Growing up in arch-tory rural West Oxfordshire (David Cameron is my parents' MP) It was Billy Bragg that showed me I was not alone in hoping for something different. It was a shock to be told at University that I shouldn't like him as I was from the south- obviously my "friend" Katie's grasp of politics was as tenuous as her grasp of geography.
I remember when the line-up was annouced for Live 8 that I was really angry Billy wasn't included as he'd campaigned far more than the majority of artists on stage. I didn't watch the concert as I went to Edinburgh with Julia for the demo. And there was Billy, singing a new version of Great Leap Forward and turning his back on the corporate entertainment area in Hyde Park by playing for the demonstrators instead.
I love Billy, I love his political integrity, I love that he volunteers at his local school, I love that he never gives up and I love his songs. Anyone unmoved by Levi Stubbs' Tears must have a heart of ice.
Go to his website.
Beyond Chocolate
About Me
- Tashadot
- I'm a country girl who ended up in the city almost by mistake. My marriage ended earlier this year and now I cook for myself and my friends!
3 comments:
Billy is a big hero of mine too. I love the way he has evolved over the years. he got me through my late teens when i was very polically active and his songs gave voice to my feelings and concerns.
Fave Billy lyric is the song about a marriage going thru a hard time and he sings "Crisis after crisis, in such intensity, this would never happen if we lived by the sea"
Love him.
I love that one too. The Boy and I often sing it to each other i=to diffuse an argument. Of course Billy does live by the sea now, lucky sod!
I know. Lyme Regis infact, good on him, lets hope the sea has helped his marriage!
Second fave BB lyric is from that song about an enormous crush he had on a girl as a school lad...The last line goes "and then one day, it finally happened, she cut her hair and I stopped loving her!".
There was some big Billy Bragg busking event at the Southbank the other week which I am very cross to have missed. He led a mass of people with guitars to play and sing his stuff en masse.Apparantly its an annual event now.
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