Nick Clegg Says I'm Sorry (The Autotune Remix)

"Nick Clegg Says I'm Sorry (The Autotune Remix)", also shortened to "I'm Sorry",[1] is a 2012 song by satirical website The Poke. The song is a remixed version of a video of Nick Clegg (former Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom) apologising for voting in favour of raising tuition fees. The song reached number 143 in the UK Singles Chart.[2]

Background

In the 2010 UK general election, the Liberal Democrats stood on a platform of voting against any increase in university tuition fees and Clegg signed the National Union of Students' Vote for Students pledge against any increase.[3] The result of the election meant that the Liberal Democrats were the third-largest party in the House of Commons and formed a coalition government with the Conservative Party.[4] Following the Browne Review, there was a vote in Parliament to raise tuition fees to £9,000. It passed with a majority of 21; several Liberal Democrat MPs, including Clegg, voted in favour of it because of the principle of Cabinet collective responsibility.[5]

History

On 17 September 2012, Clegg issued a video apologising for voting in favour of raising tuition fees. On Thursday 20 September, the video of Clegg's apology was remixed and set to Auto-Tune music. The chorus of the song consists of Clegg singing "I'm sorry".[6] The video containing the song was published on YouTube by The Poke's official channel. The song became popular and The Poke announced plans to release the song as a single on iTunes and asked the Liberal Democrats for permission to do so. Clegg granted permission for the song to be released on the condition that the profits went to the Children's Hospital Charity in Sheffield.[7] The single went on sale the day afterwards.[8] Clegg was reported to have found the video personally amusing[6] and remarked it was "very catchy", but (according to the Daily Mail) he "clearly suffered" when it was broadcast in front of him on The Andrew Marr Show on BBC1.[9] Clegg's wife, Miriam, described the song as "genius" and "very good".[10]

Charts

The song charted at number 143 in the UK Singles Chart. It was noted that the song would likely have charted higher had it been released earlier in the week instead of on the Friday when the charts were officially published on Sunday.[2][8]

References

  1. ↑ ""I'm Sorry" reaches top 40 in singles chart". ITV. 2012-09-22. Retrieved 2015-03-12.
  2. 1 2 "Nick Clegg breaks into music charts with sorry song". Daily Record. 2012-09-23. Retrieved 2015-03-12.
  3. ↑ Nicholas Watt (2010-11-12). "Revealed: Lib Dems planned before election to abandon tuition". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-03-12.
  4. ↑ "Q&A: The Conservative-Lib Dem coalition". BBC News. 2010-05-13. Retrieved 2015-03-12.
  5. ↑ "Tuition fees vote: Plans approved despite rebellion". BBC News. 2010-12-09. Retrieved 2015-03-12.
  6. 1 2 "Nick Clegg gives go-ahead to release 'I'm sorry' song remix". ITV. 2012-09-20. Retrieved 2015-03-12.
  7. ↑ "Nick Clegg spoof 'I'm sorry' video song to be released". BBC News. 2012-09-20. Retrieved 2015-03-12.
  8. 1 2 "Gangnam Style fails to top UK singles chart". BBC News. 2012-09-23. Retrieved 2015-03-12.
  9. ↑ Matt Chorley (2012-09-24). "Nick Clegg apology song: Lib Dem leader grimaces his way through spoof video". Daily Mail. Retrieved 2015-03-12.
  10. ↑ Christopher Hope (2012-09-25). "Nick Clegg's 'I'm sorry' video is genius, says Miriam". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2015-03-12.

External links

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