Apr 082013
In honor of the newly late Margaret Thatcher, feel free to compile a list of songs about the late Prime Minister. Not being a very politically astute guy, I think I know enough to identify The English Beat‘s “Stand Down Margaret” as our first entry. Even I am aware of 2 other songs that will fit this bill.
Elvis Costello “Tramp The Dirt Down”
How about an album title? “She Was Only A Grocer’s Daughter” by the Blow Monkeys is a reference to Maggie’s early beginnings in Grantham.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZj5cY18yFk
Hefner – the day that Thatcher dies
Morrissey — “Margaret on the Guillotine.”
Friend of the Hall Martin Newell’s Cleaners From Venus song “Victoria Grey”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtW4gC_qO30
The Larks – “Maggie Maggie Maggie (Out Out Out)”
I was going to post about my frustration that I could only think of one song with the same name as my daughter, and that it was completely dreadful: “Dear Margaret” by the Kinks. It’s Dave Davies’ protest song about the Iron Lady.
“Maggie May” – which Rod Stewart recently sheepishly admitted was about this former motorcycle mama – http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/275798/Gallery/images/18644485/4736398.jpg
The Exploited — “Maggie.”
Billy Bragg — “Thatcherites”
http://youtu.be/IlkXQm7tSCY
(We Don’t Need) This Fascist Groove Thang- Heaven 17
Pink Floyd “The Postwar Dream”
My singles collection of The Specials has a cover of Maggie’s Farm which I’m pretty sure is directed at the slag.
Drat! I was saving that song for later…
I can’t recall the exact track, but Test Department had a track that used excerpts from one of Maggie’s speeches (accompanied by their usual clanking and clanging).
Tackhead’s “The Game” had a Ronnie & Margaret mix:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJXTH6PTX50
Crass — “Big a, Little a”
It’s not directed at Thatcher by name, but I think The Specials’ “Ghost Town” fits the bill as a lament of her presence and effect. I remember in that summer I went on a high school chaperoned 2-week euro tour with 20 or so schoolmates, and our guide in London talked about that song as reflecting the whole situation of the time.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2011/aug/09/specials-ghost-town
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov11/articles/classic-tracks-1111.htm
Oh man! I was saving that one!
One of my favorite albums, the Mekons “So Good It Hurts” has a great song, “Robin Hood” which references a lot about the Thatcher era, including the great lyrics:
“Grantham hugely petty, riding on her crocodile…”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQnyW5ieoxs
Here’s another one from Crass — “How Does it Feel?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIDdvnHQrjk&feature=youtu.be
These guys seemed to focus on Thatcher’s regime in the ’80’s.
Julian Cope’s “Leperskin” is about the poll tax. It ends up with him screaming “She’s the apostolic hag!” Between this and dressing up as Swqubbsy http://www.flickr.com/photos/russellbloor2/2986925954/ he’s the kind of lefty nutter that makes mass demonstrations look bad.
WoW! That is some flicker reel. I love Julian, but his whole S.S. Officer/leather boy/Iron Cross look leaves me scratching my head.
Massive Attack’s “Daydreaming” contains the line “Maggie this, Maggie that, Maggie means inflation”
Definitely LMS!