It's an error that's haunted the former Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie for the past two decades. But finally, she's put things right.
In 2006, the Dutchess (no relation to Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York) released her banging — and according to one music critic, "inexplicably asinine" — choon London Bridge. But it came with a structural problem; Fergie was singing about the wrong structure. When she was writing the song, Tower Bridge must've been in her mind's eye, because not only does the chorus go: "My London, London Bridge wanna go down" (bascule-tinged double entendre if ever we heard it), she filmed the music video on — yup — Tower Bridge. (She also grinds a King's Queen's Guard, but we don't have time to get into that.)
Pedantic Londoners — including yours truly — were up in arms. Fergie was never going to be allowed to forget this most stereotypical of American tourist blunders. It was altogether apt that the lyrics to the song start: "Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!"
Almost 20 years later, and Fergie really hasn't forgotten her faux pas, because she's just remade the video, featuring Megan Stalter from new Netflix comedy series Too Much, about a New Yorker who starts a new life in London. And this time it's shot on the actual London Bridge.
"This is the bridge everyone's making a fuss about?" sighs an unimpressed looking Stalter at the start of the video, "It smells like piss." (At this moment, a Lime bike very nearly ploughs into her.)
"Yeah, now you see why we didn't shoot here originally," replies Fergie, "And I've been paying for it for the past 20 fucking years."
The obstreperous pair then proceed to tear up London by way of argy bargy with the paps, punctuated by tea breaks and body popping guards. There's also a cheeky cameo for a t-shirt bearing the EU stars with the motto: "I miss my ex". Theresa May would never have allowed this. As a final good natured middle finger to the likes of Londonist, Fergie, Megan and entourage dance in front of... Tower Bridge. We deserved that.
So can we finally say then, that this is all water under the bridge? London Bridge, that is, Fergie, not Tower.
