|
''The Iron Lady'' is a 1979 British comedy album spoofing the life of Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013), the long-serving (1979–1990) Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The album was written by ''Private Eye'' writer and satirist John Wells.() It was a precursor to his later work lampooning Thatcher in the ''Dear Bill'' series of letters that appeared in ''Private Eye'' (and in book form) and the 1981 stage farce, ''Anyone for Denis?''〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=BBC News | UK | Satirist John Wells dies )〕 The album was produced by John Lloyd whose credits include the comedy television programmes ''Not the Nine O'Clock News'', ''Spitting Image'', ''Blackadder'', and ''QI'' - and Martin Lewis the co-creator and producer of the ''Secret Policeman's Ball'' series.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Janet Brown (3) - Iron Lady - The Coming Of The Leader (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs )〕 For Lloyd, like Wells, working on the Thatcher album was a preparation for his future work spoofing Thatcher. In 1984 he created and produced the BAFTA Award-winning satirical puppet show ''Spitting Image'' that aired on the ITV network from 1984 to 1996 - in which Margaret Thatcher was the most notable protagonist.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title='I was Maggie Thatcher’s voice in Spitting Image – and my Tory gran hated it’ - Telegraph )〕 The album starred noted Thatcher impressionist Janet Brown,〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Lighten up Australia | The Standard )〕 in the role of Margaret Thatcher,〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Janet Brown | Herald Scotland )〕 with other roles (both male and female) portrayed by John Wells.〔http://www.themediabriefing.com/people/janet-brown〕 The album was released in the UK by Logo Records in October 1979, just five months after Thatcher became Prime Minister. Brown promoted the album appearing as Thatcher singing the album's theme song ''Iron Lady'' on the BBC TV programme ''Top of the Pops'' on 25 October 1979,〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Invalid Item (No longer available) )〕 Brown also made a surprise appearance dressed up as Thatcher at that year's Labour Party Conference in Brighton as a publicity stunt to launch the album and was photographed with surprised politicians Tony Benn and Barbara Castle who both initially believed that Brown was actually their nemesis Thatcher.〔Brown, Janet. ''Prime Mimickery'' Robson Books, 1986,〕 The album was deleted in the early 1980s and was unavailable until it was reissued digitally in 2013 immediately following Thatcher's death.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=A | Fake Margaret Thatcher Track Re-released | Contactmusic.com )〕 In interviews in major national newspapers published shortly after Thatcher died, the album's co-producer, Martin Lewis disclosed that the album had not sold well on its initial release, which he attributed to the fact that just four months after her election as Prime Minister, Thatcher was "still in her honeymoon period".〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Anti-Thatcher 'I'm There' doesn't sing Maggie's praises )〕 In the interviews Lewis recounted an encounter he had with Thatcher at a reception in her honor at the home of the British Consul-General in Los Angeles in November 1991 - just one year after her resignation as Prime Minister. On learning that Lewis had produced the infamous album that had satirized her early in her premiership, Thatcher enquired how the album had sold. Lewis informed her that the sales had been poor because of her then high popularity. In response Thatcher quipped "You should reissue it! I think it'll find a much bigger audience now."〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Album skewering Margaret Thatcher to be reissued on April 17 - Los Angeles Times )〕 In April 2013, the album was reissued by Lewis' Springtime! Records label and made available digitally.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=msn )〕 Two singles of songs from the album were also issued, ''The Iron Lady'' (the album's title song) and ''I'm There!'' (described as "an orgasmic dance track"). A website,〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=The Iron Lady )〕 Facebook page,〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=The Iron Lady Album | Facebook )〕 and a Twitter feed,〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Iron Lady (@IronLadyAlbum) on Twitter )〕 were also launched. Asked about the timing of the reissue, Lewis stated: "After her passing, I thought carefully about all the contributions that Margaret Thatcher had made to Britain and the world during her decades in politics. And I thought that I should honor those contributions by following her advice. So I am reissuing the album. She asked for it, and I certainly think she deserves it."〔〔 ==See also== Cultural depictions of Margaret Thatcher 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Iron Lady (album)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|