Protest Song Slamming Theresa May Tops Charts Ahead Of U.K. Election
Protest Song Slamming Theresa May Tops Charts Ahead Of U.K. Election
A song calling Prime Minister Theresa May a liar is heading to the top of the charts in the United Kingdom, a week ahead of the general election.
ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:
And another sign that prime minister Theresa May might be in for a closer election than she bargained for, the U.K. music charts.
KELLY MCEVERS, HOST:
Number four on the Official U.K. Top 40 Singles Chart ahead of big names like Ariana Grande and Miley Cyrus is a song called "Liar Liar GE2017." That's GE for general election 2017. The song is by the relatively unknown group Captain Ska.
SIEGEL: The song starts with May herself.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LIAR LIAR GE2017")
PRIME MINISTER THERESA MAY: We have a mission to make Britain a country that works not for the privileged and not for the few but for every one of our citizens.
MCEVERS: Then comes the chorus.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LIAR LIAR GE2017")
CAPTAIN SKA: (Singing) She's a liar, liar. Oh, she's a liar, liar. No, you can't trust her. No, no, no, no.
SIEGEL: This song is actually repurposed. The group originally released "Liar Liar" in 2010, taking aim at David Cameron, prime minister at the time. The lyrics of this latest version rail against May and the ruling Conservative Party, mentioning cuts to education and the National Health Service.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LIAR LIAR GE2017")
CAPTAIN SKA: (Singing) The nurses going hungry, schools in decline. I don't recognize this broken country of mine.
MCEVERS: You won't hear the song on British radio though. Long-standing impartiality rules have kept "Liar Liar" from being played in the U.K., but we can play it here.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LIAR LIAR GE2017")
CAPTAIN SKA: (Singing) She's a liar, liar. Oh, she's a liar, liar. No, you can't trust her. No, no, no, no.
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