The Fairytale of New York lyrics have become a viral meme

20 November 2020, 17:24

By Jazmin Duribe

The 'Fairytale of New York' lyrics have become a hilarious meme.

In this life only three things are guaranteed: death, taxes and the annual 'Fairytale of New York' lyrics debate. Sigh.

For those who don't know, each year there's a national conversation on if the original version of the song should be played because of a homophobic slur. The track, which was released in 1987 by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl, goes: "You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy f****t."

In 2018, The Pogues frontman Shane McGowan actually addressed the lyric. In a statement, he said: "The word was used by the character because it fitted with the way she would speak and with her character. She is not supposed to be a nice person, or even a wholesome person. She is a woman of a certain generation and time in history and she is down on her luck and desperate. Her dialogue is as accurate as I could make it but she is not intended to offend!"

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The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York

BBC Radio 1 recently announced they would not play the original version of 'Fairytale of New York' to avoid offending their audience. The edited version now says: "You're cheap and you're haggard." (Kirsty actually used that lyric during a live performance on Top of the Pops in January 1992.) Others have insisted the lyrics to the Christmas anthem should be sung in their entirety.

Luckily, the internet has the only worthy solution. People have changed the lyrics to 'Fairytale of New York' and the results are hilarious. Now it's even become a meme.

The suggestions are God tier.

A meme within a meme.

A whole bop.

*adds to playlist*

Petition to have the internet devise the lyrics all lyrics from now on?

It'll catch on.

Ah, the talent this has.