The lead singer of The Pogues, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 65, fused punk with traditional Irish music, solidifying his and the band’s reputation as successors who embraced a vibrant and intoxicated musical legacy.
Shane MacGowan, known as the main singer and songwriter for the Pogues, gained initial fame in London as “Shane O’Hooligan.” In 1976, after his ear was bitten during a concert, his picture appeared in the NME music paper with the headline “Cannibalism at Clash Gig.”
MacGowan, who passed away on Thursday, was a punk enthusiast (with a fanzine called “Bondage”) unsure of how to contribute to the scene beyond bleeding on it. Before forming the Pogues, he explored playing Cretan music, creating rock with industrial noise, and even considering an imperial-Rome act where band members would wear togas and gladiator outfits.
Although MacGowan spent most of his youth in England, his parents were Irish. Once he decided to blend punk rock with traditional Celtic music, he discovered his natural musical style.
The Pogues released their first single, “Dark Streets of London,” in 1984. This debut song set the tone for their uplifting music amidst challenging times, describing the experience of poverty in London and the fading of good times with the approach of shorter, colder days. With a seven-member lineup, including James Fearnley on accordion and Spider Stacy on tin whistle, the band underwent personnel changes over the years but maintained their distinctive sound. Originally credited to “Pogue Mahone,” which means “kiss my ass” in Gaelic, the BBC replaced it with “the Pogues” after realizing the translation, and the band embraced the new name.
The Pogues achieved success with their album “Rum Sodomy & the Lash” in 1985, produced by Elvis Costello. This breakthrough record, featuring MacGowan at the forefront, captured the lively essence of the band’s performances and their aspiration to create unconventional music akin to Tom Waits. Filled with shouts, drum fills, and a cascade of words, the song recounts a bartender bidding farewell to a departing friend. Surprisingly, the other Pogues discovered it was an original MacGowan composition, not a traditional Irish tune.
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In 1986, collaborating with Costello again on the EP “Poguetry in Motion,” designed to boost their presence in the United States, MacGowan penned a song depicting the lives of Irish immigrants returning to their homeland. The chorus echoes, “I’m a freeborn man of the U.S.A.,” portraying a twist – he’s a deceased man returning home for burial. MacGowan frequently delved into themes of his own decline and impending death, but seldom with such definitive finality.
The Dubliners & the Pogues collaborated on “The Irish Rover” in 1987. Initially viewed skeptically by some Irish musicians, the Pogues were eventually embraced as successors to the Irish folk tradition, albeit with a loud and spirited approach. The Dubliners, Irish folk giants with a 50-year legacy, joined forces with the Pogues for this rendition during a 25th-anniversary celebration. Together, they presented an energetic version of a traditional song recounting the tale of a doomed sailing ship.
In the same year, the Pogues released “Fairytale of New York,” a poignant duet between Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl. This brief narrative unfolds in a drunk tank, capturing the gritty yet beautiful essence of Christmas in New York City. Despite the chorus suggesting otherwise, it’s worth noting that the N.Y.P.D. doesn’t actually have a choir. The two vocalists express their deep connection, filled with bitterness, desperation, and aspirations. MacGowan, with every uttered syllable, makes a commitment that, realistically, cannot be fulfilled: the assurance that their love will conquer challenges, and they will age together.
The Pogues, “Turkish Song of the Damned” (1988) During a 1986 tour, bassist Cait O’Riordan left the Pogues to be with Costello, whom she later married. Darryl Hunt, the band’s roadie and sound man, replaced her. Steve Lillywhite produced the next album, “If I Should Fall From Grace With God,” providing the cleanest sound the band ever achieved on disc: chaos contained in a jar. This lively highlight was inspired by MacGowan misinterpreting a German fan promoting a favorite punk B-side, “Turkey Song” by the Damned.
Shane MacGowan and the Popes, “The Church of the Holy Spook” (1994) After enduring years of MacGowan’s increasingly chaotic and hostile behavior, along with worsening addictions, the Pogues fired their frontman in 1991. According to Fearnley’s 2012 memoir, “Here Comes Everybody,” when the band informed MacGowan, he responded, “What took you so long?” On his own, MacGowan unexpectedly created an album, “The Snake,” that mimicked the Pogues’ sound and rivaled his former band’s high points. “I ruined my life by drinking,” he sings here, stating that giving up his hometown’s church for rock music was a mistake — but the pummeling groove indicates he doesn’t mean it.
Shane MacGowan and Sinead O’Connor, “Haunted” (1995) Inspired by girl groups like the Shangri-Las, this song was initially written as a vocal showcase for O’Riordan. The Pogues recorded it for the soundtrack to “Sid and Nancy,” the 1986 biopic featuring Gary Oldman as Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols and Chloe Webb as his girlfriend Nancy Spungen. In this remake, MacGowan collaborated for a sandpaper-and-velvet duet with Sinead O’Connor. Five years later, when O’Connor discovered MacGowan collapsed at his home, she contacted the London police, informing them of the heroin in his possession, hoping to encourage him to seek recovery.
Shane MacGowan & the Popes, “St. John of Gods” (1997) Singing over an accordion groove, MacGowan describes a crushed-up man. Despite struggling with words due to poor dental work, it seems like he might be singing about himself. The chorus is a painful farewell to the world: “Forget you all, Forget you all, Forget you all.”
Bonus Song: Various Artists, “Perfect Day” (1997) Commissioned by the BBC, this unlikely all-star single featuring a Lou Reed cover dominated the British charts for three weeks. Positioned between Tammy Wynette and Dr. John, MacGowan delivered just three slurred words — “it’s such fun” — yet with a dissolute presence, conjuring decades of revelry. Whether leading his own band or contributing to others’ records, MacGowan consistently sounded like a disorderly party crasher.
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