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It would shine a torch into the dirty little corner where the BNP defecate on our democracy, and that would be much more powerful than duffing them up in the street – which Im also in favour of.

Billy Bragg

I’d like to think that in a generation or two we’ll have politicians whose life experience reflects that of the people who are voting for them.
BILLY BRAGG

People Thinking Voting
Were it not for the Clash, punk would have been just a sneer, a safety pin and a pair of bondage trousers.
BILLY BRAGG

Pairs Pins Punk Safety
If you’ve got a blacklist, I want to be on it.
BILLY BRAGG

Ibacklist Life Want
The key to it has to be some sort of proportional representation, which allows there to be more parties.
BILLY BRAGG

Aspiration Key Proportional Representation Society Sort
So, in some ways, the political songs tend to be a bit more like reportage, whereas the love songs tend to be like novels, you can pick them up off the shelf and go into them any time.
BILLY BRAGG

Love Political Reportage Song Way
Whether we like it or not, we live in a post-ideological world. That’s how a Donald Trump can get through. He has no ideology at all: in that sense, he’s a bit like Mussolini.
BILLY BRAGG

Ideology Party Post Sense Thinking Whether World
I enjoyed so much working with the guys from Wilco, and riffing off of them, and having someone come up to me with ideas, because normally in the studio it’s me who has to come up with all the ideas.
BILLY BRAGG

Come Guy Idea Ideas Riffing Studio
I’m just saying that we need to find a better way to manifest the broader society’s aspirations, politically.
BILLY BRAGG

Aspiration Better Just Saying Need Party Politician
Britain is a great country. We can more or less say what we like, and we can walk down the street without anyone trying to kill us. I know it’s tough for some people, but generally we live in a caring society. We live in a great country, but we’re no longer a great power.
BILLY BRAGG

Caring Country Long
All musicians start out with ideals but hanging on to them in the face of media scrutiny takes real integrity. Tougher still is to live up to the ideals of your dedicated fans.
BILLY BRAGG

Integrity Media Real
All the great political music was made at the height of political confrontations.
BILLY BRAGG

Confrontation Height Made Political
I’ve had songs written during the Falklands war, and during the first Gulf war I got letters from soldiers saying they were listening to these songs, like Island of no return.
BILLY BRAGG

Country Islands Soldier Song War
I never met a politician who didn’t want to be a guitar player in a rock band. I’ve got the opportunity to say what I believe in.
BILLY BRAGG

Believe Opportunity Player Politician
There are quite a few honest songwriters out there writing about relationships and their own personality traits. But for some reason, once they step out of the bedroom, their honesty doesn’t seem to come with them.
BILLY BRAGG

Bedroom Honesty Personality Traits Writing
Never trust anyone who has no doubts. And I’m not talking about scepticism either: scepticism can be a healthy thing.
BILLY BRAGG

Better Feel Giving Mean Scepticism Up
If I can entertain people and get them to open up a little bit, then they’re much more conducive to any ideas I might have, whether they’re about relationships or politics. The most interesting songs, I think, are the ones where the two overlap.
BILLY BRAGG

Interesting Song Thinking

It would shine a torch into the dirty little corner where the BNP defecate on our democracy, and that would be much more powerful than duffing them up in the street – which Im also in favour of.

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It would shine a torch into the dirty little corner where the BNP defecate on our democracy, and that would be much more powerful than duffing them up in the street – which Im also in favour of.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Billy Bragg Quotes