Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-gvh9x Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-22T12:47:08.608Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Tragic but brave or just crips with chips? Songs and their lyrics in the Disability Arts Movement in Britain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 October 2009

COLIN CAMERON
COLIN CAMERON
Affiliation:
Media Communication and Sociology Dept, Queen Margaret University, East Lothian EH21 6UU, UK E-mail: ccameron@qmu.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Disability culture is a site within which social and positional identities are struggled for and dominant discourses rejected; in which mainstream representations of people with impairments – as victims of personal tragedy – are held to the light and revealed as hegemonic constructions within a disabling society. Drawing upon styles that range from jazz, blues and folk to reggae, performance poetry and punk, disabled singers and bands in the Disability Arts Movement in Britain have been central to the development of an affirmative disability discourse rooted in ideas of pride, anger and strength. Examining lyrics by Johnny Crescendo, Ian Stanton and the Fugertivs – performers emerging as part of this movement in the 1980s and 1990s – this article considers the dark humour which runs through much of this work. It is suggested that these lyrics' observational reflections on everyday experiences of being oppressed as disabled people have been overlooked within critical disability studies to date, but are important in developing an understanding of positive disability identity as a tool available to disabled people in order to make sense of, and express themselves within, the world in which they find themselves.

Type
Articles
Information
Popular Music , Volume 28 , Special Issue 3: Popular Music and Disability , October 2009 , pp. 381 - 396
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Further reading

Allan Sutherland has compiled a comprehensive (if somewhat London-focused) chronology of Disability Arts covering the period 1977–2003. This can be found at http://www.disabilityartsonline.org/site/chronology.allan

References

Bagley, M. 1998. Tribute to Ian Stanton, http://www.choicesandrights.org.uk/loudandproud0003.pdfGoogle Scholar
Barnes, C. 1994. Disabled People in Britain and Discrimination (London, Hurst)Google Scholar
Berger, A.A. 2008. Manufacturing Desire: Media, Popular Culture and Everyday Life. Transaction (NJ, New Brunswick)Google Scholar
Branagan, M. 2007. ‘The last laugh: humour in community activism’, Community Development Journal, 42/4, October, pp. 470–481CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Britt, L., and Heise, D. 2000. ‘From shame to pride in identity politics’, in Self, Identity and Social Movements, ed. Stryker, S., Owens, T.J. and White, R.W. (Minneapolis, MN, University of Minnesota Press), pp. 252–268Google Scholar
Campbell, J., and Oliver, M. 1996. Disability Politics: Understanding Our Past, Changing Our Future(London, Routledge)Google Scholar
Douglas Bader Foundation website.http://www.douglasbaderfoundation.co.uk, accessed 14 July 2008CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fiske, J. 1995. Understanding Popular Culture (London, Routledge)Google Scholar
Hasler, F. 2004. ‘Disability, care and controlling services’, in Disabling Barriers – Enabling Environments (2nd Ed.), ed. Swain, J., French, S., Barnes, C. and Thomas, C. (London, Sage), pp. 226–232Google Scholar
Holdsworth, A. 1989a. ‘Disabled people aren’t allowed to say “Fuck”', in Johnny Crescendo Revealed (London, self-published)Google Scholar
Holdsworth, A. 1989b. ‘Where d'ya get that leg?’, in Johnny Crescendo Revealed (London, self-published)Google Scholar
Holdsworth, A. 2004. Why I Wrote … ‘I Love My Body’, http://www.johnnycrescendo.com/page3.html, accessed 23 May 2008Google Scholar
Humphries, S., and Gordon, P. 1992. Out of Sight: The Experience of Disability (Plymouth, Northcote House)Google Scholar
Marks, D. 1999. Disability: Controversial Debates and Psychosocial Perspectives (London, Routledge)Google Scholar
Martin, A. 2008. Notes on Disability Arts lyrics (Edinburgh, unpublished)Google Scholar
Masefield, P. 2006. Strength: Broadsides from Disability on the Arts (Stoke-on-Trent, Trentham)Google Scholar
McConnell, J. 2005. Karen Sheader interview, http://disabilityarts.com/site/karen-sheaderGoogle Scholar
Mercer, G. 2004. ‘User-led organisations: facilitating independent living’, in Disabling Barriers – Enabling Environments (2nd Ed.), ed. Swain, J., French, S., Barnes, C. and Thomas, C. (London, Sage), pp. 176–182Google Scholar
Miller, T., and McHoul, A. 1998. Popular Culture and Everyday Life (London, Sage)Google Scholar
Montgomery, C. 2006. Little Acts of Degradation http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/departments/closerlook/000713.html, accessed 1 June 2008Google Scholar
Morrison, E., and Finkelstein, V. 1997. ‘Broken arts and cultural repair: the role of culture in the empowerment of disabled people’, in Disabling Barriers – Enabling Environments, ed. Swain, J., Finkelstein, V., French, S. and Oliver, M. (London, Sage), pp. 122–127Google Scholar
Read, J. 2000. Disability, the Family and Society: Listening to Mothers (Buckingham, Open University Press)Google Scholar
Reeve, D. 2004. ‘Psycho-emotional dimensions of disability and the Social Model’, in Implementing the Social Model of Disability: Theory and Practice, ed. Barnes, C. and Mercer, G. (Leeds, Disability Press), pp. 83–100Google Scholar
Smith, D.E. 1987. The Everyday World as Problematic: A Feminist Sociology (Boston, MA, Northeastern University Press)Google Scholar
Storey, J. 2005. Cultural Studies and the Study of Popular Culture (Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Pres).Google Scholar
Strinati, D. 2006. An Introduction to Theories of Popular Culture (London, Routledge)Google Scholar
Sutherland, A. 1989. ‘Disability Arts, Disability Politics’, DAIL Magazine, September 1989, reprinted in Framed: Interrogating Disability in the Media, ed. Pointon, A. and Davies, C. (London, BFI), p. 159Google Scholar
Sutherland, A. 2005. Chronology of Disability Arts 1977 – March 2003, http://disabilityarts.com/site/chronology, accessed 22 May 2008Google Scholar
Swain, J., and Cameron, C. 1999. ‘Unless Otherwise Stated: discourses of labelling and identity in coming out’, in Disability Discourse, ed. Corker, M. and French, S. (Buckingham, Open University Press), pp. 68–78Google Scholar
Swain, J., and French, S. 1998. ‘Normality and disabling care’, in Care Matters: Concepts, Practice and Research in Health and Social Care, ed. Brechin, A. et al. . (London, Sage), pp. 81–95Google Scholar
Swain, J., French, S., and Cameron, C. 2003. Controversial Issues in a Disabling Society (Buckingham, Open University Press)Google Scholar
Taylor, P.A., and Harris, J.L. 2008. Critical Theories of Mass Media: Then and Now (Maidenhead, Open University Press)Google Scholar
Thomas, C. 1999. Female Forms: Experiencing and Understanding Disability (Buckingham, Open University Press)Google Scholar
UPIAS. 1976. Fundamental Principles of Disability (London, Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation)Google Scholar
Young, I.M. 1990. Justice & the Politics of Difference (Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press)Google Scholar

Discography

Johnny Crescendo, Choices and Rights cassette, 1988, self-released

‘Choices and Rights’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘I Love My Body’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Sorry you're Sick’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘British Grenadiers’ (trad./J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Bolt from the Blue’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Where d'ya Get that Leg?’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Careless Love’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Zydeco Dream’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Voices in our Heads’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Leslie’ (S. Accrington)Google Scholar
‘Fixed Penalty Notice’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Choices and Rights’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Movin' On’ (J. Crescendo/B. Lisicki)Google Scholar
‘Shelter’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Easy Money’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Strong Woman’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘New World’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Scars’ (S. Brisenden)Google Scholar
‘Pride’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Johnny's Blues’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Dance to a Different Drum’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Boom Boom’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘I don't Wanna be a Wanna Be’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Ballad of Josie Evans’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Jasia's Song’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Lies’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Loving You's a Mission’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Not Dead Yet’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Hard Times in London Town’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Nottingham '98 Wheelchair Waltz’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Tear Down the Walls’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Wheels on the Bus’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘We Want What You've Got’ (J. Crescendo)Google Scholar
‘Bad Day in a Bad Town’ (J. Crescendo/A. Morgan)Google Scholar
‘Don't Lock Me In’ (J. Crescendo/A. Morgan)Google Scholar
‘Poppy’ (J. Crescendo/A. Morgan)Google Scholar
‘You Don't Need Sympathy if You've Got Soul’ (J. Crescendo/A. Morgan)Google Scholar
‘The Ballad of Roy and Julie’ (J. Crescendo/A. Morgan)Google Scholar
‘Liberty’ (J. Crescendo/A. Morgan)Google Scholar
‘Inglis House’ (J. Crescendo/A. Morgan)Google Scholar
‘Wheelchair Waltz’ (J. Crescendo/A. Morgan)Google Scholar
‘Shrinkin' Man’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Chip on yer Shoulder’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘We've Got Each Other’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘S.O.S.’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Lady's Chamber’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Someone Said’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Sweet Reason’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Tap Room Boys’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Talkin' Disabled Anarchist’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Money Talks’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘A Bloody Funny Way’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Foot Fetish Blues’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Remember Douglas Bader’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘If I Could Talk to You’ (R. Crombie)Google Scholar
‘Tragic but Brave’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Story’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘The Glee Club’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Angela’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Message from Telethon’ (C. Avison/I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Pushin' 40’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Invisible’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Chip on yer Shoulder’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Rollin' Thunder’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Remember Douglas Bader’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘In the Meantime’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Talkin' Disabled Anarchist’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Bloody Funny Way’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Takin' Liberties’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Tragic but Brave’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Angela’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Holdin' On’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘Tap Room Boys’ (I. Stanton)Google Scholar
‘The No Hope ATC’ (K. Sheader)Google Scholar
‘The Disability Blues’ (D. Brice)Google Scholar
‘Melissa’ (K. Sheader)Google Scholar
‘The Bus Driver’ (A. Stewart)Google Scholar
‘Let's Riot’ (L. Dennis)Google Scholar
‘The Onion Song’ (N. Raftery)Google Scholar
‘Rights not Charity’ (K. Sheader)Google Scholar
‘Bar-room Bollocks’ (K. Sheader)Google Scholar
‘The Disability Blues’ (Blind David Brice's Version) (D. Brice)Google Scholar
‘Planet of the Blind’ (Mathews/Sheader)Google Scholar
‘All for the Best’ (Scott/Sheader)Google Scholar
‘Mr Drop-Dead Gorgeous’ (Scott/Sheader)Google Scholar
‘Join the Dance’ (Mathews/Sheader)Google Scholar
‘Magic h2o’ (Mathews/Sheader)Google Scholar
‘Cheshire Cat’ (Scott/Sheader)Google Scholar
‘Join the Dance (reprise)’ (Mathews/Sheader)Google Scholar
‘Song for Tess’ (Scott/Sheader)Google Scholar
‘Invisible’ (Mathews/Sheader)Google Scholar
‘The Light that Purs In’ (Mathews/Sheader)Google Scholar
‘Robbing Me Blind’ (Mathews/Sheader)Google Scholar
‘Planet of the Blind (reprise)’ (Mathews/Sheader)Google Scholar
‘Not in Our Lifetime (live)’ (Mathews/Sheader)Google Scholar