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‘I don’t pay my wallpaper bills’: Cassetteboy uses Destiny’s Child mashup to take aim at Boris Johnson

Former PM’s fall from grace mocked in comedy musician duo’s latest track

Maanya Sachdeva
Friday 22 July 2022 07:38 EDT
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Boris Johnson's best PMQs insults following final clash with Keir Starmer

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Cassetteboy have released their latest mash-up, which takes aim at Boris Johnson and his fall from national grace over the past month.

Released on Friday (22 July), the mash-up is set to Paul Woolford and Pessto’s remix of “Bills, Bills, Bills” titled “Can You Pay”.

In it, the comedy music duo combine the remix of the 1999 Destiny’s Child hit with clips of multiple Boris Johnson speeches from his time as prime minister.

“I don’t pay my wallpaper bills, I lie about work event bills,” Johnson says in the one-and-a-half-minute video, with the comedy musician satirising the Wallpapergate scandal, seen by many as the beginning of his downfall.

Johnson and wife Carrie’s renovations of No 10 Downing Street became a matter of public embarrassment after it was revealed they had spent an estimated £200,000 on refurbishments, including £2,260 worth of gold wallpaper.

I dismiss police fine bills, and delay moving bills,” Johnson continues in the video, with Cassetteboy referring to the penalties not levied on the outgoing PM during the Partygate investigation.

He then says: “Please don’t call the moving van, I’ll cling on while I can, I need every penny I can get, I’m not ready for Rishi or Truss just yet.”

“I need a job to pay the bills, but alas I have no skills. I’ll turn to friends with no scruples and hope I can pay in roubles,” Johnson goes on, before the popular refrain of “Can you pay my bills” begins.

Among his other failings, Johnson’s handling of the Covid crisis, the rising cost of living in the UK, and missed Cobra meetings are also highlighted in the new Cassetteboy mash-up.

Cassetteboy rose to fame in 2009 with their mashup Cassetteboy vs The Bloody Apprentice, which featured dialogue from Alan Sugar.

Their past videos have included Cassetteboy’s Brexit mash-up – also featuring Johnson and set to the tune of MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This” titled “Can’t Trust Me” – and a scathing satire of the Downing Street parties titled “Rage Against The Party Machine”, which combines Rage Against The Machine’s anti-establishment hit “Killing In The Name Of” and Johnson’s speeches on the pandemic.

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