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Things Can Only Get Better - Cool Britannia

The soundtrack to the rise of New Labour, an era when we were intrigued by Cool Britannia.

Much like Brimful Of Asha (which featured in a previous episode of The People's Music), Things Can Only Get Better was a minor hit (in 1994) before it was remixed and began its climb up the charts and finally to the number one spot where it sat for four weeks. But that wasn't the end of the song's story. In 1997 The Labour Party looking for a song to sum up their campaign decided to adopt it for the upcoming election scrap. Labour won the election and off the back of that feat, the single hit the top twenty again.

Labour had been in of opposition for 18 years and Neil Kinnock had twice snatched defeat from the jaws of victory (firstly with a stumble on the beach in Brighton and then with a hubristic appearance at Sheffield Arena). It was time for a change. First came a change of leader, followed by a re-branding. It was now New Labour helmed by Team Blair. This re-branding was an almost instant success as New Labour not only won, but did so by a landslide. The Tory party, tired and mired in sleaze, slunk off to lick its wounds. This seemed to be the beginning of a new dawn and a time for celebration; not only did Britain seem to be on the verge of possibly being Great again, but it also became a hip β€˜n happening place to live. It was Cool Britannia.
There was a vibrant mood to the economy, the culture and the arts were thriving and it seemed like the UK was at the centre of the universe. This, we were told, was a revolution, albeit a polite and spin-doctored one.

And pop was along for the ride. Noel Gallagher was the highest profile rock star to be photographed attending a media party at Number 10 Downing Street and many of his peers were also on board and on-message. But the trouble with being 'cool' is it doesn't last long. The veneer quickly faded as, to paraphrase one of Noel's heroes Pete Townsend, it became apparent that the new boss was the same as the old boss. With Blair becoming increasingly chummy with George W Bush, and a war with Iraq looking more and more inevitable, a nation vehemently protested against New Labour. The British Stop the War Coalition held a protest in London, which it claimed was the largest political demonstration in the city's history with around a million people protesting against the government's increasingly unpopular policies. The saviour of the nation had quickly become its bogeyman.

But for a brief moment, when New Labour came to power, it felt like a national rebirth…just as it did when Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne in 1953.

55 minutes

Last on

Sun 26 Jul 2020 21:00

Music Played

  • D:Ream

    Things Can Only Get Better

  • The Rolling Stones

    (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

  • Gloria Gaynor

    I Will Survive

  • Pulp

    Common People

  • D:Ream

    Things Can Only Get Better

  • D:Ream

    Things Can Only Get Better (12" Instrumental)

  • The Boo Radleys

    Wake Up Boo!

  • Cast

    Fine Time

  • The Bonzo Dog Band

    Cool Britannia

  • Supergrass

    Alright

  • Ocean Colour Scene

    The Riverboat Song

  • Paul Weller

    The Changingman

  • Oasis

    Roll With It

  • Blur

    Country House

  • The Verve

    Bitter Sweet Symphony

  • Paul Anka

    Wonderwall

Broadcasts

  • Wed 17 Apr 2013 22:00
  • Sun 26 Jul 2020 21:00

Song Profiles

Read the stories behind featured songs, listen to & watch related clips & cover versions!