A couple of years ago a friend gave me a book.
33 Revolutions Per Minute by Dorian Lynskey focussed on 33 songs (geddit?) and was described by the Telegraph as a "compassionate history of protest songs from Woody Guthrie to Green Day".
It's a while since I read it but I am fairly certain that 'Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead' didn't feature.
Anyway, inspired by some of the incoherent and poisonous comments posted online by several Facebook 'friends', I have just spent 79p on another little ditty.
It's the very least I could do.
Meanwhile I am enjoying watching the BBC tie itself in knots ahead of the chart show tomorrow. (Who knew a chart show still existed? It must be 45 years since I listened to it.)
The BBC's hilarious response to the 'controversy' - they will play five seconds of 'Ding Dong' and invite a journalist to explain the background - beggars belief.
Ironically, it's exactly this type of craven compromise on far more important issues (the so-called post war consensus) that accelerated Britain's decline in the Sixties and Seventies and created an urgent need for strong, decisive leadership.
Cue Mrs Thatcher.
I can't imagine she would have given a hoot about 'Ding Dong' being played on the radio. She would have been far more concerned by the BBC's response which is neither one thing nor the other.
Do people never learn? By trying to appease everyone you please no-one, as well as sounding foolish. Listen to Eddie Mair's hilarious interview with the head of Radio 1 on PM (Radio 4) yesterday.
Welcome to the post Thatcher consensus. Is it any wonder Britain is in such a mess - again?