A musical family-of-six has been slammed for being ‘remarkably tasteless’ and ‘shameful’ after releasing a parody song exploring the Gisele Pelicot mass rape trial.
The Marsh family, from Faversham, Kent, excitedly announced over social media that they had ‘hastily assembled’ what they described as a ‘work of heart rather than of art’ with their twist on Paul Simon’s 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover.
But the subject matter – pertaining to the biggest rape trial in French history – has left many feeling outraged.
Their song came just hours after Dominique Pelicot was sentenced on Thursday to 20 years in jail for orchestrating and committing the mass rape of his now ex-wife.
Firefighters, soldiers, lorry drivers, a DJ and a journalist were among those found guilty of raping and sexually abusing 72-year-old Gisele at the behest of her husband over the course of a decade at their home in Mazan, southern France – all without her knowledge.
The 51 men face a collective sentence of 400 years given out by a panel of five judges, such was the seriousness of their crimes.
In the wake of the sentencing, history lecturer Dr Ben Marsh, 48, his wife Danielle, 47 and their four children – Alfie, 18, Thomas, 16, Ella, 15 and Tess, 12, shared their rendition of the Paul Simon classic, which they have named Legal Case That’s Like No Other.
Describing it as ‘super-topical’, the family wrote in a statement: ‘It’s our twist on Paul Simon’s fantastic ’50 Ways to Leave Your Lover’ released in December 1975, but parodied to address the culmination of the mass rape trial in France which ended today with the conviction of 51 men in Avignon.
The musical Marsh family has been slammed for being ‘remarkably tasteless’ and ‘shameful’ after releasing a parody song exploring the Gisele Pelicot mass rape trial
Dr Ben Marsh and his wife, Danielle, alongside their four children, have presented their twist on Paul Simon’s 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
Their song came just hours after Dominique Pelicot was sentenced on Thursday to 20 years in jail for orchestrating and committing the mass rape of his now ex-wife, Gisele Pelicot
‘It’s a news story we’ve been following, like many others, with a mix of horror and disbelief, and one that we touched on in our latest song reflecting on sexual pressure, workplaces, attitudes.
‘But we were very struck by the incredible courage of Gisèle Pelicot, and the inspiring solidarity shown by supporters.’
The family has also swapped out the names from the original song for those of the convicted men.
Lyrics for the otherwise jaunty tune include ‘La honte change du camp’ (shame must change sides), Dom, You’re facing the can, man’ and ‘It’s a pretty long haul, Paul, For your sexual assault.’
Other lines include ‘can’t take it back, Jacques, knew it was wrong, Jean,’ and ‘just pull up your pants, Vince’.
The parody, which has been viewed more than 307,000 times on X, has however sparked a torrent of comments from those who say it ‘misses the mark’ and is ‘really really poor taste.’
Many simply said: ‘Please delete’.
One X user wrote: ‘This badly misses the mark. It trivialises Gisèle Pelicot’s ordeal and her courage, and it’s an extremely ill-chosen melody given the inevitable association in most people’s minds with the original lyrics. 50 convictions for rape is not a clever play on the original.’
Actor James Dreyfus, best known for playing Constable Kevin Goody in The Thin Blue Line, called the song ‘remarkably tasteless and opportunistic’
The song has sparked a torrent of comments from those who say it ‘misses the mark’ and is ‘really really poor taste’
Another said: ‘This is so disgusting. Using the horrific gang rape of a woman to get attention for your Van Trapp wannabe family. Shameful.’
A third wrote: ‘Can you talk us through the mental process which led to you thinking a jaunty song about prolonged gang rape was a good idea at all, before you chose to then do it in the style of a song about lovers?’
Some fans queried whether their children should have been involved in such a song given the adult content matter.
One, who called it ‘absolutely disgusting’, said ‘you should delete, apologise, and reconsider subjecting your children to this. For their sake if nothing else.’
Actor James Dreyfus, best known for playing Constable Kevin Goody in The Thin Blue Line, called the song ‘remarkably tasteless and opportunistic.’
He added: ‘To use the horrific exploitation & abuse of Gisèle Pelicot & set it to the tune of 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover for clicks seems bafflingly tone deaf to me….’
Among the dissenters there were however those who applauded the family.
One fan called it ‘so powerful and very sensitively accomplished.’
Dominique Pelicot, who has been dubbed ‘The Monster of Avignon’, was sentenced on Thursday to 20 years in jail for orchestrating and committing the mass rape of his now ex-wife
Firefighters, soldiers, lorry drivers, a DJ and a journalist were among those found guilty of raping and sexually abusing 72-year-old Gisele at the behest of her husband over the course of a decade at their home in Mazan, southern France – all without her knowledge
The Marsh family first found fame in 2020 during lockdown with their version of Les Misérables’ One Day More, which went viral.
They followed up on this success with their rendition of the Bonnie Tyler classic, Total Eclipse of the Heart, now renamed Totally Fixed Where We Are.
Their viral fame has seen the family appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live, BBC’s Comic Relief and Children In Need.