IT’S simple, Simon, the song’s not very good – and it’s not even in the best possible taste.

Couldn’t help cringing when I heard Bridge over Troubled Water, the makeover version promoted by Simon Cowell and his celebrity contacts book in aid of the Grenfell Tower victims.

That’s so 2017.

Doesn’t matter what happens in the world, our media chums will ‘entertainmentise’ it and have us crying into our handkerchiefs as if watching a weepy film at the flicks.

A real-life disaster is a PR man’s business opportunity.

Terror attacks and the shocking tower block fire itself were great material for the Sky News drama department. Cue the incessant, repetitive round-the-clock coverage, complete with inane interviews and a depressingly familiar narrative.

Let’s face it, we could probably write Theresa May’s next post-disaster speech ourselves –  we’ve heard so many slight variations on the same theme.

Now, for the same reason as I choked at the near instant repeat of the Manchester concert, I don’t like the feel of Cowell’s charity single.

I’m not doubting the motives of Cowell and his superstars are probably reasonable enough. They’d have hearts of concrete not to be moved by what went on in London and here they are giving their time and talent for free.

What I don’t like is the ‘sugar coating’ of awful events with soothing words and melodies whilst the real lessons of what amounts to one of our worst-ever national disasters are reduced to the background.

The message always seems to be: ‘ok, this awful thing has happened but life goes on – as normal. The show goes on.’

Oh no, it shouldn’t!

The fire, as with the terror attacks, demands a root and branch re-think of the way we live in a so-called civilised society.

None of them happened by accident. They were the direct results of political decisions that have ruined countless lives. On one hand, we have sent innocent soldiers to kill and be killed for reasons of finance and strategy; on the other, innocent people have been murdered in their own homes because it’s more important rich people aren’t offended by the outside of the building than to make the buildings safe.

 

 

 

 

 

The words of Simon and Garfunkel’s albeit great song can’t touch the anger, despair and sheer terror currently being experienced in London.

Any appropriate words – and it’s very difficult to get even close – would not be palatable fayre for family listening.

Now that’s a nice way of putting it!