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
Bright Lights
The Pogues Lyrics
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The bright lights are calling me
When the world is dark and cold
And I'm heading down the road
The bright lights are calling me
As the world is round, road is long
Trouble on my mind
Till the day comes 'round
Wind a' blowing on my back
And my feet a' flying
Flying down the road
Where the bright lights shine
Monday's in a pigtown
Tuesday's in a truck
Wednesday's a field of mud
And Thursday's out of luck
Friday's rain clouds
Saturday flies by
Sunday comes shining
From a blue, blue sky
The bright lights are calling me
The bright lights are calling me
When the world is dark and cold
And I'm heading down the road
The bright lights are calling me
Some towns are golden
Some towns are stained
Some towns are shadows
Fading in the rain
Some towns are rust
And some towns they gleam
Some towns are mad dogs
Some towns are a dream
The bright lights are calling me
The bright lights are calling me
When the world is dark and cold
And I'm heading down the road
The bright lights are calling me
Some dreams are hollow
Some dreams are cold
Some dreams are crazy
And some dreams are bold
Some dreams are bought
And other dreams are sold
Some dreams lie waiting
At the end of the road
Where the bright lights are calling me
The bright lights are calling me
When the world is dark and cold
And I'm heading down the road
The bright lights are calling me
I said the bright lights are calling me
The bright lights are calling me
When the world is dark and cold
And I'm heading down the road
The bright lights are calling me
The Pogues' "Bright Lights" is a song about the universal desire for escape and a better life. The singer longs for the glamour of city lights, which seem to represent a way out of the mundanity and hardship of everyday life. The lyrics create a sense of movement and progress, suggesting that the singer is constantly moving forward towards a brighter future.
The song's chorus, "The bright lights are calling me," is repeated several times throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's yearning for something beyond their current circumstances. The verses provide vivid descriptions of the different towns the singer passes through on their journey, highlighting the diversity of experiences that exist beyond their own limited perspective. The imagery in the song is powerful and poetic, painting a picture of a restless, wandering soul on a quest for something more.
Overall, "Bright Lights" is a testament to the power of hope and the human desire for a better life. The song speaks to anyone who has ever felt trapped or limited by their circumstances, reminding us that there is always something to dream of and strive for.
Line by Line Meaning
The bright lights are calling me
The excitement and allure of the city is irresistible
When the world is dark and cold
During times of loneliness and despair
And I'm heading down the road
When I am traveling through life's journey
As the world is round, road is long
Life is uncertain and unpredictable
Trouble on my mind
Faced with challenges and worries
I'll just keep on moving
I will persevere and keep going
Till the day comes 'round
Until my goals are achieved
Wind a' blowing on my back
Nature is giving me a push forward
And my feet a' flying
Moving fast and with purpose
Flying down the road
Rushing towards my destination
Where the bright lights shine
In the city where opportunity and excitement abound
Monday's in a pigtown
Working in a dull and unfulfilling job
Tuesday's in a truck
Driving for a living
Wednesday's a field of mud
Working hard in unfavorable conditions
And Thursday's out of luck
Having bad luck or unfortunate circumstances
Friday's rain clouds
A gloomy day
Saturday flies by
The weekend goes by too fast
Sunday comes shining
A bright and hopeful day
From a blue, blue sky
The beauty of nature surrounds us
Some towns are golden
Some places are thriving and prosperous
Some towns are stained
Some places have a troubled past
Some towns are shadows
Some places are forgotten and overlooked
Fading in the rain
Disappearing over time
Some towns are rust
Some places are decaying and falling apart
And some towns they gleam
Some places are shining and full of promise
Some towns are mad dogs
Some places are wild and unpredictable
Some towns are a dream
Some places seem to be perfect and ideal
Some dreams are hollow
Some aspirations are unfulfilling or shallow
Some dreams are cold
Some aspirations lack warmth and human connection
Some dreams are crazy
Some aspirations seem impossible or unrealistic
And some dreams are bold
Some aspirations are courageous and audacious
Some dreams are bought
Some aspirations can be purchased or acquired easily
And other dreams are sold
Some aspirations can be exchanged or given away
Some dreams lie waiting
Some aspirations are awaiting realization
At the end of the road
When all is said and done
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JEREMY MAX FINER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind