Madness bash corrupt ruling elite on “Bullingdon Boys”

Just in time for the UK general election, the veteran socialist rascals release a surprise single rubbishing Boris Johnson and his mates

The lads in Madness are outraged: as staunch socialists and firm Remainers, both Brexit and the rise of Boris Johnson were too much for them to take. So they decided to break a three-year silence and snap-release a song that, without any regards for subtlety or depth, denounces the wealthy, right-wing takeover of their country.

Madness single out Eton school, from where 19 of England’s Prime Ministers have come, and the exclusive male-only Bullingdon Club, where Boris Johnson is a member. Their unembellished attacks denounce the greed and corruption of this pre-groomed ruling class. The prestigious public school has been a favourite target of left-leaning rockers since the Jam’s seminal “Eton Rifles“, but Madness put their own spin on this new attack, which means that even though the rage is palpable, it has less bite..

The sound is vintage Madness, bouncy and festive, packaging anger and frustration in horn-driven singalongs and catchy melody. The rather obvious footage used in the accompanying video clip adds to the simplistic perception of the whole venture.

It actually feels a bit dated and pointless given the current state of affairs, but for the few minutes it’s on you can at least fool yourself into believing there is hope. And it’s frankly a joy to hear Madness again, whatever they are saying.