The other song is Jonathan King's bewildering anti-tabloid tract, The True Story of Harold Shipman, in which the disgraced pop mogul outlines his sceptical approach to the media by penning a jaunty little number about Britain's most prolific serial murderer. Say what you like about old wonky gob, but he hasn't half rustled up a toe-tapper. It would make a fantastic entry for Eurovision, if only its lyrics weren't a) horrendously upsetting and b) written and performed by a convicted sex offender.

www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,2127288,00.html

Well, well, nice article Charlie.

Good thread emerging on the Guardian feedback page actually, re- that article.

A balanced review by somebody who has actually listened to the song and judging it on its own merits instead of using the space to go into another "vile pervert" rant. It certainly is catchier than anything I heard in Eurovision this year!

Yes I must say it was quite a relief to read something from someone who had bothered to listen to the lyric even if he did still find it offensive!

I was beginning to think that my point in the song (that the media inflates) was even more frighteningly accurate than I feared.

"Give me one voice in the media who understands" I thought.

Am I the only person in step?

Marching to a different tune where the whole world says I BELIEVE EVERYTHING!!

But it's fairly trivial for me (who gives a shit if everyone thinks I'm a Vile Pervert; I certainly don't). It must be dreadful for the thousands like Sally Clark without the one kind and decent person (Marilyn the Leeds solicitor) prepared to question the law, society, expert witnesses and that wonderful intelligent probing MEDIA.

JK2006 wrote:
It must be dreadful for the thousands like Sally Clark without the one kind and decent person (Marilyn the Leeds solicitor) prepared to question the law, society, expert witnesses and that wonderful intelligent probing MEDIA.

Huh we should never question the law.
Some years ago I attended a protest against the now infamous "Clause 28" we were described in the local media as "A group of pro-criminal activists"

Apparently if a person dissagrees with a law or feels it is not needed they are pro-criminal!

It became a very interesting thread with some great points about song lyrics being close to the mark coming to the fore.
Very little abuse, a certain piano singer songwriter who used to wear a cloth cap got quite a lot of stick, and I do have to agree with the poster who wrote about Nick Lowe`s "Marie Provost", being the one of the poppiest tunes with the most ghastly horrific lyric.
I do hope some of the posters come over and discuss music here, there were some bright views.
A fascinating subject, the dark side of a catchy tune.
Well worth a book.

I concur with everyone's comments, you can bet your life that The Sun's editors had not even heard the song
and just passed on their opinions because it was JK that was penning the song.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but at least Brooker actually listened to it. For the record it was certainly better than our last six or seven Eurovision entries.

My opinion for what it's worth, is that there are a lot of songs that have charted over the last few years that have had worse lyrics.

The media love a good spin, especially the Sun.

It was also interesting to see what was virtually another tabloid backlash(?), if there could be such a thing, start heading back the other way.

Mart wrote:
[quote]A fascinating subject, the dark side of a catchy tune.
quote]

Ray Davies' song "Art Lover" from the 80's album "Give the people what they want" surely did have a really catchy, poppy tune, I'm not sure what message he was putting across in the lyrics,(if any) but I'm sure that if the song was released today the right wing self righteous gutter press jounalists would have a field day, I like the song very much but can imagine the reaction from the type of people who slash paintings and burn books ...