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
Medley
The Pogues Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A feeling fine and larky, oh
A recruiting sergeant came up to me
Says he, you'd look fine in khaki, oh
For the King he is in need of men
Come read this proclamation, oh
A life in Flanders for you then
Would be a fine vacation, oh
That may be so says I to him
But tell me sergeant dearie-oh
If I had a pack stuck upon my back
Would I look fine and cheerie, oh
For they'd have you train and drill until
They had you one of the Frenchies, oh
It may be warm in Flanders
But it's draughty in the trenches, oh
The sergeant smiled and winked his eye
His smile was most provoking, oh
He twiddled and twirled his wee mustache
Says he, you're only joking, oh
For the sandbags are so warm and high
The wind you won't feel blowing, oh
I winked at a Cailin passing by
Says I, what if it's snowing, oh
Come rain or hail or wind or snow
I'm not going out to Flanders, oh
There's fighting in Dublin to be done
Let your sergeants and your commanders go
Let Englishmen fight English wars
It's nearly time they started, oh
I saluted the sergeant a very good night
And there and then we parted, oh
As I went down to Galway Town
To seek for recreation
On the seventeenth of August
Me mind being elevated
There were passengers assembled
With their tickets at the station
And me eyes began to dazzle
And they off to see the races
With me wack fol the do fol
The diddle idle day
There were passengers from Limerick
And passengers from Nenagh
The boys of Connemara
And the Clare unmarried maidens
There were people from Cork City
Who were loyal, true and faithful
Who brought home the Fenian prisoners
From dying in foreign nations
With me wack fol the do fol
The diddle idle day
And it's there you'll see the pipers
And the fiddlers competing
And the sporting wheel of fortune
And the four and twenty quarters
And there's others without scruple
Pelting wattles at poor Maggie
And her father well contented
And he gazing at his daughter
With me wack fol the do fol
The diddle idle day
With me wack fol the do fol
The diddle idle day
And it's there you'll see the jockeys
And they mounted on so stably
The pink, the blue, the orange, and green
The colors of our nation
The time it came for starting
All the horses seemed impatient
Their feet they hardly touched the ground
The speed was so amazing!
With me wack fol the do fol
The diddle idle day
There was half a million people there
Of all denominations
The Catholic, the Protestant, the Jew, the Presbyterian
Yet no animosity
No matter what persuasion
But failte hospitality
Inducing fresh acquaintance
With me wack fol the do fol
The diddle idle day
The Pogues' song "Medley" is a combination of two distinct songs. The first part is about a recruiting sergeant who tries to persuade a passerby to join the British army to fight in Flanders. The passerby, however, refuses and claims there is already fighting to be done in Dublin. The second song is about a festive day at a horse race in the town of Galway. The singer describes the passengers who gather to see the races and mentions the different regions they come from in Ireland. He talks about the music played by pipers and fiddlers and goes on to describe the different colored jockeys on their horses.
The first part of the song is a cynically humorous response to the ubiquitous British army recruiting sergeants of the early 20th century. The recruit expresses concern about being forced to train and fight alongside French soldiers and the unpleasantness of life in the trenches. The second part of the song celebrates the easygoing hospitality and camaraderie of a typical Irish horse-racing day. The song poignantly juxtaposes the horror of war with the traditional pleasures of Irish culture, and implicitly criticizes the British army's policy of conscripting Irishmen to fight in its wars.
Line by Line Meaning
As I was walking down the road
The singer is describing his journey down the road.
A feeling fine and larky oh
The singer is in good spirits and enjoying his walk.
A recruiting sergeant came up to me
A military recruiter approached the singer.
Says he you'd look fine in khaki oh
The recruiter suggests that the singer would look good in military uniform.
For the King he is in need of men
The recruiter says that the King needs soldiers.
Come read this proclamation oh
The recruiter offers the singer a document to read.
A life in Flanders for you then
The recruiter is offering the singer a chance to fight in Flanders.
Would be a fine vacation now
The recruiter is using sarcasm to suggest that fighting in Flanders would be like a relaxing holiday.
That maybe so says I to him
The singer agrees with the recruiter's point.
But tell me sergeant dearie-oh
The singer addresses the recruiter affectionately.
If I had a pack stuck upon my back
The singer asks the recruiter how he would look carrying a heavy bag.
Would I look fine and cheerie oh
The singer is questioning whether he would still look happy and cheerful with a heavy bag.
For they'd have you train and drill until
The singer is suggesting that the military training is intense and rigorous.
They had you one of Frenchies oh
The singer suggests that the training is meant to turn soldiers into French people.
It may be warm in Flanders
The singer acknowledges that Flanders may have warm weather.
But it's draughty in the trenches oh
The singer points out the harsh reality of fighting in Flanders.
The sergeant smiled and winked his eye
The recruiter is amused by the singer's comments.
His smile was most provoking oh
The singer finds the recruiter's smile irritating.
He twiddled and twirled his wee moustache
The recruiter plays with his mustache.
Says he I know you're only joking oh
The recruiter thinks that the singer is joking.
For the sandbags are so warm and high
The recruiter suggests that he can stay warm and safe behind sandbags.
The wind you won't feel blowing oh
The recruiter is suggesting that the wind won't affect the singer behind the sandbags.
Well I winked at a cailin passing by
The singer flirts with a girl passing by.
Says I what if it's snowing oh
The singer asks what would happen if it snows in Flanders.
Come rain or hail or wind or snow
The singer is willing to face any kind of weather.
I'm not going out to Flanders oh
The singer decides not to join the military and fight in Flanders.
There's fighting in Dublin to be done
The singer is aware of the conflicts happening in Dublin.
Let your Sergeants and your Commanders go
The singer thinks that the military leaders should go to fight instead of regular people.
Let Englishmen fight English wars
The singer thinks that the English should fight their own wars instead of recruiting Irish people.
It's nearly time they started oh
The singer thinks that the English should start fighting their own wars soon.
I saluted the Sergeant a very good night
The singer bids the recruiter goodbye.
And there and then we parted oh
The singer and the recruiter went their separate ways.
As I went down to Galway Town
The singer is describing his journey to Galway Town.
To seek for recreation on the 17th of August
The singer is looking for something to do on August 17th.
Me mind being elevated
The singer is in a good mood.
There were passengers assembled
There were other people gathered in Galway Town.
With their tickets at the station
The other people were waiting at the train station.
And me eyes began to dazzle
The singer is amazed by what he sees.
And they off to see the races
The other people are going to the horse races.
There were passengers from Limerick
The other people are from Limerick.
And passengers from Nenagh
The other people are from Nenagh.
The boys of Connemara
The other people are from Connemara.
And the Clare unmarried maiden
There is an unmarried woman from Clare among the other people.
There were people from Cork City
The other people are from Cork City.
Who were loyal, true and faithful
The people from Cork City are described as being very loyal.
Who brought home the Fenian prisoners
The people from Cork City freed prisoners who were part of the Fenian Brotherhood.
From dying in foreign nations
The people from Cork City saved the prisoners from dying in foreign countries.
And it's there you'll see the pipers
The singer is describing what one might see at the horse races.
And the fiddlers competing
Musicians are competing against each other.
And the sporting wheel of fortune
There is a gambling game called the 'sporting wheel of fortune.'
And the four and twenty quarters
The gambling game involves dividing the wheel into 24 sections.
And there's others without scruple
There are people who are willing to cheat at the gambling game.
Pelting wattles at poor Maggie
These people are throwing sticks at a woman named Maggie.
And her father well contented
Maggie's father is happy about the situation for some reason.
And he gazing at his daughter
Maggie's father is looking at his daughter Maggie.
And it's there you'll see
The singer is still describing what can be seen at the horse races.
The jockeys and
Jockeys are racing on horses.
They mounted on so stably
The jockeys are riding the horses steadily.
The pink, the blue, the orange, and green
The racing horses are wearing the colors pink, blue, orange, and green on their jockeys' uniforms.
The colours of our nation
The colors represent Ireland.
The time it came for starting
The horse race is about to begin.
All the horses seemed impatient
The horses are eager to start the race.
Their feet they hardly touched the ground
The horses' hooves are barely touching the ground because they are running so fast.
The speed was so amazing!
The speed of the horses is incredible.
There was half a million people there
There are 500,000 people at the horse race.
Of all dominations
People of different religions are present at the horse race.
The Catholic, the Protestant, the Jew
The people at the horse race are Catholic, Protestant, or Jewish.
The Presbyterian
There is at least one Presbyterian at the horse race.
Yet no animosity
There is no hostility or ill will among the different groups of people.
Not matter what persuasion
Regardless of religious persuasion, everyone is friendly and peaceful.
But failte hospitality
The people at the horse race are welcoming and hospitable.
Inducing fresh acquaintance
The people are making new friends and acquaintances at the horse race.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Traditional, Andrew Ranken, Darryl Hunt, James Fearnley, Jeremy Max Finer, Peter Stacey, Philip Chevron, Shane MacGowan, Terry Woods
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@balayeuse-streetsweeper-be9138
[Recruiting Sergeant]As I was walking down the road
A feeling fine and larky oh
A recruiting sergeant came up to me
Says he, you'd look fine in khaki oh
For the King he is in need of men
Come read this proclamation oh
A life in Flanders for you then
Would be a fine vacation oh
That may be so says I to him
But tell me sergeant dearie-oh
If I had a pack stuck upon my back
Would I look fine and cheerie oh
For they'd have you train and drill until
They had you one of the Frenchies oh
It may be warm in Flanders
But it's draughty in the trenches oh
The sergeant smiled and winked his eye
His smile was most provoking oh
He twiddled and twirled his wee mustache
Says he, I know you're only joking oh
For the sandbags are so warm and high
The wind you won't feel blowing oh
Well I winked at a cailin passing by
Says I, what if it's snowing oh
Come rain or hail or wind or snow
I'm not going out to Flanders oh
There's fighting in Dublin to be done
Let your sergeants and your commanders go
Let Englishmen fight English wars
It's nearly time they started oh
I saluted the sergeant a very good night
And there and then we parted oh[The Rocky Road to Dublin](instrumental)
[Galway Races]As I went down to Galway Town
To seek for recreation
On the seventeenth of August
Me mind being elevated
There were passengers assembled
With their tickets at the station
And me eyes began to dazzle
And they off to see the races
With me wack fol the do fol
The diddle idle day
There were passengers from Limerick
And passengers from Nenagh
The boys of Connemara
And the Clare unmarried maiden
There were people from Cork City
Who were loyal, true and faithful
Who brought home the Fenian prisoners
From dying in foreign nations
And it's there you'll see the pipers
And the fiddlers competing
And the sporting wheel of fortune
And the four and twenty quarters
And there's others without scruple
Pelting wattles at poor Maggie
And her father well contented
And he gazing at his daughter
And it's there you'll see the jockeys
And they mounted on so stably
The pink, the blue, the orange, and green
The colors of our nation
The time it came for starting
All the horses seemed impatient
Their feet they hardly touched the ground
The speed was so amazing!
There was half a million people there
Of all denominations
The Catholic, the Protestant, the Jew, the Presbyterian
Yet no animosity
No matter what persuasion
But failte hospitality
Inducing fresh acquaintance
@moragmacgregor6792
@Alan Ainsworth
My comment sounds rude and I apologize for that. T think that some of the words are stupid and they are:
Took a drop of the pure, keep me heart from sinkin'
That's the Paddy's cure whenever he's on for drinkin'
Now doesn't that sound like something meant to be sung in an English dancehall where "Paddy" is a pejorative term? I'm offended on behalf of the Irish.
Just sayin. If you're Irish and you're not offended, I'll withdraw my objection. What do I know? I grew up in Arkansas.
Totally agree about Shane getting through those words. It's a brilliant tune and making it an instrumental was a strategically sound decision.
@brighteyes8474
The Pogues at their absolute peak. Faultless vocals, musicians and production. Amazing stuff. It doesn't get any better.
@stuartwilkins9602
Absolutely 100% agree. This beauty of an album is in my top ten of all time easily.
@David-mg1yj
Great, but nowhere near as good as the first two albums. The Pogues had jumped the shark, by this point.
@David-mg1yj
@@iamthetank44 I strongly suspect the band would agree with me.
@David-mg1yj
@@iamthetank44 hahahaha! Me neither.
@kylergeorge137
I dont mean to be so offtopic but does anyone know of a trick to get back into an Instagram account..?
I was dumb forgot my password. I love any tricks you can give me.
@feech1987
RIP Shane. Thanks for the memories
@ljb7869
One of the most brilliant recordings ever.
@brighteyes8474
Steve Lilywhite is a genius
@carmencaamano9434
@@brighteyes8474 Steve lilywhise, was the song singer?