Oh Morrissey...

When I last fell in love - during that golden glowy period I couldn't hear a song without thinking 'Yes' that's exactly how I feel (particularly Marvin Gaye). Then of course you move through that period as your relationship deepens and you stop having such thoughts.

Well in this tense, scary period of London's/Britain's history I am once again noticing lyrics that seem appropriate. I posted the Jam lyrics the other day. This morning on the training my mp3 player chucked this song out:

"Panic on the streets of London
Panic on the streets of Birmingham
I wonder to myself
Could life ever be sane again ?

The Leeds side-streets that you slip down
I wonder to myself
Hopes may rise on the Grasmere
But Honey Pie, you're not safe here
So you run down
To the safety of the town

But there's Panic on the streets of Carlisle
Dublin, Dundee, Humberside
I wonder to myself

Burn down the disco
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music that they constantly play
IT SAYS NOTHING TO ME ABOUT MY LIFE
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music they constantly play

On the Leeds side-streets that you slip down
Provincial towns you jog 'round
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
HANG THE DJ "

Ok perhaps not all of the sentiments are apposite. And I'm not advocating hanging DJs although there are a few I would like taken off the air. But what really gets me about this song is the reminder that musically we have a political void. Artists address issues but no longer through their music. They wear t-shirts, they sloganise at Live8 but that's it. Where is the next generation of protest singers? Where were the anti-war anthems?

The Manics, Elvis Costello and others don't seem bothered any more. Billy Bragg is still doing his thing but (much as I love him) he is irrelevent to the mainstream of music buyers. His songs about asylum seekers, racial integration and anti-facism are great but who hears them? Perhaps there is no appetite in Britain for political song anymore but I can't believe that's true. Step forward the new voice - PLEASE