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Banned from the radio after Princess Diana died: how Levellers made What a Beautiful Day
EntertainmentMusicMusic News•April 20, 2026 at 2:45 PMNational

Banned from the radio after Princess Diana died: how Levellers made What a Beautiful Day

By Interviews by Henry Yates•The Guardian Music

‘Its release seemed timely as the Tories had just left office. But then Diana died and all cheerful songs were taken straight off the radio. Boom! It disappeared’John Lennon once said that everything he wrote was two songs in one. I’ve always stood by that. So you can take What a Beautiful Day at face value, like: “Oh, he’s having a lovely day.” But the song is essentially about revolution and bringing down the government. Continue reading...

‘Its release seemed timely as the Tories had just left office. But then Diana died and all cheerful songs were taken straight off the radio. Boom! It disappeared’

John Lennon once said that everything he wrote was two songs in one. I’ve always stood by that. So you can take What a Beautiful Day at face value, like: “Oh, he’s having a lovely day.” But the song is essentially about revolution and bringing down the government.

Continue reading...

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