The Pogues: 3 Albums 1984 - 1988 (Shane Mac Gowan 25 December 1957 - 30 November 2023)

 

The Pogues were an English or Anglo-Irish Celtic punk band fronted by Shane MacGowan and others,

founded in King's Cross, London, in 1982, as Pogue Mahone – an anglicisation of the Irish Gaelic phrase póg mo thóin, meaning "kiss my arse". The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s, recording several hit albums and singles. MacGowan left the band in 1991 owing to drinking problems, but the band continued – first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals – before breaking up in 1996.
                     

The Pogues re-formed in late 2001, and played regularly across the UK and Ireland and on the US East Coast, until dissolving again in 2014. The group did not record any new material during this second

incarnation.
Their politically tinged music was informed by MacGowan and Stacy's punk backgrounds, yet used traditional Irish instruments such as the tin whistle, banjo, cittern, mandolin and accordion. The band achieved notable success with the single "Fairytale of New York" and studio albums Rum Sodomy & the Lash (1985) and If I Should Fall from Grace with God (1988).
                  

By demonstrating that the spirit of punk could live in traditional Irish folk music, the Pogues were one of the most radical bands of the mid-'80s. Led by Shane MacGowan, whose slurred, incomprehensible

voice often disguised the sheer poetry of his songs, the Pogues were undeniably political -- not only were many of their songs explicitly in favor of working-class liberalism, but the wild, careening sound of their punk-injected folk was implicitly radical. While the band was clearly radical, they also had a wickedly warped sense of humor, which was abundantly clear on their biggest hit, the fractured Christmas carol "Fairy Tale of New York."
                      

SHANE MAC GOWAN

                 

Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan (25 December 1957 – 30 November 2023) was an English-born Irish musician best known as the lead vocalist and songwriter of Celtic punk band the Pogues.

MacGowan's songs were influenced by Irish history, Irish nationalism, the Irish diaspora, and London life. Having grown up in an Irish republican family, MacGowan said in 2015 that he regretted not joining the IRA. In a filmed interview he said, "I was ashamed I didn't have the guts to join the IRA, and The Pogues was my way of overcoming that". The central figure in his 1997 song "Paddy Public Enemy No. 1" is based on ex-INLA leader Dominic McGlinchey.
                

MacGowan began drinking alcohol at age five, when his family gave him Guinness to help him sleep. His father frequently took him to the local pub while he drank with his friends. He suffered physically

from years of binge drinking. It was reported in July 2023 that MacGowan was hospitalised in an intensive care unit.[62] Following treatment for an infection, he was discharged from St. Vincent's University Hospital in November 2023. He made his last public statement on 16 November 2023, complimenting Travis Kelce's cover of "Fairytale of New York". On 30 November 2023, after receiving last rites, MacGowan died from pneumonia at his home in Dublin with his wife by his side. He was 65.

             

THE POGUES - RED ROSES FOR ME 1984

                

Red Roses for Me is filled with traditional Irish music performed with punk influences. The Mancunion

saw the "creativity of post-punk" as being "evident throughout the record", while Muso's Guide described much of Red Roses for Me as "a whirlwind of revved-up folk punk". The band's approach of mixing traditional songs and ballads with frontman Shane MacGowan's "gutter hymns" about drinking, fighting and sex was innovative at the time. The album reached number 89 in the UK album charts.

The Pogues – Red Roses For Me
Label: Warner Strategic Marketing – 5046759582, Pogue Mahone Records – 5046759582
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered 2004
Country: Europe
Released: 1984
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative Rock, Folk Rock, Punk

TRACKS

                        

01. Transmetropolitan    4:26
02. The Battle Of Brisbane    1:51
03. The Auld Triangle   4:22
Written-By – B. Behan
04. Waxie's Dargle   3:09
Arranged By – Pogues   1:53
05. Boys From The County Hell    2:56
06. Sea Shanty    2:24
07. Dark Streets Of London    3:17
08. Streams Of Whiskey    2:32
09.Poor Paddy
Arranged By – Pogues
10. Dingle Regetta   2:52
Arranged By – Finer, Pogues
11. Greenland Whale Fisheries   2:36
Arranged By – Pogues
12. Down In The Ground Where The Dead Men Go    3:32
13. Kitty   4:55
Arranged By – Pogues

BONUS TRACKS

              

 
14. The Leaving Of Liverpool   3:12
Arranged By – A. Rankin, C. O'Riordan, J. Fearnley, J. Finer, P. Stacy, S. MacGowan
15. Muirshin Durkin   1:50
Arranged By – A. Rankin, C. O'Riordan, J. Fearnley, J. Finer, P. Stacy, S. MacGowan
16. Repeal Of The Licensing Laws   2:12
Written-By – Stacy
17. And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda   4:50
Written-By – Bogle
18. Whiskey You're The Devil   2:09
Arranged By – A. Rankin, C. O'Riordan, J. Fearnley, J. Finer, P. Stacy, S. MacGowan
19. The Wild Rover   2:36
Arranged By – A. Rankin, C. O'Riordan, J. Fearnley, J. Finer, P. Stacy, S. MacGowan

LINE - UP

                 

Andy The Clobberer Ranken
Rocky O'Riordan
Maestro Jimmy Fearnley
Country Jem Finer
Shane MacGowan
Spider Stacy

NOTES

Re-issue of Red Roses For Me, 1984 with bonus tracks (14 to 19).
Track 17 from Dark Streets Of London, 1984
track 16 from Boys From The County Hell, 1984
tracks 14 and 19 from Sally Maclennane, 1985
tracks 15 and 18 from A Pair Of Brown Eyes, 1985

Flac Size: 406 MB

THE POGUES - RUM SODOMY & THE LASH 1985

                

Rum Sodomy & the Lash is the second studio album by the London-based, Irish folk punk band the

Pogues, released on 5 August 1985. The album reached number 13 on the UK charts. The track "A Pair of Brown Eyes", based on an older Irish tune, reached number 72 on the UK singles chart. "The Old Main Drag" later appeared on the soundtrack to the film My Own Private Idaho. The album's title is taken from a quotation attributed to Winston Churchill: "Don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy, and the lash." The title was suggested by drummer Andrew Ranken, who said "it seemed to sum up life in our band".

The Pogues – Rum Sodomy & The Lash
Label: Warner Strategic Marketing – 2 62146
Format: CD, Album, Reissue 2004
Country: Canada
Released: 1985   
Genre: Rock, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Punk, Folk, Celtic

TRACKS

            

        
01. The Sickbed Of Cuchulainn    3:02
02. The Old Main Drag    3:19
03. Wild Cats Of Kilkenny   2:48
Written-By – Finer, MacGowan
04. I'm A Man You Don't Meet Every Day   2:54
Arranged By – The Pogues
Written-By – Traditional
05. A Pair Of Brown Eyes    5:02
06. Sally MacLennane    2:45
07. Dirty Old Town   3:46
Written-By – Ewan MacColl
08. Jesse James   2:58
Arranged By – The Pogues
Written-By – Traditional
09. Navigator   4:13
Written-By – Phil Gaston
10. Billy's Bones    2:03
11. The Gentleman Soldier   2:04
Arranged By – The Pogues
Written-By – Traditional
12. The Band Played Waltzing Matilda   8:14
Written-By – Bogle

BONUS TRACKS

        

  
13. A Pistol For Paddy Garcia   2:31
Written-By – J. Finer
14. London Girl    3:05
15. Rainy Night In Soho    5:36
16. Body Of An American    4:49
17. Planxty Noel Hill   3:12
Written-By – Finer/Country/Gem
18. The Parting Glass   2:14
Arranged By – A. Ranken, C. O'Riordan, J. Fearnley, J. Finer, P. Stacy, S.  MacGowan
Written-By – Traditional

LINE - UP

              

Andrew Ranken
Cait O'Riordan
James Fearnley
Jem Finer
Philip Chevron
Shane MacGowan
Spider Stacy

Additional Musicians

Fiddle – Henry Benagh
Horns – Dick Cuthell
Uilleann Pipes – Tommy Keane
Producer – Elvis Costello (tracks: 1 to 12, 14 to 17), Philip Chevron (tracks: 13, 18)

Flac Size: 433 MB

THE POGUES - IF I SHOULD FALL FROM GRACE WITH GOD 1988

                     

If I Should Fall from Grace with God is the third studio album by Irish folk-punk band the Pogues,

released on 18 January 1988. Released in the wake of their biggest hit single, "Fairytale of New York", If I Should Fall from Grace with God also became the band's best-selling album, peaking at number three on the UK Albums Chart and reaching the top ten in several other countries.

The Pogues – If I Should Fall From Grace With God
Label: Warner Strategic Marketing – 2 62147
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered 2004
Genre: Rock
Country: Canada
Released: 1988
Style: Alternative Rock, Folk Rock, Punk, Celtic

TRACKS

              

01. If I Should Fall From Grace With God    2:21
02. Turkish Song Of The Damned    3:27
03. Bottle Of Smoke    2:47
04. Fairytale Of New York   4:36
Vocals – Kirsty MacColl
05. Metropolis   2:50
Written-By – The Pogues
06. Thousands Are Sailing    5:28
07. Fiesta    4:13
08. Medley: The Recruiting Sergeant / The Rocky Road To Dublin / The Galway Races   4:01
Arranged By – The Pogues
Written By – Traditional
09. Streets Of Sorrow / Birmingham Six    4:39
10. Lullaby Of London    3:31
11. Sit Down By The Fire    2:18
12. The Broad Majestic Shannon    2:52
13. Worms   1:05
Arranged By – Andrew Ranken, James Fearnley
Written By – Traditional
14. The Battle March (Medley)    4:10
15. The Irish Rover   4:07
Written-By – Joseph Crofts
16. Mountain Dew   2:19
Arranged By – The Dubliners, The Pogues
Written By – Traditional
17. Shanne Bradley    3:41
18. Sketches Of Spain    2:14
19. South Australia   3:27
Arranged By – The Pogues
Written By – Traditional

LINE - UP

                  

Accordion, Piano, Mandolin, Dulcimer, Guitar, Cello, Percussion – James Fearnley
Alto Saxophone – Brian Clarke
Banjo, Mandola, Saxophone – Jem Finer
Bass, Percussion, Vocals – Darryl Hunt
Bodhrán – Fran Byrne
Choir – Brian Sheridan, Frank Murray , Joe Cashman, John Lawlor, Paul Scully, Paul Verner, Ron Kavana, Steve Lillywhite, The Man From The Indian Takeaway, The Pogues
Drums, Percussion, Vocals, Harmonica – Andrew Ranken
Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals – Philip Chevron
Harp – Siobhan Sheahan
Tenor Banjo, Spoons, Mandolin – Ron Kavana
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Cashman
Tin Whistle, Vocals – Spider Stacy
Trombone – Paul Taylor
Trumpet – Chris Lee, Eli Thompson
Vocals, Guitar – Shane MacGowan

Flac Size: 451 MB