As Horatio noted earlier this morning, Shane MacGowan – best-known as the lead singer of The Pogues – passed away last night at the age of 65. Given the way he treated his body, this is actually a surprisingly ripe age. There’s an old saying that “May you be in Heaven, a full half hour before the devil knows you are dead!” and I like to imagine that Shane pulled it off and stood guard for a bit making sure that Old Nick had enough time to catch up on the news of the day before getting his hands on a new liver and a bottle of Irish Rose. To pay tribute to MacGowan’s many contributions to the world of music, I thought we’d do a special edition of Request Line focusing on our favorite music from the Emerald Isle. I’ll get us started with one of my favorites from The Pogues debut album. May the road rise to meet you, Shane.
Fucking goddamnit! This is absolute bullshit. Shane is in heaven and that pile of trash Taylor Swift is still polluting this goddamn realm with her shit? I want to punch the world. Goddamnit.
I woulda picked Kid Rock
Fuck him too. Music today is such shit, and trust me I am open minded to all types of music. Except “new country”, whoever started that shit should be tased to death.
Ted Nugent for me!
An Irish 65 is like, a WASP 110 though
I guess it’s an Italian 80, we are bastards who like to live long to tell younger generations how soft theya re.
I mean, if you watch the documentary about MacGowan ‘Crock of Gold’ (which is excellent), you’ll be stunned be made it to 55, let alone 65.
Aye and begorrah, t’is a fookin’ cruel shame it is….
I heard this somewhere on the tv box recently? Or imagined it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx5FCkBRPW8&ab_channel=TopOfThePopsFan
Litre’s favorite Irish band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkexapnTVJE&ab_channel=THOMASWALSH-SOLO-PUGWASH-DUCKWORTHLEWISMETHOD
Vaguely remember these guys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DF9gGMmtFE&ab_channel=MIGMusic
Andy Reid’s favorite Irish band…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGMmJcOMnLA&ab_channel=HamSandwichMusic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5G8AJf4Xzw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LRm-Q0dlQk
“Well, maybe she just needs some shoes with better traction”
“Them” was Van Asshole’s original band…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDo-GA1hLk4
[slaps forehead]
How could I forget about this one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcOAT9U3MMo
Haven’t heard this song in at least twenty years, possibly as many as thirty.
That might be how you forgot about it then.
[shakes fist at…squints…some stranger I don’t recognize]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q7307IWwr4
Had an Irish bartender who would have played this album on infinite repeat if I’d let him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YXVMCHG-Nk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI0eVvHhTRs
“When we reach the afterlife, you’ll be seeing me, my dear
I’ll be riding a barrel of whiskey on a tidal wave of beer”
Oh we doing Irish songs?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p6nS02eW4E
Fun fact: This album was recorded in Quivvy Church in Ireland. A church on a small island in the middle of a river.
Love this bit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQzu14TKi3k
PUSSY!!
“& over to our left we have Planet Hollywood Dublin; A Fookin Tragedy” /click
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XRxLt74SEk
Gah! Fuck you NFL for moving the Seahawks/Eagles game to MNF. Now I have to completely redo MrsSloths birthday weekend shenanigans.
https://giphy.com/gifs/funny-shenanigans-6jRPMGlxveBs4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py363BW5_DE
Yes, he’s a huuuuuge gaping asshole, but I love this song. Let’s pretend someone else is singing it.
https://youtu.be/Eq3YLhtuzTQ?si=RBYZFMVaBHhu2n-W
Done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnaLUMHN7Nw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpkrr0-qut4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0P84AUlmBw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpQlol2QzJc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHcWtCRKn4w
I like my women slightly large
My whiskey always neat
And sometimes in the summer
I like to pass out in the street
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuz750Braks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ8pMMod2W0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0krxo46Ifbo&pp=ygUYd2hhdCdzIGxlZnQgb2YgdGhlIGZsYWcg
Written for his dad after he passed. I love FM, lots of good old Catholic guilt to be found in their lyrics. Plus, they’re awesome live.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuiOXj9278c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXT_oAHIJVA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guYmOVMphqE
Tell me the legends of long ago
When the kings and queens would dance
In the realm of the Black Rose
Play me the melodies I want to know
So I can teach my children, oh..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6IsbOOlTNE
Down from the glen came the marching men
With their shields and their swords
To fight the fight they believed to be right
Overthrow the overlords
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLkyEAA7ers
This is a truly superb song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeQhjDoy3l0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOBs8dU4Pb8
Great tune:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yteMugRAc0
Seems likely that tWBS would have requested this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzerbXFwGCE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTjVNTSYawk
Great album name, too.
https://youtu.be/5Chq5PY-TzE?si=JD730IM2pMx4X_-B
Still applies today sadly.
She may be American but there may be no song more Irish than this one
https://youtu.be/oSKM0YiU8LU?si=1qgFGYvCmxOu0PxB
Yes, he’s Scottish, but Mike Scott is Irish at heart!
https://youtu.be/sBW8Vnp8BzU?si=Hei6Sv6FDGqYbkrq
Eh, close enough…
Always thought this one was a bit underappreciated. RIP Uncle Fester.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhfATC9baPo
This is my favorite song of hers, and it isn’t close.
This is my second favorite, and it’s not really *close* so to speak, but it’s not terribly far behind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TsSJ_TJ2iQ
It’s mine too, followed closely by Mandinka. Rikki is living in my head, but I have my tinfoil hat on, so neener!
She was right.
Joe Pesci can go to Hell on that one.
Word. Fuck that guy.
My favorite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=418jmrVNbUg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIu1c9-yLRs
Bonus! Title contains Irish slang.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AoOfJP3r40
Double shot, I like this one even better and it seems IRA-adjacent, maybe?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP0WSdu4MPU
https://youtu.be/6WDSY8Kaf6o?si=gZKf2cKRjTUjqTMn
This and I need a nap.
Double it up?
https://youtu.be/Hwb8C2TijYE?si=_fxCjxJja4Ni7uBt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDSud7vAH_0
My brother just texted me “This sounds like an Onion headline: Shane McGowan Lives To 65!”
https://youtu.be/nILXGKFNCAY?si=bdtKfSLenqHUrSC8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkbZv4I-Zkk
A ripping song about sending your friend off after he’s drunk himself to death?
Seems too fitting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym-Oz0TMSb0
What the goddamn fuck is that audience doing? standing there? Dumb fucks, drink some Irish Rose and Guinness and punch someone.
Has to be done
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9jbdgZidu8
For the wake.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOZHwWFjb30
I remember guying this LP in college and playing it over, and over, and over again. Fucking beautiful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6Kspj3OO0s
Cranberries DOUBLESHOT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ejga4kJUts
Fitting soundtrack to the ending of a delightful show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey0YNt-RyTA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCEsGQoHvBY
Fun fact: these guys’ big break was opening for The Pogues in 1990.