Van Morrison faces fresh controversy after releasing new song entitled “They Own the Media”

Singer Van Morrison has faced fresh allegations of antisemitism after releasing a new song entitled “They Own the Media.”

The song alludes to a powerful elite who control the media and have influence over societal behaviours and beliefs. Some of the lyrics read:

“They tell us that ignorance is bliss
I guess by those that control the media, it is
They own the media, they control the stories we are told
If you ever try to go against them, you will be ignored”

In another verse, Mr Morrison sings:

“They control the narrative, they perpetuate the myth
Keep on telling you lies, tell you ignorance is bliss
Believe it all and you’ll never get, nеver get wise
To thе truth, ’cause they control everything you do”

By singing “they own the media,” Mr Morrison has been accused of deploying a trope regarding the hidden power of Jews which featured heavily in the antisemitic propaganda of the Soviet Union, as well as in other eras and places.

Tom Breihan, the Senior Editor for Stereogum, wrote that the song had “a title that sure seems to be an antisemitic trope.”

He went on to say: “Maybe it’s satire. Maybe the ‘they’ of the title doesn’t refer to any specific group of people. But when you consider that this man just went on a months-long COVID-denial tantrum, we have every right to be suspicious about this one.”

This is not the Northern Irish musician’s first brush with accusations of antisemitism. In 2005, Mr Morrison released “They Sold Me Out”, a song that appeared to perpetrate the antisemitic conspiracy theory of deicide. One verse of the song reads:

“Sold me out for a few shekels and divided up my robes
They sold me out
It’s the oldest story that’s ever been told
They sold me out”