30 Year War

[Bryter Layter]

As long as I live I will never understand the British obsession with class or how your "working class heroes" are not really working class at all. Well, at least not when it comes to the old school definition of class segmentation that many of you still seem to cling to.

Good tune though.

[Frozendiva]

Originally Posted by Bryter Layter

As long as I live I will never understand the British obsession with class or how your "working class heroes" are not really working class at all. Well, at least not when it comes to the old school definition of class segmentation that many of you still seem to cling to.

Good tune though.

You can also add me to those sentiments.

[FacelessSenseOfVoid]

Originally Posted by Bryter Layter

As long as I live I will never understand the British obsession with class or how your "working class heroes" are not really working class at all. Well, at least not when it comes to the old school definition of class segmentation that many of you still seem to cling to.

Good tune though.

I'd love to say that the class system is a historical thing that went years ago. Unfortunately it is still very much evident in a "us against them" type of way.

Class lines have been blurred somewhat in the last 20 years or so but the system still exists, especially amongst the upper classes. I'm not into "working class heroes", because as you say half of them aren't actually working class. It is a load of bollocks, but at the same time it's something you can't avoid if you're British.

[gladstone]

“There’s class warfare, all right, but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.”

― Warren Buffett

[Scarecrow]

Originally Posted by Bryter Layter

As long as I live I will never understand the British obsession with class or how your "working class heroes" are not really working class at all. Well, at least not when it comes to the old school definition of class segmentation that many of you still seem to cling to.

Good tune though.

Same. I get that it's important to some people, and that it can go some ways towards your quality of life, education, attitudes etc, but it doesn't interest me enough to consciously consider in day to day life. I have a few mates who once debated whether or not going to university and arguably "bettering yourself" put you in box x or y. Found it tedious to even think about.

Also love the song.

[tzb]

Just a fucking brilliant song, currently on repeat. When I first heard it I was almost a little disappointed as all the early reviewers had described it as being angry and vitriolic... but now I've heard it a few times and gotten into it, the adjective I'd use would be 'purposeful', which is really cool to be able to say about a track on their 11th album.

In my years in the wilderness a few fans have asked me "what do you want from this band now they're in their 40s?". Well, this. A million times, this.

"These verses at attention stand
Ready for the immortal command
The armies of my pages may never fight again
Happy for the order to meet eternal flame"

[Mr Richey]

They'd already done teen angst to death; now we're getting middle age anxiety and it's refreshing and wonderful to behold in Nicky's lyrics.

[Marat Sar]

Originally Posted by tzb

"These verses at attention stand
Ready for the immortal command
The armies of my pages may never fight again
Happy for the order to meet eternal flame"

Best lyrics of the song and when it comes to poetry, the best on the album. Almost hip-hop, in an interesting way.

Also, I think it's time for someone to do a "best song on the album" poll or something. I would be curious to see what the hive-mind thinks the big ones are, since there's so many big ones on it.

30YW, Anthem For A Lost Cause (though I personally don't like it) and Sullen Welsh Heart appear to be the favorites, along with perhaps As Holy As The Soil. I would also consider it an actually not that surprising surprise if Manorbier would be 4th or 5th. Magnificent piece of music reallyu, and not at all "a breather" (as Nicky said) or even an interlude. A full fledged grand moment rather.

[Napoleon Bonaparte]

Favourite track by a country mile, great lyrics that hit the nail on the head for me. There won't be any change until something is done about the "old Etonian scum".

[wireobsessed]

Originally Posted by NasalScarecrow

Same. I get that it's important to some people, and that it can go some ways towards your quality of life, education, attitudes etc, but it doesn't interest me enough to consciously consider in day to day life. I have a few mates who once debated whether or not going to university and arguably "bettering yourself" put you in box x or y. Found it tedious to even think about.

Also love the song.

If you were born and grew up in a very traditional working class town and family like me (and the Manics) you would totally understand how it permeates your life and existence. You simply can't avoid it if you were brought up in that kind of environment. Historically my whole family, on both my Mum and Dad's side, were proud to be working class despite the many hardships they had to put up with. My Dad's family marched in the Jarrow March, worked in the mines and the Tyneside shipyards and knew what it was to literally starve to be means tested and to have every piece of furniture taken away as a result of that.

Working class traditions and values are still strong in many, many communities and just like the band I'm really proud of that. I also think we need to be reminded of this part of our history and heritage. It's a form of social documentation.

I love 30YW too and find it refreshing that the band still want to make a point in the way they have.

[Scarecrow]

Originally Posted by wireobsessed

If you were born and grew up in a very traditional working class town and family like me (and the Manics) you would totally understand how it permeates your life and existence. You simply can't avoid it if you were brought up in that kind of environment. Historically my whole family, on both my Mum and Dad's side, were proud to be working class despite the many hardships they had to put up with. My Dad's family marched in the Jarrow March, worked in the mines and the Tyneside shipyards and knew what it was to literally starve to be means tested and to have every piece of furniture taken away as a result of that.

Working class traditions and values are still strong in many, many communities and just like the band I'm really proud of that. I also think we need to be reminded of this part of our history and heritage. It's a form of social documentation.

I love 30YW too and find it refreshing that the band still want to make a point in the way they have.

Oh I know, I wasn't implying class was irrelevant. I said I understand that it's important to some and can see why/how it permeates your life. It's certainly relevant to my parents' upbringing and attitudes having grown up in the dives of Hull. I just prefer to ignore the message of this song because I'm bored of hearing about class.

[Littlesue]

Originally Posted by NasalScarecrow

Oh I know, I wasn't implying class was irrelevant. I said I understand that it's important to some and can see why/how it permeates your life. It's certainly relevant to my parents' upbringing and attitudes having grown up in the dives of Hull. I just prefer to ignore the message of this song because I'm bored of hearing about class.

This, plus people can't help what they are born into,I'm sure a lot of nice people went to Eton, obviously they would'nt want to hang round with chavvy scum like myself

[hummingbird]

I hate the assumption that if you come from a privileged background you automatically *don't know you're born*. There's decent people in all walks of life

[Abstract Unknown Girl]

Originally Posted by Littlesue

This, plus people can't help what they are born into,I'm sure a lot of nice people went to Eton, obviously they would'nt want to hang round with chavvy scum like myself

Yeah, they never seem to make it on to the front benches of Parliament though, which I think is the whole focal point of the song. Nicky isn't having a pop at everyone who went to Eton; just the ones who have been running our country for the best part of 30 years.

[wireobsessed]

Originally Posted by Littlesue

This, plus people can't help what they are born into,I'm sure a lot of nice people went to Eton, obviously they would'nt want to hang round with chavvy scum like myself

Agree, totally, I'm sure there are a lot of great people who went to Eton BUT they simply don't understand the realities of some peoples lives because they have never experienced it and I think that's the problem.