I'd Love to Change the World - Ten Years After

[cayugafalls]

[Koch Ebola]

1. Great song but...

Very transphobic and homophobic. The sentiment is the same as the Stones street fighting man. I'm too busy being a rock star to stop the insanity of the the world. Thank Buddha for bands like the Clash.


Check out my song
https://soundcloud.com/user-890005066/donald-is-a-idiot-by-koch-ebola

[cayugafalls]

2. I guess you could read it that way, I don't

I am very LGBTQ aware and to me I do not see it as VERY anything.

I think the first two lines of the song have been misconstrued as being from the point of view of the band rather than what I feel is more in line as the point of view of Rich/conservative people.

"Everywhere is freaks and hairies
Dykes and fairies, tell me where is sanity"

Freaks and hairies refers to people just like the ones singing the song. Dykes and fairies were also not as disparaging of terms back then in England as they may be perceived now. If you take the first two lines from the POV of what rich/conservative people see, then the lines are neither homophobic nor are they freak-aphobic.

I see your point though, but I just don't see it as being very transphobic or homophobic since I believe they are asking for people to understand people better and accept them for who they are.

[Austin_McBride]

4. Yes, but ....

Writing a song from a point of view of someone else is tricky and dubious, especially if that someone else is racist or homophobic.

This is what Mark Knopfler said he did in his song "Money for Mothing" where he wrote the vile, disgusting lines about "That little fa**ot, he's a millionaire". He claimed this was the view of the blue collar workers in the song, not him.

But why is that okay? Would you still feel okay about it if the song was about a really racist guy and the line was "That little ni**er, he's a millionaire"?

This excuse (writing from the point of view of someone else so you can disavow the sentiment) is weak and sleazy and weaselly.

Shame on Mark Knopfler and shame on Alvin Lee who wrote "I'd Love to Change the World".

[marble falls]

5. meh.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

6. Welcome to DU

[YoYoYoYo]

3. Thoughts from an old guy

I know it seems like everyone should have had the colloquial view of the world no matter when their voice comes from. But it's hard to see beyond your time. You will find that things you think and say today will be dated in the future. It's appalling to think you might be on the wrong side of history, but it's with the current trajectory, it's true. These lyrics are not necessarily anti-LGBTQIA+, but rather pointing out that some people are on the fringes of society. Times change but their will always be someone filling that niche.