I would actually credit David Letterman for that. As a fan of generally non mainstream music I’ve noticed that Dave seems to really respect music that might not otherwise reach as mainstream an audience as he was capable of providing. And I think that Billy Brag was the best example of that commitment.
"if you got a black list, I wanna be on it. It is better than a Grammy with me name on it.' Billy slides in such powerful one-liners so quickly and slyly. Love this man's talent.
I was trying to find a song for my wife so we could dance to it at our wedding. I had a list. Before I could run it by her, I played the music video for this song. She made the choice for me after that. I'm a very lucky man.
Bragg got his break in the UK by delivering legendary DJ John Peel a biryani and persuading him to play his record. Peel had just mentioned on air he was a bit hungry. This is my favourite hero origin story.
I saw him in 86 or 87 in Vancouver. A great, intimate show. Slowly over the years we both aged, funny how that happens. Looking at this I remember being young, being angry that the world wasn't all it could be. And lifting my head, I realise that little has change for the better, and Mr. Bragg is still out there telling us about it. What a great reminder that I should still be angry, that I should still be trying for a real great leap forward. I won't see it, but perhaps I can give my daughter a running start to clear that distance.
The world will never be all it could be in some Utopian concept. The Great Leap Forward was into the grave for a huge number of people, and into terrible tyranny for the rest.
@@garyfinch8267 That's the funny thing; they are always waiting, waiting for SOMEBODY to get it right. I'm sure 2021 will offer an opportunity for success for Socialism. Keep the faith!
Your words just hit me directly in my now overweight, corporate American gut. I think that deep down I’m still angry, but much of it is now directed more inwardly. Billy is still out there preaching, but I didn’t do my part.
To this day one of Billy's best songs and this performance was a good one. The lyrics on this song are some of the best that have been put to paper and through the years he's adapted them to the times. This show happened back in the 80's and this is an earlier version, but still HELLA DOPE!!
OMG Billy is such a baby here. I can't even begin to remember how many times I've seen him and I still see him most times he is in Toronto for the past 30 years, including the last night of his 3 at the Horseshoe celebrating their 70TH anniversary. He was awesome as ever.
Me too! That Horsehoe stint was amazing - I went to two of the three nights. I've been lucky enough to see him gig in London & Dublin on a few occasions over the decades as well. He remains such an incredible inspiration.
What a pleasure to hear this old clip. Billy Bragg always strikes me as a hard-working British version of Woody Guthrie (though even that comparison makes me a bit parochial). Thanks Billy, thanks Letterman, and thanks to whoever posted.
Your comment got my attention because in the early 90’s I was at a folk festival in Edmonton and Billy was at a smaller stage doing a workshop with Arlo Guthrie it was epic.
Billy is the custodian of Woody Guthrie's music as his family gave Billy the rights to his unpublished music. Dylan asked for it but they said no, Billy was chosen and rightly so.
The band is so awesome. I appreciate it that they’re so entertaining in each episode, as they compensate for Dave when he lays an egg, says something stupid or insensitive or more likely talks over the guests, but here they’re drowning BB out. Part of his story is being one guy with his electric guitar and unfailingly relevant lyrics.
Nearly 30 years on and this song has been near and dear to my heart since I was a teen. Brilliant beyond reckoning. What to say, what to say.....? On this New Years Eve I'm getting a little reminiscent and sweaty eyed as it's hot in this room I'm in.....
Billy was playing this song when I was 7 years old and he's still able to turn the same tune to brand new lyrics and situations when I'm in my 40s. Magic.
Billy Bragg makes the most out of what he has. It's not just in his heart-felt music, but also in the way he lives and fights for equality. There are no mindless smoke and mirrors as in Techno/House/Trance. Perhaps that's why everyone is upset, Billy actually makes you THINK.
Love it, never seen that clip before, and 1988 was around the time I joined the 'Billy Party', tickets booked for Derby later this year for the 'Tooth and Nail' tour. Wonderful to see that even then Billy was playing with the lyrics of even his newest songs to make them relevant to the news. Gave me goosebumps!!! Thanks for posting it.
I've seen Billy live a few times, including an impromptu two songs on the counter of Paul Hudson's now defunct Comic Showcase shop in Monmouth St, London as part of a charity day. He never fails to deliver and this is one of his great songs.
I live in the great county of Essex in England (as it was the kingdom of the East Saxons) and we gave the world Billy Brag, Depeche Mode, Dr Feelgood and The Prodigy. Yes , you are welcome.
Billy, you don't even have to try. you're there. you were my days and my nights, but I always left you at the door (where, of course, you like to be). thank you so much. long live billy!!
As an American, this is the 4th major song (with somewhat popularity) from my childhood, of a British artist singing with a thick British accent, (as opposed to most other British songs/artist that have been popular here in America)
It seems like he made a very serious effort to ensure his every word was as audible as possible for this performance... that might have included keeping the guitar low
This is a gem, thanks for posting this! I saw Billy play in Mpls around this time, before and after, excellent performer. "Worker's Playtime" is a classic album.....
i don’t completely agree with everything this man is saying completely but the fact that he sings every single word form deep within his heart makes me adore every single one of his songs, after all no matter what your ideology is we all strive for peace justice and liberty which is what this man sings for
People forget, but this is a perfect example of why Letterman was so great at 11:30. "Making his network television debut, please welcome Billy Bragg.""If you've got a blacklist I want to be on it. It's better than a Grammy with my name on it" - so Billy Bragg.
So true. I'm both a huge Letterman fan and Bragg fan. In fact, I became a Bragg fan after first catching him on Letterman in '88 and must've seen Billy gig over 25 times in three different countries since then.
Great performance Billy. Some funny, funny lines. But, I think I'm ready for the great leap forwards. ( I don't mean violence. That would be illogical) but...
Too fvcking awesome on so many levels. So sorry Millenials., We fvcked up. We failed. I'm so sorry. Make the best of what's left of the mess we made. So sorry...
Fully agree. Still trying to work out (in my house in the UK) when "socialism" became a dirty word. When I did my Politics degree in the late 80's it meant that you were a believer that we could all work together to help each other. FOX changed that apparently......
+Nobby Nolevel And nowadays, more than a dirty word, it has even become a crime all around the Western world... I just hope some other generation finds out what socialism really means (and learns from the past mistakes), or this world will get digested and craped by itself!
jamesg3456 Explain your definition of socialism. To me this isn't about communism, capatilism or any ism for that matter. There's programming of a kind going on, coming from every side of the coin. There's good people and there's bad, There's good ideas and bad. A good leap forward is asking oneself what one really feels and knows in comparison to what one thinks one knows. Maybe. Not having a go here, just asking question that I ask of myself. I hold no strongly held beliefs in any dogmatic ideologies. There are other methods of living that are coming into view. There's tough times ahead and neither communism nor capitalism in its current form is the answer.
5 years after your comment and now 20% of working class but deeply ignorant Americans following a billionaire called Trump as their economic woes answer, are calling in clueless chorus, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for being socialists or commies, as if these two really were even 'liberals' at all.... how distorted things have come off any Reality as they're fiddled by that side road charlatan swindling all with lies and more lies
Great performance by the brilliant Billy Bragg but what bugs me is that it didn't click in Letterman's mind to ask Billy to do an impression of Stallone directing a New York taxi driver.
Bass too funky. Guitar too quiet. Keyboard too loud. Lacking an emotional trumpet solo. Looks more like a pop outfit than a protest singer. Fucking brilliant.
RACISM ????? So many people whinge when a truth is told about a non white! The fact that there where many taxi drivers who didnt speak a word of English isnt racist its true! I lived in Queens from 87 to 92 and yes Lettermans correct ! so fukin what if the joke offends a few people hahahaha I , and obviously Letterman, coud not give a fuk ! By the way I love being white ! .
