Will BBC play ‘Freezing This Christmas’ by a parody band?

[TonyToniTone]

Will the BBC play - ‘Freezing This Christmas’ by the parody band Sir Starmer and the Granny Harmers if it tops the charts today?



We will find out tonight when the festive number one will be announced on BBC Radio 1's chart show from 16:00...

[crankedup5]

The protest song against the WFA being removed from pensioners has made it to the number 1 spot on charts. And the BBC are refusing to play the song. Funny that.

[Randy Winkman]

I'm sure it will be number one as people buy it multiple times in protest. Either way, are other radio stations playing it?

[TonyToniTone]

I am not sure, I thought the Official Chart show was only on the BBC?

[Randy Winkman]

TonyToniTone said:

I am not sure, I thought the Official Chart show was only on the BBC?

Fair point. I guess they will play it if it's number one, I just wondered if any radio stations genuinely want to play it? It's all a bit 1970s. And I say that as someone who grew up in the 70s.

[Otispunkmeyer]

Probably won't so as not to look "political" but in doing so, will look "political". They can't win really. Not that I particularly like the BBC and their output these days, but they are a bit damned if they do and damned if they don't on some things.

[CT05 Nose Cone]

Otispunkmeyer said:

Probably won't so as not to look "political" but in doing so, will look "political". They can't win really. Not that I particularly like the BBC and their output these days, but they are a bit damned if they do and damned if they don't on some things.

Lots of songs are political though, a few years ago when there was a campaign to get Rage Against the Machine to number one they had no trouble playing that

[Bill]

crankedup5 said:

The protest song against the WFA being removed from pensioners has made it to the number 1 spot on charts. And the BBC are refusing to play the song. Funny that.

Have you got a time machine??

[LimaDelta]

CT05 Nose Cone said:

Otispunkmeyer said:

Probably won't so as not to look "political" but in doing so, will look "political". They can't win really. Not that I particularly like the BBC and their output these days, but they are a bit damned if they do and damned if they don't on some things.

Lots of songs are political though, a few years ago when there was a campaign to get Rage Against the Machine to number one they had no trouble playing that

It's only political if they don't play it. More people bought this than another song at a certain point in time. Kind of how charts work I suppose.

[Silvanus]

The BBC is absolute catnip to some in PH.

[Ean218]

Typical BBC hypocrosy.They showed The Beat playing Stand Down Margaret on TV and played it on the radio quite happily.

[Roderick Spode]

They did the same when Baroness Thatcher died, and there was a campaign to get 'Ding Dong the witch is dead' to number one. They didn't play that on the chart show beyond a brief "this is number one and here's 5 seconds of it", but did mention it on every news broadcast. I suspect they will employ a similar policy this time, although why I'm not sure. Just play the songs, nobody cares.

[Randy Winkman]

CT05 Nose Cone said:

Otispunkmeyer said:

Probably won't so as not to look "political" but in doing so, will look "political". They can't win really. Not that I particularly like the BBC and their output these days, but they are a bit damned if they do and damned if they don't on some things.

Lots of songs are political though, a few years ago when there was a campaign to get Rage Against the Machine to number one they had no trouble playing that

Some songs fit the image and are "cool" "happening" "sick" or whatever term is en vogue. Does anyone actually think the song in question is any of those things in the same way that Rage Against the Machine or The Beat might be? That's why I asked if other stations are playing it? Absolute, Radio X perhaps?

[bitchstewie]

If they do a chart show I assume they'll play it?

Not sure it (or any song) should automatically be on any other playlist.

[IanH755]

Silvanus said:

The BBC is absolute catnip to some in PH.

Its just another "thing" for the same old 'anti-' and 'pro-' faces in here to fight over, and thats never going to change so best we all just get on with life in the meanwhile I guess.

Personally, if a song becomes No1, then as long as there's no directive from the Government NOT to play it (pro-terror event/group, breaks a law etc) then I think it should be played, leaving it up to the listener themselves to decide if they want to listen to it or switch it off.

For matters of taste, I'd much rather the decision is made by individuals rather than a "won't someone think of the children" style pearl clutching committee, and I'd 100% saying exactly the same if this was a song protesting anyone else too, its not about "politics", its about being allowed to made the decision as an individual vs being told "no, you can't listen to it" by others.

[Silvanus]

Randy Winkman said:

CT05 Nose Cone said:

Otispunkmeyer said:

Probably won't so as not to look "political" but in doing so, will look "political". They can't win really. Not that I particularly like the BBC and their output these days, but they are a bit damned if they do and damned if they don't on some things.

Lots of songs are political though, a few years ago when there was a campaign to get Rage Against the Machine to number one they had no trouble playing that

Some songs fit the image and are "cool" "happening" "sick" or whatever term is en vogue. Does anyone actually think the song in question is any of those things in the same way that Rage Against the Machine or The Beat might be? That's why I asked if other stations are playing it? Absolute, Radio X perhaps?

I've certainly not heard it on Absolute. I'm not sure why any station would play it as it sounds utterly ste and has only been downloaded by people for political reasons. I'd imagine the only time any mainstream stations will play it is when they announce the Christmas number one.

[Randy Winkman]

Silvanus said:

Randy Winkman said:

CT05 Nose Cone said:

Otispunkmeyer said:

Probably won't so as not to look "political" but in doing so, will look "political". They can't win really. Not that I particularly like the BBC and their output these days, but they are a bit damned if they do and damned if they don't on some things.

Lots of songs are political though, a few years ago when there was a campaign to get Rage Against the Machine to number one they had no trouble playing that

Some songs fit the image and are "cool" "happening" "sick" or whatever term is en vogue. Does anyone actually think the song in question is any of those things in the same way that Rage Against the Machine or The Beat might be? That's why I asked if other stations are playing it? Absolute, Radio X perhaps?

I've certainly not heard it on Absolute. I'm not sure why any station would play it as it sounds utterly ste and has only been downloaded by people for political reasons. I'd imagine the only time any mainstream stations will play it is when they announce the Christmas number one.

I agree. But clearly, for some it's only the BBC that have to play it.

[Roderick Spode]

Silvanus said:

I've certainly not heard it on Absolute. I'm not sure why any station would play it as it sounds utterly ste and has only been downloaded by people for political reasons. I'd imagine the only time any mainstream stations will play it is when they announce the Christmas number one.

It sounds virtually identical to the 1974 original by Mud, which is a great Christmas song. The lyrics are cleverly done. I'm not sure your objective assessment of 'ste' is shared by the majority of listeners. Anyway, it's making a statement in parody of old Free Gear and Thieves, much in the style of many parody songs over the years have done to the high and mighty.

[Eric Mc]

Not heard it yet (maybe for the reasons mentioned by the OP) but as it seems to be based on Mud's 1974 number one Christmas single "Lonely this Christmas", then it is a parody of a song that itself was a parody.

[DanL]

How many of the “Ladbaby” charity songs that were number 1 got playlisted on any station? Surely this is a similar deal - I expect it’ll be played as part of the chart rundown, I wouldn’t necessarily expect it to be played at any other time.