Florence Welch and Calvin Harris resisted their songs being played during the Tory conference in the same way that Keane or the Dandy Warhols used to do also. This is not surprising, considering how the Tories play with song lyrics.
When comparing it with a stage walker, a relentless cough, and a letter F with less power than David Davis, Theresa May probably isn’t too concerned over Florence + the Machine getting angry with her speech at the conference.
But she’s not a happy camper, But she’s not the only one. Florence Welch tweeted that Tory’s use of You Got the Love “was not approved by us nor would it have been had they asked.” The singer was joined by former collaboration partner Calvin Harris, whose track featuring Rihanna, This is What You Came For, was the basis for May’s music for the walk-on. The rapper tweeted: “I do not support nor condone happy songs being played at such a sad event … Also cough plus grey complexion suggests liver cleanse needed – blood prob very dark – body trying to cleanse but lack of nutrients pls google.” Since Harris was once an unnatural white pudding tucked in front of a pair of sunglasses that looked like a novelty and is now an Armani Underwear Model, the May might want to pay attention to them.
However, they’re suitable songs, even if not necessarily for the right reasons. The lyric from This Is What You Came For It reads, “Lightning strikes every time she moves” This is a perfect reflection of May’s inability to get out of Downing Street without further alienating her from the public, as another lyric lyrics – “Everybody’s watching her, but she’s looking at you” is a concise description of how her obsession with Corbyn and Boris about the inspirational speeches, may hurt the Conservatives popular vote. “We say nothing more than we need” In the end, that is certainly the most popular Tory backroom saying.
May, however, attempts to make You’ve Got the Love, secularised by Welch from Candi Staton’s gospel original, into a song of faith. It could be a warm affirmation for those in the Tory group, May telling them, “You got the love I need to see me through,” or perhaps it’s the other way around, as May portrays herself as an apex Tory god who can see her followers through.
Perhaps some Steve Hilton-type Tory strategist, who puts on blue skies the color of blue, thought about the songs they chose but not likely. This may be What You Came For was picked due to its title alone; even though Rihanna sings the lyrics as an affirmation of her sexuality, however, it’s unlikely that’s how May was instructed to use the song. Instead, it’s insidious, reminding the audience of why they’re there to watch and show support for May.
This mockery of songcraft – and subsequent criticism of songwriters is a well-known Tory conference satire. Fleetwood Mac’s”Don’t Stop” is an anthem about determination and perseverance in the face of marital discord; David Cameron transformed it into a song of determination the in the face of Ukip. Cameron liked The Killer’s “All These Things I’ve Doing. The song’s central lyric, “You gotta help me out,” was transformed into a chant to”the” Big Society, a trick repeated in Bryan Ferry’s Let’s Stay Together.
Cameron also made use of Keane’s”Everybody’s Changing the song, which was selected for the title, and ignoring the lyrics that speak of the feeling of being apathetic and the simmering tensions in his mind even though “I try to stay awake and remember my name” is likely to be how conference attendees feel by the end of the third day.
Keane claimed she was “horrified” their music was played. In 2011 Primal Scream declared that it was “totally disgusted” with the Tories after they played Rocks, a track that promotes cheap sex and drug consumption – maybe the event was more bacchanalistic than we imagined, and it turned out not to be aired at all. Instead, they played Dandy Warhols’ Bohemian Like You as the song that was played for Theresa May’s departure, the song where an arsehole makes a list of untrue promises, doesn’t commit, and demands everyone be awestruck by the whole thing. After discovering this, Dandy Warhols frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor blasted “rightwing jerkoff politics,” saying, “Rightwing people aren’t creative, visionary or any fun to be around.”
The Tories should be careful not to select songs based on their title instead, but rather ones which truly reflect their beliefs – or better both, like the case when New Labour managed to crystallize their pledge to the nation through D: Ream’s Songs will only get better. This song’s success proved how music can be a tiny but crucial battleground in politics and one in which the Jeremy Corbyn party is currently ruling.
Some may be offended by some of his endorsement of Stormzy during the GQ awards or his reference to his quoting of the “man’s not hot” UK rapper meme; however, his unique charisma means that these actions mostly contribute to his millennial adolescence. The Tories, however, utilize music only in the most superficial, literal way that reveals that the culture is just a facade and not something that lies at the country’s core.