‘Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead’ Popular Again After Thatcher’s Death
That's spelling potential trouble for the BBC, which is being pressured by Britain's conservative, pro-Thatcher newspapers not to play the iconic song from "The Wizard of Oz" on this Sunday's BBC Radio 1 weekly chart-topping-singles show.
The iconic song from “The Wizard of Oz” is popular once more, not because of the recent success of the movie prequel “Oz: The Great and Powerful,” but because anti-Margaret Thatcher protesters have been buying it up in droves since the former prime minister’s death this week.
MSN News:
A Facebook group started shortly after news of Thatcher’s death broke Monday. The group pushed to make “Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead”… the No. 1 song in the week following Thatcher’s death.
And Thursday, they succeeded.
As of Thursday evening, “Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead” was the No. 1 song on the UK iTunes store.
The Facebook page listed several places where people can download the song and says a “download a day keeps Maggie away.”
However, that’s spelling potential trouble for the BBC, which is being pressured by Britain’s conservative, pro-Thatcher newspapers not to play the song on this Sunday’s BBC Radio 1 weekly chart-topping-singles show.
The Guardian:
The Daily Mail has been leading the charge against Facebook and Twitter campaigners trying to push the song, which has become the anthem of anti-Thatcher protesters.
In Thursday’s Daily Mail, the paper branded Romany Blythe, the woman who set up the Facebook page “The Witch is Dead” as a “teacher of hatred”, quoting critics who condemned plans for Thatcher “death parties” as “revolting” and “offensive”.
Radio 1 insiders said if the song does make it to the top five, there would be no reason not to play the track.
Watch the classic scene where the song is sung below:
— Posted by Tracy Bloom.
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