Changing The Offending Line To “You Scumbag, You Maggot, Dirty Like Bob Saget” Would Have Worked But Unfortunately Kirsty MacColl Has Passed On

The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York,” bowdlerized:

BBC Radio 1 has said it will stand by its ban on the word “faggot” from the Pogues’ 1987 Christmas hit Fairytale of New York to avoid offence.

The word, sung by the late Kirsty MacColl as she trades insults with Shane MacGowan, has been dubbed out.

But MacColl’s mother, Jean, called the ban “too ridiculous”, while the Pogues said they found it “amusing”.

The BBC said: “We are playing an edited version because some members of the audience might find it offensive.”

. . .

MacColl, who was killed by a speedboat off the coast of Mexico in 2000, brands Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan “you scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot” in the song, which reached number two when it was first released.

She continues: “Happy Christmas your arse, I pray God it’s our last.”

Another line, where MacGowan calls MacColl “an old slut on junk”, has also been edited.