Wasn’t it frustrating when you worked especially hard on a school project, perhaps even all night, only to find your classmate had done the bare minimum just to earn the same grade? I felt a similar pang on Monday morning. Having learned that the King would be publishing a playlist for Commonwealth Day, we at Decadent Serpent thought it a good opportunity to offer up a counter playlist; something to balance out the expected populist offering from the British monarchy.
But oh dear. It’s worse than we imagined. Not only does it cater to the very lowest aesthetic denominator of the collective British psyche (that’s a swipe at you, Mr Bublé: please, take offence), it seems that, when His Majesty went about his homework, he didn’t even bother reading the question. What, pray, is Beyoncé’s connection to the Commonwealth? Apparently her contribution is a “bonus track”, which only makes me wonder what the point of the Commonwealth rubric was in the first place. And does the overplayed ‘Crazy in Love’ ever need to be included as a bonus track anywhere?
Worse, perhaps, is the snubbing. To save Beyoncé the disappointment of having to, just once in her life, not be told she’s the greatest woman who ever lived, poor Cyprus (a Commonwealth country, in case the King is unaware) was edged out. This, despite George Michael and Cat Stevens being both obvious, and worthy, choices. I have rectified this by including Michael’s ‘Freedom 90’ in my own list.
Along similar lines, I’ve opted to include tracks from Freddie Mercury and Lorde. One thing I’d hoped to see in the King’s playlist was an attempt (at least) at broadening his subjects’ musical horizons. Instead, we got Bob Marley. So, to pick up the King’s slack, I’ve added representatives of Ghana’s ‘highlife’ scene in the way of Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson and E.T Mensah: think jazzy, proto-Afrobeat. There’s punk from India, courtesy of ‘Punk on Toast, and (the best discovery of the lot) Sri-Lankan led underground indie band, Glorious Din. They remind me of Joy Division; do look into them.
Of course, I’ve chosen what I believe are some of the best works from Canadian and Australian artists. We also have Indian and reggae influenced tracks from British classics the Beatles and Joe Strummer. But I also gave the rubric a more spirited interpretation in going for songs that, either belong to a specific country’s folk repertoire (hence the Pogues making an appearance), or draw from the stories that define Britain’s relationship with the Commonwealth, such as the Proclaimers’ ‘Letter from America’ (a song about Scottish westward migration). ‘Gunga Din’ from the Libertines is included because I like Rudyard Kipling, and so should you. And who defines the old empire better than Kipling?
Why does it end with Morrissey’s ‘Irish blood, English heart’? Because of its republicanism. Which is what you get, Charlie, if you cross me. See to it that it doesn’t happen again.
PLAYLIST
Diamonds in the Mine- Leonard Cohen
Love Me Adure- Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson
Abele- E.T Mensah
Nature Boy- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
The Band Played Waltzing Matilda- The Pogues
Pallet on the Floor- Glorious Din
Mh370- Punk on Toast
Across the Universe- The Beatles
Both Sides Now- Joni Mitchell
Letter from America- The Proclaimers
Get Down Moses- Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros
Living on my Own – Freddie Mercury
Freedom 90- George Michael
Ribs- Lorde
Gunga Din- The Libertines
Marrie Me, Archie- Alvvays
Irish Blood, English Heart- Morrissey
George Marsden is a graduate of Glasgow University, where he read English and Classics. His writing has appeared in IM-1776, The Mallard, and Sublation Magazine, among other outlets. As song writing is the only form of modern poetic expression with a mass audience, George thinks it merits special critical attention. He also aims to counter the nefarious influence that Oasis have had on British culture. Read his work here.
