Longing for the day ...

A Working Class Hero?

Great to hear that politics is back on the musical agenda via this song and Green Day. It's one of my favourite songs - has everything that a great song needs. I also really dig Green Day - they're a great band with an interesting sound and a healthy approach to making music that matters.

Unfortunately, I don't like the Green Day version of this song, which is something of a surprise. The arrangement is laborious and predictable and Billy Joe's vocals come across as thin, forced and insincere. He sounds more like a whinging teenager than a campaigner for class-based justice.

My very favourite version of this song is by Marianne Faithful on her live album Blazing Away. So powerful and such a simple but crunchy arrangement! Awesome stuff! Even better than John Lennon's original version (which is a bit wet).