The Pogues were founded in King's Cross, a district in north London, in 1982 as Pogue Mahone - "pogue mahone" being the Anglicisation of the Irish póg mo thóin, meaning "kiss my arse". The band specialised in Irish folk music, often playing with the energy of the punk rock scene from which several of the members had their roots.
Their politically-tinged music was reminiscent of The Clash, with whom they played (Joe Strummer produced one of their albums and even joined the group briefly), and used traditional Irish instruments such as the tin whistle, banjo, cittern, mandolin, accordion, and more. In the later incarnations of the band, after the departure of Shane MacGowan, electronic instruments such as the electric guitar would become more prominent. The first of The Pogues' albums, Red Roses for Me, borrows much from the punk tradition of MacGowan's previous band The Nipple Erectors (later dubbed The Nips).
Band history
Shane MacGowan (vocals), James Fearnley (accordion) and Spider Stacy (tin whistle) were the original members of the Pogues, in the days when they busked on the streets of London. Before the rest of the group formed, MacGowan and Stacy were rumoured to have played impromptu performances on street corners and city buses which attracted local interest to their talent. They later added Jeremy 'Jem' Finer (guitar, banjo), Cait O'Riordan (bass) and Andrew Ranken (drums). The band rapidly developed a reputation, started releasing independent work, and ended up opening for The Clash on tour in 1984. Shortening their name to "The Pogues" due to lack of radio play for the curse in their name, they released their first album Red Roses for Me that October.
Phil Chevron (guitar) joined the group soon after, then with the aid of punk and new wave forefather Elvis Costello they recorded the follow up, Rum Sodomy & the Lash, in 1985 (The album title is a famous comment attributed, probably falsely, to Winston Churchill and others in describing the traditions of the British Royal Navy). The album cover featured The Raft of the Medusa, though the faces on the characters in Géricault's painting have been replaced with those of the band members. While the first album had featured a higher percentage of traditional songs, Shane MacGowan came into his own as a songwriter with this disc, offering up poetic story-telling, such as "The Sick Bed of Cúchulainn" and "The Old Main Drag," as well as definitive interpretations of Ewan MacColl's "Dirty Old Town" and Eric Bogle's "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda," the latter of which has become more popular than the original recording.
The band failed to take advantage of the momentum created by the strong artistic and commercial success of their second album. They first refused to record another album (offering up the 4 track EP Poguetry in Motion instead); O'Riordan married Costello and left the band, to be replaced by bassist Darryl Hunt; and they added a multi-instrumentalist in Terry Woods, formerly of Steeleye Span. Looming over the band at this period (as throughout their entire career) was the increasingly erratic behaviour of their vocalist, principal songwriter and creative visionary, Shane MacGowan.
Success & breakup
The band remained stable enough to record If I Should Fall from Grace with God in 1988 (with its Christmas hit duet with Kirsty MacColl "Fairytale of New York") and 1989's Peace and Love. The band was at the peak of its commercial success, with both albums making the top 5 in the UK (nos. 3 and 5 respectively), but MacGowan was spiralling out of control. Following their next album, Hell's Ditch, MacGowan and the band parted company in 1991.
With his departure, the band was thrown into a state of flux. Without their singer, vocal duties were for a time handled by Joe Strummer, before Stacy finally took over permanently. Two politely received albums followed, the first of which, Waiting for Herb, contained the band's third and final top twenty single, "Tuesday Morning" which became their best selling single internationally. In 1996, the Pogues disbanded with just three members remaining.
Post breakup
Shane MacGowan founded Shane MacGowan and The Popes in 1994. They recorded two studio albums in the period up to their split in 2002. MacGowan's autobiography, A Drink With Shane MacGowan, co-written with his journalist girlfriend Victoria Mary Clarke, appeared in 2001. During this time the three other long-term members of the Pogues (Spider Stacy, Andrew Ranken and Darryl Hunt) played together briefly as the Vendettas.
Reunion
The band, including MacGowan, re-formed for a Christmas tour in 2001 and performed 9 shows in the UK in December [2004]. In 2002 Q magazine named The Pogues as one of the "50 Bands To See Before You Die". Also in December 2004, VH1 Conducted a poll to find the best Christmas song ever, with "Fairytale of New York" coming number one with 2,650 of the 10,000 votes cast - over 25%. In early 2005, VH1 conducted another poll to find the 100 greatest number ones that never Were, With The Pogues coming in at number 27.
In July 2005, the band - again including MacGowan - played at the annual Guilfest festival in Guildford before flying out to Japan where they played three dates. Japan is the last place they all played together before MacGowan was originally sacked in 1991, and they have a strong following there. They played a date in Spain in early September. The reunited Pogues played dates in the UK with support from the Dropkick Murphys in late 2005, and re-released their 1987 Christmas classic "Fairytale Of New York" on 19th December, which went straight in at #3 in the UK Singles charts on Christmas Day 2005, showing the song's enduring popularity. On December 22nd 2005 the BBC broadcast a live performance (recorded the previous week) on the Jonathan Ross Christmas show with Katie Melua. "Fairytale of New York" was voted the greatest Christmas Record of all time for the second year running in a poll by UK Music Channel VH1, with "Fairytale of New York" taking in a whopping 39% of the overall vote.
The band was awarded the life-time achievement award at the annual Meteor Ireland Music Awards in February 2006.
In March 2011, the Pogues played a six-city/ten-show sell-out US tour titled "A Parting Glass with The Pogues". In August 2012, The Pogues undertook a 30th Anniversary European Tour.
Discography
Albums
Red Roses for Me - 1984, #89 UK
Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash - 1985, #13 UK
Poguetry in Motion (EP) - 1986, #29
If I Should Fall from Grace with God - 1988, #3 UK, #88 US
Peace and Love - 1989, #5 UK
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah (EP) - 1990, #43 UK
Hell's Ditch - 1990, #11 UK
Waiting for Herb - 1993, #20 UK
Pogue Mahone - 1996
The Best of The Pogues - 1991, #11 UK
The Rest of the Best - 1992
The Very Best of The Pogues - 2001, #18
The Ultimate Collection including Live at the Brixton Academy - 2001, #15 UK
Dirty Old Town: The Platinum Collection
Bottle Of Smoke
The Pogues Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thanks to Jesus
I bet on the Bottle of Smoke
I went to hell
And to the races
To bet on the Bottle of Smoke
The day being clear
He came up on the left
Like a streak of light
Like a drunken fuck
On a Saturday night
Up came the Bottle of Smoke
Twenty fucking five to one
Me gambling days are done
I bet on a horse called the Bottle of Smoke
And my horse won
Stewards inquiries
Swift and fiery
I had the Bottle of Smoke
Inquisitions and suppositions
I had the Bottle of Smoke
Fuck the stewards
A trip to Lourdes
Might give the old fuckers
The power of sight
Screaming springers and stoppers
And call out coppers
But the money still gleams in my hand like a light
Bookies cursing
Cars reversing
I had the Bottle of Smoke
Glasses steaming
Vessels bursting
I had the Bottle of Smoke
Slip a fifty to the wife
And for each brat a crisp new five
To give me a break on a Saturday night
When I had the Bottle of Smoke
Priests and maidens
Drunk as pagans
They had the Bottle of Smoke
Sins forgiven and celebrations
They had the Bottle of Smoke
Fuck the Yanks
And drink their wives
The moon is clear
The sky is bright
I'm happy as the horse's shite
Up came the Bottle of Smoke
The Pogues' song "Bottle of Smoke" tells a tale of a man who bets on a horse named "Bottle of Smoke" and wins. The singer describes his excitement and joy about betting on the horse and the thrill of gambling. The lyrics are filled with references to alcohol, gambling, and debauchery. The song also has a rebellious tone, as the singer defiantly declares his victory over the stewards and bookies.
The lyrics suggest that the singer's love for gambling has led him down a path of excess and sinful behavior. The line "Thanks to Jesus" is ambiguous, and it can be interpreted in many ways. It could be a sincere expression of gratitude, but it could also be a sarcastic comment on the singer's blasphemous behavior. The repeated line "I had the Bottle of Smoke" emphasizes the singer's sense of pride and triumph.
The lyrics also contain references to Irish culture, such as the trip to Lourdes, which is a popular pilgrimage site for Catholics, and the line "Fuck the Yanks", which reflects the political tensions between Ireland and America. The song is a celebration of Irish working-class culture, with its focus on gambling and drinking, and its defiance towards authority figures.
Line by Line Meaning
Thanks and praises
Expressing gratitude and admiration
Thanks to Jesus
Acknowledging and attributing success to a higher power
I bet on the Bottle of Smoke
A reference to a risky bet on a horse named 'Bottle of Smoke'
I went to hell
A figurative expression of the intensity of the betting experience
And to the races
A literal reference to betting on horses at a racecourse
The day being clear
The weather conditions were good
The sky being bright
The sky was clear and illuminated
He came up on the left
A reference to the horse 'Bottle of Smoke' moving up on the left side of the track
Like a streak of light
Comparing the speed of the horse to a fast-moving beam of light
Like a drunken fuck
A crude comparison to the excitement of betting on a horse race
On a Saturday night
A reference to the enjoyment and carefree atmosphere of a weekend evening
Up came the Bottle of Smoke
Describing the sudden emergence and success of the horse 'Bottle of Smoke'
Twenty fucking five to one
Odds of 25:1 on the bet
Me gambling days are done
A sense of accomplishing the ultimate goal of winning big and not needing to gamble anymore
Stewards inquiries
An investigation into any rule violations or misconduct during the race
Swift and fiery
A description of the intense nature of such inquiries
I had the Bottle of Smoke
Reiterating the unexpected victory of the horse 'Bottle of Smoke'
Inquisitions and suppositions
Further investigation and questioning about the win
Fuck the stewards
An expression of defiance and anger towards race officials
A trip to Lourdes
A reference to a French town known for its religious significance and healing waters
Might give the old fuckers
A crude reference to the stewards
The power of sight
A sarcastic statement on the effectiveness of the stewards' inquiries
Screaming springers and stoppers
References to horse racing terms for horses that jump too soon or too late at an obstacle
And call out coppers
A reference to calling the police to handle an unruly situation
But the money still gleams in my hand like a light
The pleasure and satisfaction of having won a large sum of money
Bookies cursing
An expression of the anger and frustration of the bookmakers who lost money on the race
Cars reversing
A chaotic scene of cars and people scrambling to leave the racecourse
Glasses steaming
A reference to the condensation on glasses from the excitement and heat of the moment
Vessels bursting
A metaphor for the overwhelming and intense emotions of the situation
Slip a fifty to the wife
Giving money to the spouse as a gesture of appreciation and celebration
And for each brat a crisp new five
Giving money to each child as a gift or reward
To give me a break on a Saturday night
A way to enjoy and celebrate the victory with loved ones
When I had the Bottle of Smoke
Highlighting the importance and excitement of the bet on the horse 'Bottle of Smoke'
Priests and maidens
An ironic reference to religious and virtuous individuals
Drunk as pagans
Intoxicated and reveling in the moment
They had the Bottle of Smoke
Others also celebrating and enjoying the win of the horse 'Bottle of Smoke'
Sins forgiven and celebrations
An acknowledgement of the temporary reprieve from worries and problems that come with achieving a victory
Fuck the Yanks
A derogatory expression towards Americans
And drink their wives
A crude and disrespectful reference to women
The moon is clear
A peaceful and calming image
The sky is bright
A continued sense of good weather and positive energy
I'm happy as the horse's shite
A humorous analogy to express the singer's joy and satisfaction
Up came the Bottle of Smoke
The repetition of this line offers a sense of closure and triumph for the song
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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