Lyrics: “Thatcher Fucked the Kids” – Frank Turner, 2006
Ever since I saw Frank play this song to a UK audience in Coventry (and Liverpool) about a month ago I had pondered writing this post. Or to at least gather my thoughts on the revival of this song and why I scream along to it with gusto, even though I do not live in the UK nor do I have or ever had a UK passport. Thatcher’s politics never ever personally affected me.
But then COVID hit and the idea slipped my mind. Until the song came on in my “Mix Mix” (very original, I know) playlist in my car on a drive back home this afternoon.
The song is from 2006 and was and still is a very harsh, honest, valid account of how much the so called “Thatcherism” hurt and messed up parts of the British society. And how these policies reverberated for years after and still do. For quite a long time (2010 onwards maybe?) Frank didn’t play the song live anymore. I think to avoid being put into a “lefty political songwriter” box for one. Maybe also to avoid the senseless shitstorm from conservative fans / journalists / people on social media. Either way we all considered the song to have been retired, except for the rare occasion of a “let’s play ALL songs of this time” concert (e.g. Lost Evenings) or live stream during the pandemic. The few times I heard it live before or even when it came on in one of my playlists, I liked to sing along, mostly probably because it is a catchy tune and sometimes it is fun and freeing to just bitch and swear about something.
I admit that until quite recently I didn’t really look into Thatcher’s politics. I knew she was a Tory and that she cut government spending, was anti-union and such. I never read up further or looked into the whole “free market”, privatisation, lowering taxes, restraining the unions side of it all. And I think it’s this neo-liberalism philosophy, which I hadn’t associated with her so much before, that makes me sing this song with so much more rage than before. Because I oppose most neo-liberal policies with a passion!
I’m happy that my Green party is part of the government coalition in Germany at the moment. But the other smaller partner in the 3-party coalition are the Liberals, which follow quite neoliberal philosophy these days. And I absolutely hate it! Whether it’s the current climate / energy crisis or how to handle the pandemic or the welfare state. Their “solution” also always is: free markets, wait for new technologies, but never ever impose any restrictions. Like a speed limit on the German motorways! All based on the idea that everybody shall be able to do as they please and that anyone can just pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Which we all know is not true!
So yeah, I’m rather frustrated by our German government these days, because even though the Liberals had the smallest share of votes, they seem to be the loudest in the government and seem to decide on policies more often than the other two. And I hate it, because I think their policies are wrong and hurtful and destructive on a societal level. Of course the neo-right party AfD and other groups (Anti-Vaxers, Pro-Russia) also add to the rift in our society, but it just pains me to see that these neo-liberal ideas seem to be such a huge part of our governmental strategy.
To bring this back to Frank. I don’t really know why he decided to put the song back on the setlist these days. At the two shows I saw he clearly stated his frustration with the current government before/after the song. Maybe he wanted to take a stand again. Or maybe he just wanted to provide his UK audience with a 3 – minutes emotional outlet for all their frustration with this government by singing along to this song so fiercely. It worked for my frustration with my government at least, so thanks for that, Frank.
For all my “Not-Frank-Fan” reader: here are the lyrics and here is the song:
