There'll always be an England - Summer of Sin 2011 dubstep remix

Size: Old song sheet
Materials: Stencil, spray paint, paint pen and screen print
 
'There'll always be an England, while there's a country lane' or so the patriotic song made famous by Vera Lynn goes. Apparently it was written in the summer of 1939 and became hugely popular on the outbreak of World War II. Now whilst i'm not English I do live in London and have a certain affinity for England and, by extension, the English. It's heartening to know that all the brave British soldiers who laid down their lives to defend our green and pleasant land did so in order that their progeny could bring the country to a standstill by rioting in the street - all to get their hands on the latest 'free' stuff - trainers, computers, phones and the like. There's nothing like having a good cause to fight for...

Now whilst i'm not about to pretend that there aren't certain segments of the population who have a legitimate grievance over certain issues I'm pretty sure that rioting and looting is probably not the best way to get your voice heard in a democratic country. Maybe it was the voice of youth galvanised by the guerilla looting tactics employed by those who clearly only had financial gain in mind that led this to become a nationwide event. Or maybe the footsoldiers of capitalism were merely showing off their new found solidarity by rising up and showing The Man just how they run thing's round here. Either way it was an ugly episode and one worth examining.

For those unfamiliar with the song and to commemorate last year's youth rebellion I'd like to present Vera Lynn's version for your listening pleasure (complete with lyrics). I'm surprised the rioters weren't singing this en masse when they raised a people's army and tried to seize control of the state by storming the ancient seat of democracy. Oh wait a second, I'm getting confused again aren't I? They were just rioting for a laugh anad a new pair of Nike's. My mistake...

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9tkd2z_soo" rel="noreferrer nofollow">Vera Lynn - There'll Always Be An England</a>

In order to maintain our membership of the urban artist elite we are legally obliged to do a couple of these 'social commentary with a cheeky twist' style pieces every year. My favourite touch is the tiny rioter conducting the burning of the local JD sports store. Keep your eyes peeled for the next one as it may have even more obfuscated meaning, sarcasm and hidden irony...

Cheers

id-iom