The National Front Disco

Just listen to the lyrics. Anyone who thinks this songs is racist can only be seen as simple, ignorant and somewhat hateful. It's a song exploring why normal people do stupid things for example joining the National Front.

"The winds blow ... All of my dreams away"

This lyric is one of three that sums up the meaning of this song. We all feel that our dreams have 'Blown Away' and some people cling to the first thing the see that will possibly make it all better. In Davids case, The National Front.

"We wonder if the thunder Is ever really gonna begin"

And this is the point in the song when you realise that 'David' isn't racist or even particularly right wing. He knows that racism doesn't help but he feels dejected and empty that the world in general is of no use and there is no way for him to actually make it better.

"..but one day you would like to And if you show them what you're made of"

This is summing up the fact that we all want to make a mark and do something with ourselves but there appears to be no way to.

Just think about it.

The National Front Disco. Do you think that The National Front- no forigners, no gays, etc., and taking itself quite seriously, takes kindly being compared to a disco?

Mozza proposed this song to his band, mentioning only the title and Boz Boorer is reported to have said 'You're going to get us into a lot of trouble' but the band, loyal as ever, went along with it and created, in my opinion, one of the best stompers that he's ever created. He famously played this song, wrapped in a Union Jack, with several National Front members at the front of the audience and it was NME's coverage of this (rather criticising poor Mozza) that lead to his refusal to speak to them for over ten years! It's definitely not racist. Moz seems to enjoy flirting with the controversy that people create through their failure to read the lyrics properly. Songs like 'We'll Let You Know' and 'Asian Rut' also share the 'racist' label, simply because people can't see the fact that he's being deliberately ironic and sometimes just patriotic! Where's the harm in loving your country?!

The problem with some of the songs on "Your Arsenal" is that the meanings of the songs are pretty opaque- "Glamorous Glue", "We'll Let You Know", "Certain People I Know". There's some inside thought or vernacular the Morrissey is using that doesn't come across clearly to the general public.

Well, let's look at the lyrics. National Front- ultra right wing conservative group, that is clear enough. Why a disco- a place for dance and fun. Perhaps the "David" in the song finds it a fun and exciting political party. The others in the song, David's mother, friends and even Morrissey himself seem to think he is making a mistake-"where is our boy, we've lost our boy". But the David in the song doesn't see it that way at all- he isn't lost, he has arrived- he embraces his new views and new party.

What is confusing about the song and I think the reason it generated controversy is the music of ths song- footstomping, energetic, uplifting and exciting- it seems to celebrate the National Front. Also, irony works best if it gives you a wink and a nod that there is something wrong with the subject matter or showing absurd negative consequences of one's views or actions. There really is neither other than observer's worrying that 'David' is lost. I mean for instance, if Morrissey substituted 'Labour Party' for National Front, nobody would have batted an eye at the lyrics. So I can see why Morrissey caught flack for this song.

This song is a lot like some of Elvis Costello's early tracks like "Less Than Zero" and "Oliver's Army," in that it seems to examine what drives working class citizens to join nationalist, right-wing groups. Morrissey's take is a little bit less biting and a little more ironic. The subject of the song is a misguided youth, whose family seems to wonder if he's been "lost." Even Morrissey seems to be trying to reassure him that sometimes the wind simply blows your dreams away. "David" sees the National Front as a fun escape from his hardships, which the title of the song seems to hint at.

To Thierry14, excellent analysis! I very much concur with everything you've said. Do you think "David" is maybe a nod to a fascist-chic Thin White Duke era David Bowie (notably Bowie covers another song from this album, "I kNow It's Gonna Happen Someday")

You shouldn't try to guess at someone's peronal or political beliefs from interpreting their lyrics. There's a big difference between singing a song and performing a lecture- one is fact one is fiction. In the same way that 'David' doesn't exist, the poetic persona of the lyric is Morrissey's construct. So what if a song DID celebrate the NF without irony? It's a work of art. He's not performing at a press conference. Talking Heads' Psycho Killer was told from the point of view of a serial killer. Were they condoning serial killers? No, the were writing a f**king song!

My favourite part of this song is 'there's a country, you don't live there, but someday you would like to, and if you show them what you're made of, you might do.' This line makes me feel for a fleeting moment that maybe there's something to be said for the NF (BNP now) and that's what's so great about the song, you really sympathise for David and his views.

In a recent interview (I'm loosely paraphrasing) Morrissey said that in certain parts of London you can walk down the street and not hear an English accent and that he thinks that this is a real shame. You can't dismiss someone as racist or fascist because he wishes there was less immigration and thinks that British culture is being diluted. Although it is a bit strange since Morrissey's family were immigrants...

The controversy stirred up by this song always makes me laugh. It reminds me of the time the state of Maryland tried to pass legislation to ban the playing of Randy Newman's "Short People," because they didn't get the joke.

This song is very obviously critical of the National Front. It's classic Morrissey, pushing dark vocals against a lively melody. The protagonist, "David," is portrayed as a bit of a loser,

"The wind blows Bits of your life away"

whose friends and family are mourning the fact that he's been lost to this fascist (disco) party,

"Where is our boy? Oh, we've lost our boy"

which gives him someone to blame for his troubles (i.e. minorities),

"You want the day to come sooner When you've settled the score"

and promises to remake England into the country he wishes it was, one where he thinks things would go his way.

"There's a country; you don't live there But one day you would like to And if you show them what you're made of Oh, then you might do"

But of course, like most white-supremacist organizations, the National Front Party (wittily represented as a disco party) is all talk, no real answers.

"But David, we wonder We wonder if the thunder Is ever really gonna begin"

Anyone who listens to this and thinks it supports the National Front is probably dim enough to be a member. Morrissey has made unfortunate comments about race (among other topics), but this song isn't one of them.

I’ve always felt that the NFD protagonist is a clear nod to Charles Dickens young David Copperfield. I can’t think of many other cultural figures who scream ‘coming-of-age English boy fits of wonder’ than boy Davy.

Another song that can be seen as Morrissey being racist, which he firmly denies. It is about David who becomes a skinhead and very much against for keeping "England for the English".