Someone's hiding in the bushes with a telephoto lens
While their editor assures them the means justifies the ends
'Cause we only hunt celebrities, it's all a bit of fun
The Scousers never buy the Sun

The parents of the missing girl cling desperately to hope
A copper takes improper payments in a thick brown envelope
And no one in the newsroom asks "Where's this headline from?"
Scousers never buy the Sun

Tabloids make their money betting bullshit baffles brains
And they cynically hold up their hands if anyone complains
And they say: "All we're doing is giving people what they want"
Well, they're crying out for justice, people crying out for justice
And the man they call "The Digger" casts a proprietary eye
Over what happens in the gutter and what goes on in the sky
And he claims he's fit and proper and the watchdog sings his song
But the Scousers never buy the Sun

International executives, they hang their heads in shame
And tell us with their hands on heart, the paper boy's to blame
But you who love that kiss and tell, you must bear some guilt as well
Scousers never buy the Sun

Tabloids make their millions betting bullshit baffles brains
And they cynically hold up their hands if anyone complains
And they say: "All we're doing is giving people what they want"
Well, they're crying out for justice, people crying out for justice

In the corridors of power they all sit down to sup
With the devil and his minions, and they ask for his opinions
And the politicians wring their hands and cry: "What's to be done?"
But the Scousers never buy the Sun

No one comes out looking good when all is said and done
But the Scousers never buy the Sun

"Justice for the Nottingham Six"

Overall Meaning

In Billy Bragg's song Never Buy The Sun, he addresses the unethical practices of tabloid journalism and how they destroy people's lives in the name of making a quick buck. He highlights several examples such as paparazzi stalking celebrities, reporters publishing unsubstantiated stories, and newspapers publishing articles that tarnish the reputation of entire communities. Bragg specifically mentions the Liverpool community, who after the tragic Hillsborough disaster, boycotted the Sun newspaper for publishing hurtful lies and insensitive headlines.

During the song, Bragg references the murder of a little girl and how journalists hound the parents for information, disregarding their emotional turmoil in the process. He also criticizes the media for not holding themselves accountable, and for constantly hiding behind the defense that they are merely catering to the public's demands. In the end, Bragg highlights that the Liverpool people will never buy the Sun newspaper again, and he calls out the politicians and other powerful figures who collude with the media just to further their careers.

Overall, Bragg's lyrics are a condemnation of unethical journalism and the exploitation of people's pain for the sake of sensationalism. He urges us to take a stand against this kind of media and refuse to support it by boycotting such publications.

Line by Line Meaning

Someone's hiding in the bushes with a telephoto lens
A member of the press is taking unauthorized photos.

While their editor assures them the means justifies the ends
The journalist is told that their invasion of privacy is justifiable for the sake of news.

'Cause we only hunt celebrities, it's all a bit of fun
They justify their unethical behavior by saying they only target famous people, and that it's all in good fun.

The Scousers never buy the Sun
Residents of Liverpool do not read The Sun newspaper due to their handling of the Hillsborough disaster.

The parents of the missing girl cling desperately to hope
The parents of a lost child hold onto hope of finding their loved one.

A copper takes improper payments in a thick brown envelope
A police officer takes bribes in exchange for information or favors.

And no one in the newsroom asks 'Where's this headline from?'
No one in the newsroom questions the source or validity of the news they receive.

Scousers never buy the Sun
Residents of Liverpool do not support The Sun newspaper due to their handling of the Hillsborough disaster.

Tabloids make their money betting bullshit baffles brains
Tabloids profit off sensationalized and misleading stories.

And they cynically hold up their hands if anyone complains
Tabloids respond to complaints with insincere apologies and deny wrongdoing.

And they say: 'All we're doing is giving people what they want'
Tabloids justify their actions by claiming to provide what people desire to read.

Well, they're crying out for justice, people crying out for justice
The public demands fairness and truth from the media.

And the man they call 'The Digger' casts a proprietary eye
The media mogul Rupert Murdoch carefully examines every aspect of his business.

Over what happens in the gutter and what goes on in the sky
Murdoch's media empire covers both tabloid gossip and high-level news.

And he claims he's fit and proper and the watchdog sings his song
Murdoch assures the public that his behavior is appropriate and watchdog organizations support him.

But the Scousers never buy the Sun
Residents of Liverpool do not purchase The Sun newspaper because of their handling of the Hillsborough disaster.

International executives, they hang their heads in shame
Executives of the media industry feel guilty for the actions of their peers.

And tell us with their hands on heart, the paper boy's to blame
Media executives blame street vendors for the content of their publications.

But you who love that kiss and tell, you must bear some guilt as well
Consumers who enjoy salacious stories share responsibility for the unethical practices of the media.

Scousers never buy the Sun
Residents of Liverpool boycott The Sun newspaper due to their handling of the Hillsborough disaster.

Tabloids make their millions betting bullshit baffles brains
Tabloid newspapers earn vast sums of money peddling lies and sensational stories.

And they cynically hold up their hands if anyone complains
Tabloids brush off criticism and feign surprise when challenged over their unethical behavior.

And they say: 'All we're doing is giving people what they want'
Tabloid newspapers continue to justify their actions by claiming to offer readers the sensational content that they crave.

Well, they're crying out for justice, people crying out for justice
The public demands honesty and integrity from journalists and the media.

In the corridors of power they all sit down to sup
Powerful individuals regularly meet to discuss matters of importance over a meal.

With the devil and his minions, and they ask for his opinions
These meetings sometimes involve corrupt and immoral figures and they seek their advice.

And the politicians wring their hands and cry: 'What's to be done?'
Politicians often feel helpless in the face of overwhelming problems and do not know how to take action.

But the Scousers never buy the Sun
Residents of Liverpool refuse to purchase The Sun newspaper because of their handling of the Hillsborough disaster.

No one comes out looking good when all is said and done
When the facts are known, it is obvious that all parties involved acted inappropriately or unethically.

But the Scousers never buy the Sun
Liverpool residents continue to boycott The Sun newspaper due to their handling of the Hillsborough disaster.

"Justice for the Nottingham Six"
A call for justice for a group of wrongly convicted young men from Nottingham, England.