Sunday, March 16, 2008

Songs in honour of the soul-sapping, bank account-draining, arse-raping new government budget!




I have taken my time in getting around to it (really, would you expect any less from me lately?), but I just had to post about the government budget report that was announced this week. Is there any man out there with a less fitting name than Alistair Darling? Surely that is like a serial killer being called Schnookums Fluffy-bunny?
This year's budget means that I will be paying an extra:
  • 55 pence on a bottle of spirits
  • 14 pence on a bottle of wine
  • 4 pence on a pint of beer (some places in Newcastle are already charging £3.60 for the privilege!)

  • 11 pence on a packet of 20 cigarettes (I am seriously not pleased about this!)

I will also be paying more fuel duty, more car tax (it's fine if you can afford to buy a new car...I can't even afford to get my current one fixed!). Oh, and an extra 3.9% in Council Tax. Joy!

But surely, I hear you cry, the budget can't be all bad?

You are right, of course. Child Benefit has been upped, there is £200 million being invested in schools to raise GCSE results and the government plan to spend £2 billion more on British troops.

All well and good...but as a pacifist who has no intention of spawning any mewling sproglets, who has already got pretty good GCSE results thank you very much (really far too long ago), yet still pays her taxes, I demand some money off my tabs! (Overseas readers - tabs = cigarettes). It's only fair...some kind of voucher system, or tab stamps or suchlike, will do me.

Thank you in advance darling Mr Darling!

(All songs below are in mp3 format, all downloadable by right clicking, saving target as, etc. etc...you know the crack by now)

Shitloads Of Money - Liz Phair

The Hustle - Van McCoy

Money, Money, Money - Abba

Cash Machine - Hard-Fi

Welfare For the Rich - The Nihilistics

Free Money - Patti Smith

Rape Me - Nirvana

Money Worries - Bedouin Soundclash

If I Was A Rich Girl - Gwen Stefani

Give, Give, Give Me More, More, More - The Wonder Stuff

It's Yer Money I'm After Baby - The Wonder Stuff

Rich Man's World - Eilen Jewell

Baby You're A Rich Man - The Beatles

Mo Money Mo Problems - Notorious BIG and Puff Daddy

Cash Cow - We Are Scientists

'Til the Money Runs Out - Tom Waits

Little Old Money Maker - The Meters

Cash Grab Complications On the Matter - The White Stripes

Don't You Mess With My Money - Sterling Harrison

Fools Gold - The Stone Roses

Cash Machine - Two Ton Boa

Sorry We Took All Yr Money - Scary Mansion

I just couldn't bring myself to upload Money For Nothing by Dire Straits, no matter how apt the title is!

10 comments:

Grizzly said...

A penchant for smoking and drinking perhaps? lol. If it makes you feel any better our "sin" taxes are just as bad. $13 for a pack of Tabs - not sure how that converts to your pounds but it won't be good.

"mewling sproglets" - hahahaha just wait till I call my kids that one.

I see you have left out Pink Floyd again! - "Money". I know, I know - you just never got into them... you are forgiven.

Aside from financial burdens I hope all is well.

ZenDenizen said...

2 more:

Money's Too Tight to Mention - Simply Red

Ain't Nothing Going On but the Rent - Gwen Guthrie

BAMBOO BLITZ said...

Booze, cigarettes, and oil/gas--the three downfalls of humanity...Hehehe! Kidding, I do feel your pain though. Certain provinces in Canada have a lame 10%--yes 10%--liquor tax (ie. British Columbia) and a pack of smokes can run you nearly 13 bones (as Grizzly has mentioned). Thank God I haven't had to sell the farm yet! LOL!

Pablothehat said...

I think when the C of the C is giving their speech they should don a mask, and a cape, carry a bag marked "Swag" brandish a couple of flint lock and begin their address to the House with the phrase, "Stand and Deliver!" like any honest highwayman.

Divinyl said...

Griz! Hey :o) Apologies for the dreadfully delayed reply...the real world has kind of got in the way lately!

$13, according to XE Currency Converter, is about £6.50 which, unless you trade in some kind of wilderness dollars, as opposed to the more traditional Cancdian ones, isn't all that bad, I reckon. I live in the middle of a city and they can cost up to £5.50, so given that you are in the back end of nowhere...!

As for the Pink Floyd thing...I decided against using songs just called 'Money', as there would have been far too many...Skin and Jesca Hoop too, just off the top of my head.

All is pretty ok thanks, although I have (as you will no doubt have noticed) been struggling to get my head down and focus on blogging lately...too many 'outside world' things creeping in and vying for headspace! Am swamped with ideas for blog posts however, but this means many will likely be outdated by the time I get around to them!

And how's your good self?

Divinyl said...

Zen...there's no way I'm posting Simply Red on my blog! The title works, this is true, but Mick Hucknall has no place here! Don't know if you've seen, but I decided to join in on your 'My Life In Pop' meme.

Divinyl said...

BB me sweet...thanks for being so patient with me! There's obviously nowt for it but to give up all vices and live on freshly picked daffodils! ;o)

Divinyl said...

Pablo...you are so right! Hmmm...I think there's even a theme tune for that ;o)

Grizzly said...

Since we are in delay mode I am replying right on time...

I'll have you know I am in the "front" end of nowhere - the back end is some where around the N. pole - my back yard.

Glad to know you are alright - was a bit worried but I know how the real world can rear it's ugly head.

Just checking up on you.

Divinyl said...

Thank you Griz...you are a gentleman :o) I'm doing ok, just a lot going on and struggling to focus! I'll get back in the swing soon, I'm sure!

Am holding off commenting on your recent Caroline Middlebrook post, as I kind of want to watch the slanging match unfurl a little before I pitch in...I'm surprised that it hasn't already got more 'debatey'! Lol. Great post on the difference between bloggers and internet marketers too...well, you know which I am! But I still find really useful stuff over at your blog...and a nice little (well, not even that little!) 'community' you've got going on over there now. Good job, my friend!

Oh, and thank you for subscribing too! :o)