Life With the Lions by Billy Bragg (click to listen)I first saw Billy Bragg perform in about 1984 at the Warner Theater in Washington, DC opening for the Smiths. I knew of one song of his, "It Says Here" about the scurrilous tabloids of London. He stood alone on the stage with his electric guitar singing his songs. In between, he would rail against the Thatcher administration and occasionally the Reagan presidency. I liked the songs and their sparse arrangements. All in all, a pretty ballsy performance. Bragg spent most of the '80s performing and using his music to support the Labor Party in England. For this album (Workers' Playtime) he turned his attention to the politics of love and relationships. It produced a number of fine songs. I like the opening line on this one.
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