Fans furious about radio boycott blocking uncensored New York fairytale
RadarOnline.com can reveal The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York is once again at the center of Christmas chart politics, with fans furious that a refusal by BBC radio stations to play an uncensored live version could derail a renewed attempt to finally send the song to number one, almost four decades after its release.
The Irish folk-punk anthem was first released in 1987 and peaked at number two, but was blocked from reaching the top spot in Britain by the Pet Shop Boys cover song. Always on my mind.
Written by Jem Finer and the late Shane MacGowanwho died in November 2023 aged 65 and sang with Kirsty MacColl, who died in a freak boating accident in 2000 aged 41, the song has since become a mainstay.
The latest controversy centers on a recently released live recording with the original lyrics “cheap, lousy f—–“, prompting BBC stations to exclude it from playlists during the crucial Christmas chart window.
Music fans claim the decision amounts to a de facto radio boycott that undermines the song’s best chance yet of reaching the top spot.
An industry insider said: “There is a real sense of injustice among fans that this live recording, which was never intended to be altered, has been removed from BBC playlists. It is a genuine performance of a hugely loved song from a hugely loved band, and blocking it in this way could be exactly what sees it finally reach the Christmas number one spot it has long deserved.”
The song has long divided opinions due to its “f—–” lyrics, which some broadcasters have censored or avoided altogether.
In 2020, the BBC broadcast an edited version on Radio 1, muting one line and replacing another.
MacGowan defended the original wording in 2017, saying: “The word was used by the character because it suited the way she spoke and her character.”
He added: “She’s not supposed to be a nice person, or even a healthy person.”
Despite the controversy, “Fairy tale of New York” remains one of the most commercially powerful Christmas carols of modern times.
According to industry estimates, the sector continues to generate huge annual royalties through radio broadcasting, streaming and licensing.
Performance rights bodies do not publish exact figures, but in 2021 it was estimated that the song would gross around $535,000 per year from radio and streaming alone, with experts noting that strong chart positions could significantly increase that total.
Written in response to a challenge to produce a Christmas song that avoided sentimentality, Fairy tale of New York vividly weaves the story of a fractured relationship between an elderly couple in New York City.
MacGowan plays the male role, while MacColl takes on the female role, with the duo exchanging bitter lines as Christmas Day approaches.
Despite the bleak story, the song struck a powerful chord with listeners and quickly cemented itself in popular culture.
Coupled with MacGowan’s recent death after a lifetime confined to a wheelchair, this year’s 25th anniversary of MacColl’s shocking death overshadows the song.
It has also reignited accusations of a “cover-up” over her death. MacColl was killed by a speedboat off the coast of Cozumel, Mexico, on December 18, 2000, just a week before Christmas, while protecting her two sons, Jamie and Louis, then aged 15 and 14.
The singer’s ex-husband, producer Steve Lillywhite, who is also the father of her sons, has now publicly accused billionaire Guillermo Gonzalez Nova – once one of Mexico’s richest men – of orchestrating the crash to avoid a costly lawsuit.
Nova, owner of the 30-foot boat involved in the incident, was on board along with two of his sons, a daughter-in-law and his 11-month-old granddaughter.
Lillywhite claims the ship was actually piloted by Gonzalez Nova himself, and that sailor Jose Cen Yam, then 26, was paid to be made a scapegoat for the accident.
Many sources familiar with the case say speculation about MacColl’s death has never abated. “Many people still think there is more to it than what emerged in court,” says a legal insider.
“Her death is still considered a mystery by many, and the circumstances surrounding Cen Yam’s minor fine raise more questions than answers.”
Another source added: “It’s hard not to see the possibility of a cover-up when the man who owned the boat was so wealthy and influential. People feel justice has not been fully served.”
Cen Yam avoided being jailed on charges of culpable homicide and only paid a $90 fine, despite being held responsible for Kirsty’s death.
Lillywhite, who is releasing a new version of Fairytale of New York with late Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan, said of the incident in a chat to promote the fresh take on the iconic Christmas song: “They said it was a young kid driving, but no one believes that. I guess they just didn’t want to have a huge lawsuit because he was one of the richest guys in Mexico.”
Cen Yam, who claimed he was only going one knot – about one mile per hour – did not have a license for the ship.
