Callin… Read Full Bio ↴The Prodigals are a New York Irish band that started in 1997.
Calling their genre of music "jig punk", the Prodigals fall within a tradition epitomized by the Pogues and Black 47, merging traditional Irish melodic roots with rock rhythms. As of 2007, the band members are Gregory Grene (button accordion and lead vocals), Ed Kollar (bass and backup vocals), Dave Fahy (guitar and lead vocals), Darren Maloney (banjo), and Chris Higginbottom (drums). The Prodigals call Paddy Reilly's (the world's only all-draft Guinness bar) their home when in New York City. The band has its own distinctive sound, particularly distinguished by the lead melodic roles being filled by button-key accordion and bass along with the vocals, and has received substantial critical notice through the years.
Albums
* The Prodigals (1997)
* Go On (1999), effectively the band's breakout album
* Dreaming in Hell's Kitchen (2001, produced by Scottish fiddler and record producer Johnny Cunningham)
* Needs Must When the Devil Drives (2003, produced by Howie Beno, who notably also produced the Red Hot Chili Peppers single Give It Away Now)
* a live album/DVD, Beachland Bootleg (2005) recorded at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, Ohio.
* Momentum (2006)
Baggot Street
The Prodigals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But still and all when she'd recall all the times we had
With the way that things were going,
she might just take a chance
And in the word I thought I heard an echo of romance.
chorus: Did the echo quickly fade, or do you recall as well
We used to meet on Baggot Street beside the old hotel.
And you'd be standing there by that Baggot Street hotel.
It didn't last that long and I never thought it would.
When I'm looking back now I don't see how it could
It's just pictures in my head like graffiti on a wall
Some are washed away with rain ‘til they're hardly there at all.
And then that day we made our way down by the Liffeyside
In a bar twe had a jar and watched the rain outside
We said whatever happened we'd always be good friends
In a cigarette and friendship that's the way the whole world ends
We finished up our pints and we paid the barman's bill
Walked back up the Liffet in the silence and the chill
At O'Connell Bridge we went our ways,
we said we'd be in touch,
I supposed you said goodbye, I don't think I said much.
And on that day I heard you say the world was wide and I
Would find someone far better and I didn't need to try
But still at times when I lie down I'll dream and start to dance
With the long-gone ghost of Baggot Street,
and an echo of romance.
The Prodigals' song "Baggot Street" tells the story of a past romance that is now just a distant memory. The song starts with the singer confessing his love to the woman he's with, but she thinks he's crazy for saying so. However, as they look back on the times they shared, she considers taking a chance on him. The title of the song comes from the place they used to meet – Baggot Street, which was beside an old hotel. They used to sit there, waiting for the 16A to pass and leave a diesel smell behind. But did the relationship last, or did the echo quickly fade?
As the song progresses, we learn that the romance didn't last very long, and the singer doesn't see how it could have in the first place. Memories of their times together are only like graffiti on a wall, most of which have washed away with the rain. They went down to the Liffey, drank a jar in a bar, and decided to remain friends. But as they walked back up the Liffey in silence, they went their separate ways, promising to be in touch. The song ends with the singer dreaming of dancing with the ghost of his past love and the echo of romance that he still hears on Baggot Street.
"Baggot Street" is a hauntingly beautiful song that tells a story of regret, loss, and the fleeting nature of love. It encapsulates the essence of nostalgia and reminiscing over a past romance. The song is a reminder that even though things might not have worked out, the memories we have of those times are still cherished and hold a special place in our hearts.
Line by Line Meaning
When I told her that I loved her, she said I must be mad
I expressed my love to her, but she thought I was crazy.
But still and all when she'd recall all the times we had
However, she reminisced about the good times we shared together.
With the way that things were going, she might just take a chance
Given the circumstances, it was possible that she would consider giving the relationship a chance.
And in the word I thought I heard an echo of romance.
I heard a hint of romantic potential in her response.
Did the echo quickly fade, or do you recall as well
Did our spark of romance fade away, or do you still remember it fondly?
We used to meet on Baggot Street beside the old hotel.
We had memorable meetings on Baggot Street by the old hotel.
The 16A would pull away and leave that diesel smell
The 16A bus would depart, leaving behind the smell of diesel fuel.
And you'd be standing there by that Baggot Street hotel.
You would be standing by that hotel on Baggot Street.
It didn't last that long and I never thought it would.
Our romance was short-lived, and I never expected it to last.
When I'm looking back now I don't see how it could
In retrospect, I can't imagine how our relationship could have lasted longer.
It's just pictures in my head like graffiti on a wall
Memories of our relationship are like graffiti on a wall: fleeting and easily forgotten.
Some are washed away with rain ‘til they're hardly there at all.
Some memories have faded so much that they are barely recognizable.
And then that day we made our way down by the Liffeyside
We went down to the Liffeyside together that day.
In a bar twe had a jar and watched the rain outside
We drank beer and watched the rain from inside a bar.
We said whatever happened we'd always be good friends
We promised to always remain good friends no matter what happened.
In a cigarette and friendship that's the way the whole world ends
The world may end someday, but we will still have our bond of friendship over a cigarette.
We finished up our pints and we paid the barman's bill
We finished our beers and paid the bartender.
Walked back up the Liffet in the silence and the chill
We walked back up the Liffey River in silence and the cold.
At O'Connell Bridge we went our ways, we said we'd be in touch,
At O'Connell Bridge we parted ways, but we promised to keep in touch.
I supposed you said goodbye, I don't think I said much.
You probably said goodbye, but I don't think I was able to say much.
And on that day I heard you say the world was wide and I
On that day, you told me the world was vast and filled with opportunities.
Would find someone far better and I didn't need to try
You believed that I would find someone better and didn't need to put in effort for our relationship.
But still at times when I lie down I'll dream and start to dance
Despite everything, sometimes when I lay down to dream, I can't help but remember the romance we shared.
With the long-gone ghost of Baggot Street, and an echo of romance.
I think back to the good times we shared on Baggot Street with a hint of nostalgia for our lost love.
Contributed by Jordan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.