“Long Way to 2050“ - Marsh Family satire of “Long Way to Tipperary / Pack Up Your Troubles“ on Sunak

On Wednesday the current UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak (who we had yet to sing about), dropped the news that he was delaying or terminating a whole suite of climate targets for the UK. He pushed back measures by five years or more on cars, boilers, and other changes that are designed to slow carbon emissions - and claimed that he was being honest, while pretending to scrap a load of policies that had not actually been seriously or actually introduced. Like many others, and his own Climate Change Committee, we found this incredibly disappointing. You can find more details here that explain some of the references: We’ve chosen to draw on a pairing of wartime songs for this topic that very much drew on a sort of “grin-and-bear-it” attitude. “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary” was first recorded around the time of World War 1 (1914), made famous by Jack Judge just before the war, and then used as a marching song. It’s a kind of lament, longing for a different journey – so quite fitting. A few years later another song, “Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag” was written by Felix and George Powell and was renowned for boosting morale and recruitment – though capable of inspiring bitter anti-war feelings too, as in Wilfred Owen’s poem “Smile, Smile, Smile” (September 1918). The two chord structures in the chorus are similar so work nicely together – even if a bit crunchy in the close. Hopefully even if you dissent from the message (which is angry about Sunak deliberately dragging heels on fighting the climate crisis when it’s pretty much the one thing the UK was currently leading at) you can at least enjoy the arrangement and familiar refrains! _______________________ Huge thanks for the support of our lovely Patreons - who may have recognised the new triangle deep in the mix! Do join us on Patreon if you fancy it, if you enjoy what we do and want to see behind the scenes and help us to keep things ticking along. - You can also leave a tip at our virtual tip jar at: - _______________________ ADAPTED LYRICS: [Long Way to Tipperary] Out all of a sudden came a Rishi plan one day Downing Street was anxious cos they’d leaked what he might say Podium between two flags, TV and press prepared Till Rishi got excited and he shouted to them there It’s a long way to 2050 It’s a long way to go It’s a long way for super-Richi Who’s achieving net zero Go buy that petrol engine Share some baseless scares It’s the wrong wrong way to tip the country But Rishi don’t care Rishi thought consensus was a useful thing to blow Saying that some make-believe new measures had to go “If I made mistakes in running the economy Remember seven bins is bad – don’t lay the blame on me!” It’s a long way to 2050 It’s a long way to go It’s a long way, and pretty scary With no leadership on show Climate Change Committees Warn of laissez-faire It’s the wrong wrong way to tip the country By a half-billionaire [Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag] Rishi Sunak’s a funny little codger, with a smile – a funny smile! Five feet none, he’s an artful little dodger, with a smile – a funny smile! Country’s broke, as PM he’s a joke, Truss’s second best All he’s got is saving us from bins Scrapping things that don’t exist (hey!) Sunak’s in trouble in the polls – he’s changing style, style, style Driving a horse and cart through climate plans – trying to catch the eye Meat tax got you worrying? It never would apply! But: Knack up the planet then and vote Sunak and smile, smile, smile Rowing back on emissions and green targets with his smile, his funny smile U-turn means there’ll be fossil fuels around us for a while – another while What a time to choose to water down That’s some weathervane! Somehow Rishi’s pissing down our back And then telling us it’s rain! Sunak’s in trouble in the polls – he’s changing style, style, style Stop throwing licenses to oil and gas, emitting all the while We should all be worrying. Not Janus-faced and mild! Our Planet’s in trouble and we must hit back not smile, smile, smile It’s a long way to 2050 It’s a long way to go It’s a long way and pretty scary If you’re young then you should know Goodbye, coastal cities Trauma everywhere So the sooner we can take some action The better we’ll fare