Born on Christmas Day 1957 in Kent, England to Irish parents, MacGowan began reading literature at a young age. He spent the early days of his childhood in Tipperary, Ireland being surrounded by family and Irish culture. By age eleven he was devouring works by authors such as James Joyce, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Samuel Beckett, Brendan Behan, to name a few. He won the Daily Mirror children’s literary award at age 13. He was also deeply fascinated by music. Music and literature would be forever linked for MacGowan. He arrived back in London just as the punk scene was starting as a teen, becoming a regular of shows by bands such as Sex Pistols and The Clash. He also started his own fanzine called Bondage published in 1976. Shortly after this he was in his own punk band that went by the name The Nipple Erectors and later The Nips with Shanne Bradley. He went under the alias Shane O’Hooligan. Despite being in this band and having some good songs, he quickly developed an interest in a band drawing on traditional Irish music upon seeing an early group that featured future Pogues members Spider Stacy and Jem Finer.
As the band’s popularity grew in London, it was apparent that MacGowan had a gift for lyrics, which are often called poetic. The way that some songs evoke feeling and meaning whether it’s the anti-war song that is also tied in with themes of regret and lost love “A Pair of Brown Eyes,” to songs such as “Dark Streets of London,” “A Rainy Night in Soho,” “Sally MacLennane” “Turkish Song of the Damned,” “Summer in Siam” or covers such as the vivid, yet dusty and grimy vignettes in “Dirty Old Town,” to name a few, showcase a range of depth that is not present in a lot of music. After the release of Red Roses For Me in 1984, Rum, Sodomy & The Lash followed in 1985. Produced by Elvis Costello, this is often viewed as an album where MacGowan’s songs really came into their own.
If I Should Fall From Grace With God from 1988 was their third full-length that featured their best-known song “Fairytale of New York.” The song itself took two years to complete, but was written by MacGowan and Jem Finer. This gritty, festive Christmas classic is unconventional and melancholic, but honest. Written as a duet, the song didn’t really click until Kristy MacColl was added as the guest vocalist on the track. The song reached number two on the UK Singles Charts in 1987 and number one in Ireland, but has climbed the charts every year since 2005 around the holidays. Many view this song as a masterpiece and it is hard to argue with its uncompromising, yet heart-warming spirit. MacGowan and The Pogues parted ways after the Joe Strummer produced album Hell’s Ditch in 1990. Shane would go on to play with Shane MacGowan & The Popes, releasing two albums (The Snake (1994) and Crock of Gold (1997)). MacGowan and The Pogues did reunite for live shows at different times between 2001-2014.
The music MacGowan created with The Pogues and afterwards, spoke to outsiders, marginalized people and those that felt left behind. It has a complexity and depth that yearned for something simpler, despite the complications of the present. The songs still do this and will many years from now when people will still sing songs of times long gone.
As the band’s popularity grew in London, it was apparent that MacGowan had a gift for lyrics, which are often called poetic. The way that some songs evoke feeling and meaning whether it’s the anti-war song that is also tied in with themes of regret and lost love “A Pair of Brown Eyes,” to songs such as “Dark Streets of London,” “A Rainy Night in Soho,” “Sally MacLennane” “Turkish Song of the Damned,” “Summer in Siam” or covers such as the vivid, yet dusty and grimy vignettes in “Dirty Old Town,” to name a few, showcase a range of depth that is not present in a lot of music. After the release of Red Roses For Me in 1984, Rum, Sodomy & The Lash followed in 1985. Produced by Elvis Costello, this is often viewed as an album where MacGowan’s songs really came into their own.
If I Should Fall From Grace With God from 1988 was their third full-length that featured their best-known song “Fairytale of New York.” The song itself took two years to complete, but was written by MacGowan and Jem Finer. This gritty, festive Christmas classic is unconventional and melancholic, but honest. Written as a duet, the song didn’t really click until Kristy MacColl was added as the guest vocalist on the track. The song reached number two on the UK Singles Charts in 1987 and number one in Ireland, but has climbed the charts every year since 2005 around the holidays. Many view this song as a masterpiece and it is hard to argue with its uncompromising, yet heart-warming spirit. MacGowan and The Pogues parted ways after the Joe Strummer produced album Hell’s Ditch in 1990. Shane would go on to play with Shane MacGowan & The Popes, releasing two albums (The Snake (1994) and Crock of Gold (1997)). MacGowan and The Pogues did reunite for live shows at different times between 2001-2014.
The music MacGowan created with The Pogues and afterwards, spoke to outsiders, marginalized people and those that felt left behind. It has a complexity and depth that yearned for something simpler, despite the complications of the present. The songs still do this and will many years from now when people will still sing songs of times long gone.
JSD 2023 Playlist: The Music of Shane MacGowan & The Pogues (Originally Aired December 22nd, 2023):
2. The Pogues - Streams of Whiskey (Red Roses for Me - Stiff Records - 1984)
3. The Pogues - A Pair of Brown Eyes (Rum, Sodomy & The Lash - Stiff Records - 1985)
4. The Pogues - Body of an American (Poguetry in Motion EP - Stiff Records - 1986)
5. The Pogues - Turkish Song of the Damned (If I Should Fall From Grace with God - Pogue Mahone Records/Island Records - 1988)
6. The Pogues - White City (Peace and Love - Island Records - 1989)
7. The Pogues - Lorca's Novena (Hell's Ditch - Island Records - 1990)
8. Shane MacGowan & The Popes- Come to Bower (Crock of Gold - ZTT - 1997)
9. The Pogues - Dirty Old Town (Rum, Sodomy & The Lash - Stiff Records - 1985)
10. The Pogues - Boys from the County Hell (BBC Session) (The BBC Sessions 1984-1986
11. The Pogues - Rake at the Gates of Hell (Straight to Hell Soundtrack
12. The Pogues - Fairy Tale of New York (2nd Demo) (Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Poguemahone! - Rhino Records - 2008)
13. The Pogues - Waxie's Dargle (Red Roses for Me - Stiff Records - 1984)
14. The Pogues - If I Should Fall Grace with God (If I Should Fall From Grace with God - Pogue Mahone Records/Island Records - 1988)
15. The Pogues (With Joe Strummer) - Rain Street (Live) (The Pogues with Joe Strummer - Live in London - Rhino Records - 2014)
16. Shane MacGowan & the Popes - Haunted (featuring Sinead O'Connor) (The Snake - ZTT - 1994)
17. The Dubliners (with The Pogues) - The Irish Rover (25 Years Celebration - Harmac - 1987)
18. Ronnie Drew - The Dunes The Humour is On Me Now
19. The Pogues - The Auld Triangle (Red Roses for Me - Stiff Records - 1984)
20. The Pogues - A Rainy Night in Soho (Poguetry in Motion EP - Stiff Records - 1986)
21. The Pogues - Sally MacLennane (Rum, Sodomy & The Lash - Stiff Records - 1985)
To hear this program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and click the December 23 file to download/stream the episode.
Please note an encore edition of this episode aired on December 23rd, 2023.
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