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
USA
The Pogues Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I was older, I drank in bars
When I was young, well, I chewed the leaves
When I was older, I drank with thieves
I found a love, she gave me dreams
She left me drunk in New Orleans
So cold and lonely, so all alone
I took the cold bright needle
I used it as a sword
My eyes have seen the glory of
The coming of the Lord
I burned across the Delta
I swam across the Ford
My eyes have seen the glory of
The coming of the Lord
When I was a young man, standing on this road
My empty belly, an aching hole
An old man said to me, "Kid don't you know?"
That it's the same wherever you go
I gambled in two graveyards
I won against the odds
With the saints and with the saviors
With the maggots and the Gods
I cursed the things they showed me
I could never see again
And the howling of the wind at night
I wrote upon the rain
I found the thing for which I prayed
And came back home to the USA
With a heart of stone, so now I know
That it's the same wherever you go
Wherever you go
Wherever you go
Wherever you go
Wherever you go
Come, come here we come
Come, come here we come
Come, come here we come
...
The Pogues' song "USA" paints a vivid picture of a restless wanderer who has spent his life searching for something that ultimately leads him back home. The opening lines describe the different stages of his life, from watching cars as a child to drinking with thieves as an adult. The second verse reveals his heartbreak at being left by a woman he loved in New Orleans. He wishes his heart was made of stone to protect himself from the pain. The third verse brings a darker turn, as he describes using drugs and feeling like he's seen the glory of the Lord. The fourth verse brings the old man's wisdom that no matter where he goes, he will encounter the same struggles.
The final verse is the culmination of the story, as the wanderer finally finds what he's been searching for, comes back home to the USA with a heart of stone, and realizes that it's the same wherever he goes. The repetition of "wherever you go" and "come, come here we come" add to the sense of restlessness and searching in the song. It's a haunting and powerful story that captures the pain, confusion, and longing of a life spent searching for something that may not exist.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was young, I watched the cars
As a child, I was fascinated with the world around me and would often take in the sights and sounds of the city streets.
When I was older, I drank in bars
As I grew older, I became more interested in the nightlife and began to spend time in bars and pubs with friends.
When I was young, well, I chewed the leaves
During my youth, I experimented with drugs and took pleasure in feeling altered states of consciousness.
When I was older, I drank with thieves
As I got older, I became involved with a crowd that was not always law-abiding, including those who would steal from others.
I found a love, she gave me dreams
I once fell in love with someone who inspired me and gave me hope for a better future.
She left me drunk in New Orleans
Unfortunately, this relationship fell apart, and I found myself lost and alone in a new city, drunk and without direction.
So cold and lonely, so all alone
I felt an overwhelming sense of isolation and despair at this time in my life.
I wished my heart was made of stone
I wished I could become immune to the pain and hurt I was experiencing and stop feeling so deeply.
I took the cold bright needle
I turned to injecting myself with drugs as a way to cope with my emotional pain and escape reality.
I used it as a sword
The needle became a weapon against my own body and mind, as I struggled with addiction.
My eyes have seen the glory of
I have witnessed things in my life that have left a deep impression on me and made me who I am today.
The coming of the Lord
Refers to a sense of spiritual awakening or revelation, possibly related to a transformative experience with drugs.
I burned across the Delta
I traveled through the Mississippi Delta region, possibly during a difficult period of my life.
I swam across the Ford
I overcame a challenging obstacle or adversity, represented by the metaphorical image of swimming across a river (the Ford).
When I was a young man, standing on this road
Reflecting on my youth, I recall a time when I was uncertain of my path and where life would take me.
My empty belly, an aching hole
I struggled with poverty or homelessness during this time, leading to hunger and a sense of emptiness or despair.
An old man said to me, "Kid don't you know?"
A wise elder offered me advice or guidance during this difficult time, possibly changing my perspective on life.
That it's the same wherever you go
The old man's advice was that life is full of challenges and struggles, no matter where you are, and that we must face them with courage and resilience.
I gambled in two graveyards
I have taken risks or made questionable decisions that may have put my life or safety in danger.
I won against the odds
Despite the challenges I faced, I persevered and came out victorious in some way or another, perhaps learning important lessons or gaining new insights.
With the saints and with the saviors
I have encountered both virtuous and heroic people, as well as religious or spiritually minded individuals, throughout my life.
With the maggots and the Gods
I have also come into contact with those who are corrupt or unscrupulous, as well as with mysterious and powerful forces beyond human understanding.
I cursed the things they showed me
Reflecting back on these experiences, I may have developed a sense of resentment or regret for some of the things I witnessed or participated in.
I could never see again
Some memories or experiences are so painful or traumatic that they can never be erased from our minds and hearts.
And the howling of the wind at night
In times of solitude or distress, even the sounds of nature can evoke strong emotions or painful memories.
I wrote upon the rain
I have expressed myself through creative means, possibly writing poetry or songs as a way to process my emotions and experiences.
I found the thing for which I prayed
I have achieved a sense of fulfillment or found something that I once longed for, possibly related to love, success, or inner peace.
And came back home to the USA
After my journey and struggles, I have returned to my home country, possibly with a new appreciation for what it means to be American.
With a heart of stone, so now I know
Despite all that I have been through, I have become hardened or numb to certain emotions, yet still possess a sense of wisdom or understanding that comes from experience.
That it's the same wherever you go
Once again, the theme of the song returns to the idea that no matter where we go in life, we are bound to face hardship and struggle, but we can find hope and resilience in our journey.
Wherever you go
This repetition emphasizes the universality of the song's message, encouraging the listener to reflect on their own experiences and journey through life.
Come, come here we come
This final refrain feels like a call to action, a rallying cry for all of us to overcome our struggles and keep moving forward.
Come, come here we come
Once again, the repetition reinforces the message that we are all in this together, and we must face life's challenges with courage and resilience.
Come, come here we come
The final repetition feels like an affirmation of our ability to overcome anything, to persevere through the storms of life and emerge stronger on the other side.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: SHANE MACGOWAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind