Song of the Day 6/29: CeeLo Green and Daryl Hall, “Fuck You”

I think of this song every time Donald Trump opens his mouth. It’s been nine years since CeeLo Green (born Thomas DeCarlo Callaway), along with collaborators including Bruno Mars, wrote the ultimate male-centric breakup song. (Note to Mike Dinsmore: This is the song that led to my realization that women tend to sing heartbreak songs while men sing kiss-off songs). It reached #2 after six months on the charts, boosted by Green’s performance of the bowdlerized “Forget You” version at the Grammy Awards, and it was still the centerpiece of his set when he stopped by Daryl Hall’s place for a “Live at Daryl’s House” taping in 2012. As with all covers of the song by white artists (Sara Bareilles, for instance, covers it in concert), they have no qualms singing the F-word, but when the backing vocals roll around to “she’s such a gold-digger/just thought you should know n*****,” they fall silent rather than sing that last word, a perfect illustration of how taboos can change over time.

Jason330 here. I just want to add my favourite “Fuck You” song. It is one I’ve posted here many times. “Fuck You (very very much) by Lily Allen.