Thatcher Fucked the Kids // Frank Turner
Frank Turner’s ‘Thatcher Fucked The Kids’ is a classic example of a working-class disillusioned anthem. Backed by a simple acoustic guitar and laced with angry expletives, his lyrics address the issues that generally middle-class, middle-aged people have with “the youth of today,” and how stereotypes have affected his outlook. “All the kids are bastards, but don’t blame them, they learn by example” he boldly claims, as he chastises the Iron Lady’s leadership and the Tory grip on Britain, as they “kicked away the ladder, told the rest of us that life’s a bitch” as the welfare state proved unsustainable in the 1980s. Perhaps what makes this track so stinging is the fact that you could simply swap the name ‘Thatcher’ in the title for ‘Cameron’ and the message would still ring painfully true. A genuine, passionate anthem about the downfall of community spirit, selfish upper classes and ignorant Conservative leadership, ‘Thatcher Fucked The Kids’ is a bitingly cynical attack on the institution, showing Turner’s punk roots.
Words by Rachael Davis