BBC Radio 1 has said it will stand by its ban on the word "******" from the Pogues' 1987 Christmas hit Fairytale of New York to avoid offence.

The word, sung by the late Kirsty MacColl as she trades insults with Shane MacGowan, has been dubbed out.

But MacColl's mother, Jean, called the ban "too ridiculous", while the Pogues said they found it "amusing".

The BBC said: "We are playing an edited version because some members of the audience might find it offensive."

Full report on BBC News Online

Beeb online shoulda bagged that photo of Shane, I'm trying to eat my breakfast here!
8-P

It was Christmas Eve, babe,
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me, 'Won't see another one....'

It's a great song, but I listened to it too many times as with all those Pogues albums. 

The lyric in controversy here is McColl singing:
"You scumbag,
You maggot,
You cheap, lousy ******,
Merry Chrismas your arse,
Pray God it's our last"

Is that really so bad compared to the quasi-pornographic swill that comprises the majority of popular entertainment nowadays?
And why is that word on auto-censor?  A f*gg*t is a bundle of sticks!
:-\\

BTW, R.I.P. Kirsty
:\'(

What amazes me is that it has taken 20 years for tha BBC to react to this!

What amazes me is that it has taken 20 years for tha BBC to react to this!

Maybe it took that long to get the right prude in the right office. 

The PC ethos:  Free speech for me, censorship for you!

wow.  i have to say that in the past here in NY, the home of censorship, I have heard the whole song.
I will wait and see next time it's on the radio...

they play this one often around here.

Current Vote:

Should radio stations censor The Pogues' Fairytale of New York?
Yes  4.46% 
No  95.54% 

4620 Votes Cast

I heard about that news on Radio 1... wait, it's on right now! It is also 7 years since Kirsty was hit by a speedboat and killed.

Did you hear that last year on the annual release of Fairytale Kirsty MacColl was no credited on the Single Cover.

Just announced on the radio, Radio 1 has reversed the decision on banning Fairytale of New York.

what ****ing word was censored?

Some people can censor the word ******, but the can't censor the word nigga.  They're both pretty bad.

what ****ing word was censored?
The missing words below:

"Youre a bum
Youre a punk
Youre an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you ######
You cheap lousy ######
Happy christmas your arse
I pray God its our last"

Some people can censor the word ******, but the can't censor the word nigga.  They're both pretty bad.


Speaking of auto-censor. ::)

The missing words below:

"Youre a bum
Youre a punk
Youre an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you ######
You cheap lousy ######
Happy christmas your arse
I pray God its our last"
okay, so what's next. we won't be allowed to say or use number/pound symbols ####  :-\\

okay, so what's next. we won't be allowed to say or use number/pound symbols ####   :-\\
You never know?

But it fits the bleakness of the song, and the fact the two charecters, are

a)  drunk
b) have a love hate relationship
c) incredibly down on their luck

Which is why I like the song.

It's a classic song.  Censoring it is just wrong!  I love the song in every way! 8)

It's a classic song.  Censoring it is just wrong!  I love the song in every way! 8)
The BBC (Radio1) has reverted back to the original untouched version.

American television censors "scumbag" but not "scum."

eg. from the movie "Trading Places," one of Denholm Elliott's lines:

Coleman: And a very Merry Christmas to you too, sir.  What a scumbag.

gets changed to: what a scum :-X

Why do they allow one and not the other.  "Scumbag" is an old slang word for condom.  But then again, "scum" is an old slang word for semen.  So....?
???