a holiday staple. The track recently appeared in Netflix‘s Dash & Lily and Mr. Taylor Swift football player Travis Kelce and his brother recorded their own spin on the track this year.
In MacGowan’s memory, let us appreciate holidays spent alone, reckoning, and on the fringe. In a genre defined by “Jingle Bells” and Tiffany’s bracelets under the tree, The Pogues spoke to a population doing their best during the winter months.
We raise a glass to “the boys of the NYPD choir”… and a young Matt Dillon in the music video.
While you’re here, check out Queerty’s 2023 Holiday Playlist and be sure to follow us, too!
RomanHans
Yeah, no. Ask yourself: would MacGowan’s justification fly if they’d ussd the n-word? And the answer is clearly no.
inbama
If the Q slur can be used to describe a community, why not the F?
Who is the unelected Queer Dictator who decides these things?
Mr. Stadnick
Fairytale of New York tells the story of the other side of Christmas. The sad and lonely trying to feel less sad and lonely and doing it the only way they know. Not everyone is happy and shiney. The use of the word is unpleasant and meant to be. Not everyone speaks in a PC manner. Would he use the word today? Probably not. This is a song for the people who don’t feel the joy of Christmas.
DennisMpls
I have so much I could say about this song. In fact, if I said everything this comment would be longer than the article itself. But I’ll just summarize and try to be brief.
1. “Fairytale Of New York” is a fantastic song and performance. And I say that as someone who has always loved Christmas. The original performance is terrific, but there are multiple great live versions on YouTube worth checking out.
2. My view is that the song should never have been or be censored. MacGowan’s explanation is well put. “The word” in this context doesn’t bother me at all, it fits perfectly into the dialogue within the song. My “offense tendrils” don’t tingle at all when I hear it, and I would prefer never hearing an altered version.
3. This article was my first notice that MacGowan had died. He was the epitome of the tortured genius artist. He had a very hard life in multiple ways, and it’s really a miracle he survived until 65.
4. Kirsty MacColl’s death was almost unbearably tragic. For those who don’t know, she was killed at 41 while diving off Mexico with her sons. As the group came up from a dive a powerboat was speeding through the area (from which it was restricted) and heading straight toward her 15 year old. Kirsty was able to push him aside just in time but was killed by the boat.
5. Despite it’s downbeat subject matter the song is an integral part of Christmas for me, even though I cry every time I watch one of the videos with Kirsty in it.
6. OMG, what Shane MacGowan’s career could have been! RIP Shane and Kirsty.
DennisMpls
Nick Cave wrote this in 2020 about “Fairytale Of New York”: “The idea that a word, or a line, in a song can simply be changed for another and not do it significant damage is a notion that can only be upheld by those that know nothing about the fragile nature of songwriting.”
TimidTim
An absolute staple on college, indie and alternarock radio. He knew how to pick ‘em with it came to epic collabs with the greatest female chanteuses of the genre. Solo he had that masterpiece duet with Sinead o Connor. I see another Madge post all cued up and when Madonna went after Sinead on SNL, if you thought Kenny on South Park laid into her, Sinead was absolutely remorseless in her tirade. Regardless that he’s reunited with those two feisty, fierce, fearless icons gives me peace & like Sinead, at least he’s finally at peace.