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
Dark Streets Of London
The Pogues Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down Dalling Road by the dead old trees
And drink with my friends
In the Hammersmith Broadway
Dear dirty delightful old drunken old days
Then the winter came down and I loved it so dearly
The pubs and the bookies where you'd spend all your time
When the roses bloom again
And turn like the leaves
To a new summertime
Now the winter comes down
I can't stand the chill
That comes to the streets around Christmas time
And I'm buggered to damnation
And I haven't got a penny
To wander the dark streets of London
Every time that I look on the first day of summer
Takes me back to the place where they gave ECT
And the drugged up psychos
With death in their eyes
And how all of this really
Means nothing to me
Now the winter comes down
I can't stand the chill
That comes to the streets around Christmas time
And I'm buggered to damnation
And I haven't got a penny
To wander the dark streets of London
Every time that I look on the first day of summer
Takes me back to the place where they gave ECT
And the drugged up psychos
With death in their eyes
And how all of this really
Means nothing to me
Now the winter comes down
I can't stand the chill
That comes to the streets around Christmas time
And I'm buggered to damnation
And I haven't got a penny
To wander the dark streets of London
To wander the dark streets of London
To wander the dark streets of London
The lyrics of The Pogues' song "Dark Streets of London" explore the contrasts between the joys of summer in the city and the harsh realities of winter, poverty, and mental illness. The opening lines evoke a nostalgic mood, with the singer describing the pleasure of walking in the summer breeze and spending time with friends in Hammersmith, a district of West London. However, as the focus of the song shifts to the winter season, the tone becomes more somber and bleak. The singer expresses his inability to tolerate the cold and poverty that characterize the city streets during Christmastime, and he reflects on the traumatic experiences he has had in mental hospitals.
The refrain of "Dark Streets of London" emphasizes the singer's sense of despair and hopelessness, as he admits to being "buggered to damnation" and lacking the resources to find solace or escape from his difficult circumstances. The repetition of the phrase "To wander the dark streets of London" reinforces the sense of aimlessness and disorientation that the singer feels, as he struggles to find a sense of purpose or meaning in his life. Overall, the lyrics of "Dark Streets of London" offer a poignant portrait of urban life that is both poignant and unsettling, revealing the complex emotions and struggles that can arise in the face of poverty and hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
I like to walk in the summer breeze
I enjoy taking walks when there is a light wind during the summer.
Down Dalling Road by the dead old trees
I prefer walking along Dalling Road, which has decaying trees on the side.
And drink with my friends
While walking in Dalling Road, I share drinks with my friends.
In the Hammersmith Broadway
We spend time in Hammersmith Broadway, enjoying drinks and each other's company.
Dear dirty delightful old drunken old days
I fondly recall the old days when we would get drunk and enjoy each other's company.
Then the winter came down and I loved it so dearly
I used to love winter and its chill, especially the pubs and bookies I could spend time in.
The pubs and the bookies where you'd spend all your time
I enjoyed frequenting the pubs and bookies during the chilly winter months.
And the old men that were singing
The old men sang songs in these pubs and bookies, creating a lively atmosphere.
When the roses bloom again
However, winter is temporary, and soon the flowers will bloom again come new summertime.
And turn like the leaves to a new summertime
Just like the leaves on the trees, we will transition to a new time of year called summertime.
Now the winter comes down
The current season is winter and its chill is already being felt.
I can't stand the chill
I'm not enjoying the current season's chill, as it's too much for me.
That comes to the streets around Christmas time
During Christmas season, even the streets become cold and it's hard to bear.
And I'm buggered to damnation
I'm ruined and things won't change for me.
And I haven't got a penny
I am broke and cannot afford anything.
To wander the dark streets of London
I have no other option but to wander aimlessly in the cold, dark streets of London due to my financial status.
Every time that I look on the first day of summer
The beginning of summer reminds me of something unpleasant.
Takes me back to the place where they gave ECT
Summer brings back memories of when I was given electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the past.
And the drugged up psychos with death in their eyes
I recall the people from that time who were heavily drugged and had a look that suggested they wished death upon themselves.
And how all of this really means nothing to me
All of these memories and experiences don't have much value to me anymore.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SHANE PATRICK LYSAGHT MACGOWAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind