Rum Sodomy & The Lash
The Pogues
1985
Album Summary
Rum Sodomy & the Lash is the second studio album by the London-based folk punk band The Pogues, released on 5 August 1985. The album reached number 13 in the UK charts. The track "A Pair of Brown Eyes", based on an older Irish tune, reached number 72 in the UK singles chart. "The Old Main Drag" later appeared on the soundtrack to the film My Own Private Idaho.
WikipediaWouldn't be surprised if this was made 'Thanks to a grant from the Irish in Britain Heritage Fund', so well does it document the horrors visited on the Irish by our multiply disgraced nation. As for historicity, I imagine some is fact and some is myth and jolly good too because history can't be understood without both. At the same time, McGowan and his troop make you feel the spirital effects of all this turbulence. It's pretty obvious how this is done lyrically. These are fabulous stories bleeding with colour. But it's the inclusion and ocassional reworking of traditional songs among the originals that elevates this to heritage status. Capping it all off with Waltzing Matilda -- about similar awfulness in Australia -- is a masterstroke that makes the album universal. What struck me anew this time were the sparing and gentle arrangements, which belie my assumption that this is mostly punk and puckish fare.
Look, it's the Pogues. I love this band and their albums are, to a one, pure fun to listen to. But I can't, for the life of me, understand why they're on this list. I don't see how anyone could say that this is an influential band with a straight face. Anyway, it's a ton of fun and that's worth some stars.
What is music for? What is art for? Part of what it’s for is creating little windows into other worlds, and letting others peer into those worlds. And when it works, we peer into marvellous, fully constructed worlds that adhere to their own internal logic - that build something from nothing. That transmit the world you see directly into my head. Point being, this album creates such a world better than most any album I’ve heard in a long time. A totally internally consistent world of heroic boozehounds and defeated champions, spinning yarns and raising glasses. I was transported.
The title pretty much sums it up. A feast of whisky, penny whistle, folk and punk spirit. A classic example of a band at the peak of their powers.
I have to say the title of this made me a little nervous that it would be a metal band, but I actually quite enjoyed this one. It was really good.
Concede there’s a couple of dud tracks but there’s very few that can keep the live energy bottled into recordings like this.
Not many albums can make you dance, sway and cry all within the hour. 'Rum, Sodomy and the Lash' is The Pogues' finest work, although some prefer the almost as good follow up 'If I Should Fall From Grace With God'. The album is packed with an impressive amount of variety, original material blending seamlessly with covers and instrumental numbers. The last thing MacGowan or his band could ever be accused of is being boring, and the almost complete absence of bad songs on this album is a testament to that. It goes down rightly as the album that captured the band at their emotional, intoxicated and brilliant best. 5/5
Welp, here's another album that hits all the right spots for me. Irish band playing Irish and spaghetti western-style music. To be honest, today wasn't the right day to listen to it, and I didn't enjoy it as much as I might've done. However, I recognize that fact, and this album's greatness. Five stars!
Great album, lots of nice bar songs. I think i like this one better than the other Pogues album.
Der Sänger ist zwar die hässlichste Sau, die je das Pech gehabt hat geboren zu werden, er hat sich es sich trotzdem nicht nehmen lassen, jegliche Hirnfunktion aus seiner verformten Matschbirne zu saufen. Beeindruckend! Musikalisch zwar grade mal über Grundschulniveau, dafür aber mit ganz viel Gefühl bei der Sache, also alles gut (und traurig meistens). Möchte im Pub so viele Snakebites saufen bis ich mich anfühle, wie der Mongo aussieht. Nur geil. Dirty Old Town absolutes GOLD! 5*, wer war was anderes sagt, hats nicht verstanden. Eigentlich müsste man 1* abziehen, weil die wohl bei der hälfte der Aufnahme gepennt haben. Dirty old Town - Gute Qualität. Jesse James - hört sich an wie durch ne Wand aufgenommen. Hätten die mal weniger gesoffen.
Erster Song direkt Bock auf n pint black adder, poor mans black velvet oder ein chilliges snakebite. Holt mich sauftechnisch enorm ab. Instrumental tracks kicken mich weniger, vernebeln mir aber schön den Geist mit Hobbit-vibes und bock auf'n kühles Kilkenny. Zwischenzeitlich auf nice "fields of Athenry" Vibes die mich die grünen saftigen Wiesen samt eines Eimers des wohlduftenden Gesöffs direkt vom St. James Gate in Dublin schmecken lassen. Je länger der bumms dauert desto mehr wünsche ich mich in mein 4 uhr morgens Irish Pub ich hinein das rücksicktslos weiter bestellt. Na klar darfs noch n whisky dazu sein. Hab zwar fast kotzen müssen aber der muss noch sein. Als ob ich noch was schmecke lol. Bei the parting glass kommt mir der absolute tullamore dew Rausch in die Birne, absolut krank. Insgesamt einfach ein einwandfreises Irish Folk Album. Meiner meinung nach sind auch nur Spider Stacy, Jem Finer und Andrew Ranken echte Pogues, da der Rest früher oder später weg war (alle drei an diesem album beteiligt). Sei es drum. Schenk mir ein du grüne Muse und hör nicht auf bis mir schwindelig wird. Cheers! 5*
Dirty Old Town always gets me. Honestly I didn't have time to relisten to this, so perhaps it doesn't hold up, but old me will fight new me if I end up thinking so. Once saw Shane McGowan in concert after the Pogues, as you might expect, drinking in excess for decades doesn't does one well.
I've always loved this album - kept finding myself humming or whistling along. Just brilliant
So much fuckin energy here, it's impossible to dislike in any way. It sounds dumb to write it but Shane McGowan's alcoholism was something I thought was really cool in my 20s. I always thought the ultimate rock star would be a cross between him and David Lee Roth. Punk rock energy, arena rock antics, incredible substance abuse problem haha. 5/5.
This album is dynamite, and the Pogues have such a unique sound. Pair of Brown Eyes, Rainy Night in Soho, The Band Played Waltzing Matilda are all five star songs.
I goddamn love the goddamn Pogues. This is my absolute Jam. What a cracking album.
I like the song Dirty Old Town very much, but 18 songs of The Pogues is a bit much.
nice cover art. album started, dont know if ill make it through an hour of this voice. second song: i can hear him 'singing' against the mic? its unplesant. cant imagine this possibly taking a turn i like, awful music and voice. curious now if there might be 1 singular song in this album i might like. theres 18 freaking songs. okay a woman singing now. interesting lyrics there. back to the man. i dont hate a pair of brown eyes! i think i got used to his voice and its no longer quite so unpleasant. music reminds me of the sponge bob theme song haha. i can take a guess what the genre is but i wont embarass myself. but they have to be irish right haha. different male singer now i think. idk. the sound effects lol. so unnecessary to do the girls voice in the gentleman soldier xd okay im stopping at london girl, i got the gist of it i think. cant say i loved or even liked this but it ended up being not as awful as i initially thought it might be.
Bloody love the Pogues, such a great band. I has such nostalgia for this album, my parents playing it a lot when I was young.
Absolutely great album - fantastic mix of songs, given a unique twist.
I am a big fan of Celtic punk and the Pogues are largely responsible for popularizing it. This album is at times angry, political, and endearingly reflective. Shane MacGowan’s distinctive delivery can be heard in later bands such as Flogging Molly, and serves to highlight his influence. The music itself is brilliant. Combining punk forms with traditional Irish instrumentation is a unique and effective hybrid and one that allows for the expression of a cultural identity within a popular genre.
Oh, how I wish I'd seen them live. Preferably in a pub with a dance floor. I love the little touches that elevate it above folk (I love good Celtic folk BTW). My favourite is the surf guitar solo on, "A Pistol For Paddy Garcia." I was expecting to mark this down because of repetition, but this glorious LP is packed with variety, fun, skill, and that spark of anger and rebellion that turns good into great.
Well for one thing, this popped up a day after St Patrick's Day - feels like a missed trick. It's one of my Dad's favourite albums too (the last one to come up was Take Five, and it got five stars just like that... I feel like this might have the same treatment. And you may need to add an additional star option when Graceland arrives). A perfect mix of sentimental, offensive, raucous and fun.
Doesn't disappoint on any level - Bill (5/5) Reminds me of the UK, makes me happy - Shannah (5/5) Better than anticipated, more measured and musical than expected - Conor (4/5) (4.7/5)
The Pogues! Not expecting to see them here, but I'm pleasantly surprised. It's not my favorite album by them, but it's still really good. While I think the bands they influenced aren't bad, you really don't need Flogging Molly or Dropkick Murphys albums when you can just listen to The Pogues instead.
Actually pretty great. Energetic, folky with all the charm you'd expect.
An Irish classic from an iconic group from the region. This album is simply so fun and entertaining and enjoyable. Classic Celtic flutes, accordions, rhythms and humorous and honest lyricism.
Als ik ooit een jaar verdwijn weet dan dat ik dit album bij me heb. Instant reisklassieker
this is exactly why i wanted to do this a pair of brown eyes, dirty old town, navigator fills beautifully between, starts strong with ‘sick beds’
The unruliness, the vigor, the wit, the sentiment, the absolute joy of the Irish soul is in The Pogues, as it is in Brendan Behan and Seamus Heaney and James Joyce. Here that soul has been brought into the twentieth century (the rapidfire drums and howling vocals on The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn) but it's still essentially nostalgic -- about green lands, slower time, a community based on old custom (A Pair of Brown Eyes). Maybe traditional music played like this isn't for everyone, but I think it's so original, so unmistakably the music of a place. A Dirty Old Town so deeply beloved.
I would put this album along side Dexy’s Searching or the first Specials album - genre-bending and game changing. I don’t listen to a lot of Pogues these days, but I love d the rebel spirit of this at the time. There are some absolute classics on here, not least The Old Main Drag, along with a couple of duffers (Jesse James, for one). But they save the best for last here. And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda is one of about 3 songs I can name off the top of my head that makes me teary every time that I hear it. I am not a folk fan - far from it - but I absolutely love this.
I thought The Pogues were some kind of indie, maybe punk music when this came up. Why? I have no idea. Turns out I had no idea what The Pogues were all about. I certainly did not expect that Irish folk with a little country thrown in. Nor a disturbing anti-war anthem based on “Waltzing Matilda.” I did not realize that would be the perfect soundtrack for my day. Amazing storytelling. Amazing music. I love it! Rum Sodomy & the Lash was never so great!
To me this album means home. It is heartbreaking but gorgeous and exhilarating. I love every moment.
I enjoyed this album quite a bit. As soon as I finished my first listen, I immediately wanted to listen again...and I did. It was amazing!
Put together a tin whistle, banjo, and accordion and I'm in. Add some powerful stories and it's perfect. Lovely.
This album was a breath of fresh air after a string of albums I did not like. I am a sucker for Irish punk rock and sea shanty vibes so this album made me very happy to listen to it (3 times in 2 days.)
Excellent album, probably my favourite by The Pogues Each track is superb
What's not to like? Hay gaitas, guitarras, brincos, letras desmadrosas… Desde que descubrí a los Pogues hace años me han gustado mucho pero no me los imaginaba en esta lista. De cualquier manera, creo que tienen el mérito de traer cosas de su folk y mezclarlas en una escena punk que quizá no era la más receptiva para eso.
Hah hah, a raucous rocking time! I was introduced to this album during my "only metal" phase, and even though it's plainly not metal, I had to admire the level of punk wrapped up in this folk! Fave track - "Sally MacLennane" maybe? A lot of good songs to choose from, though...
J'ai bien aimé. Je m'attendais a du gros punk ou quelque chose près de The Clash, mais j'ai été surpris de voir que tout les instruments était ''accoustic'' et que les mélodies étaient très douces. J'aime bien ce genre de musique Irlandaise, cela me fait penser a Flogging Molly un peu et le temps que j'écoutais ca quand j'étais jeune. 4.15
“Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash” by The Pogues (1985) Are you into sailing? Serious listeners who don’t immediately recognize the reference in the title will be behind the curve, but this album is very good—sailor songs, mate, in the finest traditions of the British navy—rum, sodomy, and the lash. Songs that tell a story—sometimes coarse, sometimes passionate, sometimes horribly abrasive, but always ballsy and always entertaining. With lyrics that are somewhere in the broad sea between doggerel and epic (it ain’t Kipling), the music is in the folk Irish style, meant to be sung and heard while inebriated, pounding pewter mugs on the nearest horizontal piece of oak. Lead singer Shane McGowan has a voice like your average drunk boatswain’s apprentice, but with soul. Everyone should listen to at least one track of this (I recommend "The Sick Bed of Cúchulainn") to get the flavor. Musically, these performances feature a heavy dose of accordion, tin whistle, and banjo, with standard chord structures and conventional melodies. And it’s so well done. Picture yourself on a British man o’ war in 1870, gathered with your shipmates on the fo’c’sle before the third watch after your issue of grog. Obviously, this isn’t for everybody, but within its very narrow genre, it excels. 4/5
Irish folk with an urgent and chaotic punk energy but also some tender moments. Really like the social commentary through story telling and evocative imagery in the songs. Dirty Old Town in particular is whistfully wonderful.
"In blood and death neath a screaming sky I lay down on the ground And the arms and legs of other men Were scattered all around Some cursed, some prayed, some prayed then cursed Then prayed and bled some more And the only thing that I could see Was a pair of brown eyes that was looking at me But when we got back, labeled parts one to three There was no pair of brown eyes waiting for me" (A pair of brown eyes) "They died in their hundreds with no sign to mark where Save the brass in the pocket of the entrepreneur. By landslide and rockblast they got buried so deep That in death if not life they'll have peace while they sleep." (Navigator) Pero esto es BASTANTE FANTASÍA TODO.
A fuckin banger, although sometimes the subject matter (if I even understood it) was totally wild
Really good album, danceable and the Irish songs never disappoint. Also some ballads that easen the mood. Solid 8/10
Bereits beim ersten Lied den Malleolus durch euphorisiertes stampfen verstaucht, Displayschaden durch fliegenden Krug sowie unerwarteter Zahnverlust. Mom, am I a pirate now?
This was super different and really interesting to listen to. I caught some Western influences in a few songs, and liked the Irish folk of many of the others. Sally McLennane is a surprising banger, album cover is pretty cool as well. It was a little long, though two of the songs I saved were from that expanded edition so it evens out. Saved: Sally McLennane, Dirty Old Town, The Band Played Waltzing Matilda, A Rainy Night in Soho, The Body of an American
Something about angry Irish music first thing on Monday morning hit me just right....
Happy music, dark lyrics. Also folk. I like it, will come back to it some day. 4/5
Fun and varied; a nice long tour of Irish music with some classics sprinkled in with the originals. Good rowdy vibes.
I was about to discard this one, but I just needed some context, it's quite interesting and fun, glad I got to listen.
Never heard it before, but it was great! There's not enough irish rock bands on here. 0RS
Thoroughly enjoyed this album, though it did make me a little thirsty.
Excellent Pogues album, perhaps a bit too traditional and straightforward for me, but contains some great songs, especially when they start to mix the songs a bit with other genres..
I live this album. The highlights are plenty. Dirty old Town, Pair of Brown Eyes, Waltzing Matilda and my favourite I'm a Man You Don't meet Everyday.. Shane McGowan is such a great singer and though his song writing had not yet peaked you could see here what a magnetic front man. A near perfect album. 4.5 🌟
Great stuff! I was way into this yesterday when I was listening, but this morning woke up and couldn't remember what it sounded like ... except there was a melodeon... and it was festive...(?) But to put this in perspective, the morning after a great night with the mates and some pints is often accompanied by memory loss and an underlying feeling that a good time was had. This is that kind of album.
Pues sí me gustó la combinación punk folk celta, mucho más folk que punk. Fav: sally maclennane
Only four songs I like in this album. I understand that there is so much politics. I can not realize it fully, but I can feel, and I felt! Shane MacGowan is very charismatic frontman! The Best Song is Dirty Old Town
Irish folk music is always amazing. Add a dash of punk elements and this album absolutely rips
You don't have to be an alcoholic with no teeth to understand and like this album; but it couldn't hurt. Best Tracks: The Old Main Drag; A Pair of Brown Eyes; Sally MacLennane
Great when you're drunk. Not so much when you're sober and don't drink anymore. It's good, but not for me.
It’s the Irish Flogging Mollys! Seriously, who woulda thought that McGowan would still be alive in 2021?
Upbeat Irish tunes. Better than a three, but not really a four star album. Rounding up, as it is something I can see coming back to again - most likely some afternoon in mid-March.
The Pogues are absolute legends. I love Celtic inspired music and Pogues are true pioneers of it. Solid album.
Best Song: A Pair of Brown Eyes. Rousing, rolling song in a singalong style. Worst Song: A Pistol for Paddy Garcia. A just okay instrumental song with a Old West vibe. Overall: Rough, raw, danceable music that also manages to tell stories with each song. Excellent folk punk.
Folk slash punk not really my bag, but it's hard to argue with the skill of the execution.
Was pleasantly surprised. Which shouldn't be a surprise, since I enjoy bands like Flogging Molly. The instrumental tracks were sublime, and though the album starts on a punky note, there were some solemn, touching ballads that made me feel like I was crying over a pint of Guinness in an Irish pub.
Sally MacLennane is a great song. This album depends on your mood for that Irish folk style. right now this is hitting me on an above average day because it's friday.
Hmm some of this was genius, some of it was annoying and also it went on a bit. I'm struggling to know how to rate it. I like what it stands for - like punk folk music - how fun, but I can't say I loved ALL of it. God damn I want to give a 3.5, but I'll round up
It didn't feel that this was the right sort of music for sitting on my own and listening to with my headphones, it feels like music you sway, dance and jump around to with other people. Really enjoyed it though regardless, I think I've only listened to the pogues Xmas song before so good to hear the others
Super fun punk Irish sound. My favorites were Sally MacLennane and A Pistol for Paddy Garcia
Favorites were "I'm a man you don't meet every day" and "Sallie MacLennane". Some of these sound like an influence for Bruce Springsteen's "American Land"
Another fantastic entry by The Pogues, my favorite Celtic rock band tied with The Waterboys. Not as fun and suffers more duds than their later entry, If I Should Fall From Grace With God, but it's still a blast to drink and dance all throughout. Major complaint is that the songs blended in following "Dirty Old Town" but there's still a lot to like. On the plus side, the expanded edition attaches their impressive Poguetry in Motion EP.
I had a lot of preconceived notions about this band. Even though I’ve only heard good things about them. Even though some artists that I really like are associated with them in one way or another. I knew that it was that Celtic, pub shit. I knew that it was merged with the punk rock mentality. When I think of that, I think of Dropkick Murphys. Well, needless to say, my ignorance was ill-conceived. This album was so cool! It’s still not my absolute favorite style or anything. The songwriting didn’t blow me away. Regardless, there were great songs, and the energy was palpable. I was smiling through most of it. I would love to dance to this. I’d listen again
Punk music turns Celtic. Ground zero for the Irish punk bands like Dropkick Murphy's, Black 47, Flogging Molly, etc. all start with the troubled Shane McGowan and his colleagues. Great album, great track list.
A few very fun songs along with some ballady sounding tracks. Overall an enjoyable album that I'd definitely come back to.
Good fun and debauchery with these punk marinated pirate shanties. Bring out the rum and swashbuckle!
I went into this album thinking it was gonna be pretty cheesy, but it ended up being very enjoyable all around. I really liked the ballads they told through their songs. While I only have a few highlights, that doesn't mean I didn't like it as a whole. Highlights: 1, 6, and 8.
I expected to not like this album when I read its description on Wikipedia. However, I was surprised by how catchy and enjoyable it was when I was listening through it. I really liked the Celtic aspect of the album; it’s definitely the most notable and interesting part. It’s different from most, if not all, of the albums that I’ve listened to thus far that actually made my ears happy. The only gripe I have with this album is that the mix is pretty bad. The singer’s voice seems to be drowned out in some songs, and near the end of the album, the songs just drop in volume for some reason. Favorite track: A Pair of Brown Eyes
The Pogues' second album is full of very good drinking songs, and most of it wouldn't go astray on a pirate ship at all (judging by the album cover - it's very appropriate). A super fun listen! Best: The Sickbed of Cuchulainn Worst: And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda (seemed really out of place on an Irish album with such thick accents) 3.5 Stars
If I hear the pogues mentioned then I normally think of their Xmas hit that’s played to death annually. An interesting album, covering some historical cultural events, it made me look at them in a different light. The band played the waltzing Matilda was the one that stuck in my mind the most
31st May 2022 Listened while working from home. Went out for dinner with Jen in the evening and had Clapham Common ice cream. Love this, it’s very evocative. Makes you think of dusty pubs and revolution.
Oh it's the Pogues, my favorite band of rowdy Celtic punks. Love them. I love how they took all the energy and attitude of punk and merged it with traditional music to create something completely new. If this sounds wild to you now, imagine how this music landed in the 1980s. In an era teeming with musical creativity and experimentation, the Pogues managed to stand out with something both old and new, and more than a little badass. If you only have a general idea what the Pogues are all about, this album may come as a bit of a surprise. While it's as fun to listen to as you would expect, there are actually some striking songs, with great musical depth and gorgeous instrumentation. The songwriting is poetic, incisive, grim and occasionally shocking, with stories that stick with you. Delivered in Shane MacGowan's trademark boozy style, it's everything punk wishes it could be, but so much better. Fave Songs: Sally MacLennane, A Pair of Brown Eyes, I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day, Dirty Old Town, And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda
Folk punk. I really like the arragements, the melodies and the spirit of the album. (7/10) FT: Sally MacLennane, Dirty Old Town
Some great songs on this album. Would have loved to have seen them in their pomp.
Used to listen to this in school, mainly for the swearing, but it’s always been a good album. Some great tracks.
Revisiting traditional irish/Celtic folk, with a pink rock twist. And succeed with the project. Thumbs up
Great Irish-Punk album! I personally think it's a little bloated, but it has a lot of charm. No songs stuck out as awful, but there are a handful that I didn't care for. Really enjoy the vibes. The album makes me with it was St. Patrick's Day. Best Songs: A Pair of Brown Eyes, Sally MacLennane, Dirty Old Town, A Pistol for Paddy Garcia, The Body of an American Worse Songs: Navigator, The Old Main Drag
How can one listen to this kind of music and not be jolly and wishing they were in a pub, raising a toast? Hard not to be instantly put into a good spirit listening to this album and while it was a wee bit long and lacked real stand out songs, it was overall a very enjoyable album that benefitted from its range of songs, from fast paced and more punkish to slower paced ballads, it had a little bit of everything
Good Irish drinking music. Felt like what would happen if you gave a pub band from the 1300s modern day instruments.
This is the second album of The Pogues that I have listened to and I really enjoyed this album. A big per-cursor to bands like Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphy. Awesome Irish Folk music.
I was happy to see the Pogues come up in my list. I've heard several songs, and listened to a previous album from them on this album. Rum Sodomy & The Lash was new music to me, except for some minor exceptions with the cover of "Waltzing Matilda". I like the celtic instruments, music and vocals from the band. I liked this album enough to listen to the extended version. "Navigator", "The Gentleman Soldier", "A Pistol for Paddy Garcia", and "Planxty Noel Hill" were the tracks I liked the most. Two of those are instrumentals, and they are favorites because of the celtic instrumentation. I know a heard a word or two I couldn't recommend, but the irish accents soften the sound. I might make my way back to this album again.
"And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" Is up there my favourite new song heard so far.
Very fun album! If you're not moving to this idk what the hell you are on. Play this shit at the bar and I guarantee people get down to it. I looked em up and somehow this band isnt from Ireland, so they automatically get knocked a point for that. Irish eyes is a good bar in Chicago 7/10
Irish, folk punk - cool The name and the album art are absurd Dirty Old Town is the Virgil van Dijk song and it's a bit cruel of the website to do us like that yesterday Loved following along with many of the stories in the songs If you mention this album to a certain type of Southsider you'll end up talking about the IRA for the rest of the night I'm a sucker for a good version of Waltzing Matilda
This album was really good. Loved the Irish folk music and a really enjoyable listen.
Listened Before? N This is like primitive Dropkick or Flogging Molly! I like it a lot. I wasn't expecting to hear banjo in a British punk album, but there it is. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn, The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
I expected this album to wear out its welcome after about 20 minutes, and it didn't, which is a victory. Mostly it's just a lot of fun. Best track: The Body of an American (even though it's only on the deluxe version)
This is my favorite Pogues album, but that’s a safe bet anyway. I mean come on! This album has everything The Pogues are: drinking, death, a proclivity to engage in fisticuffs, swearing, and drinking. Oh did I say “drinking” twice? Well, that sounds about right. By the way, this might just be the best named album of all time. The only gripe I have about this album is that I greatly prefer Woody Guthrie’s “Jesus Christ” to The Pogues’ “Jesse James”. The final track is gutting, and since you've already had your whiskey by the time you get to the end of the album, your ears are just about ready to hear the tragic tale of "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda". Your heart's just about ready for the lazy horns expressing the dull pain of a mangled soldier.
Highly enjoyable sounds of punk fused with folk. Shane's vocals always take you to that place you know the place, woo
I feel like I got kinda drunk just listening to this album. And then got laid and went off to the war.
This one made me feel like I was in a somewhat angry Irish pub, but I really enjoyed it! I knew this would be Sara’s favorite thus far :)
Yesterday I was listening to Flogging Molly’s newest album, after not hearing them since my teens. Teenage me loved Celtic punk and I couldn’t tell you the amount of times I had Flogging Molly or Dropkick Murphys on rotation. Despite this, for some inexplicable reason, I had never given The Pogues a chance, having only heard Fairytale Of New York before now. It should be interesting to hear a band that would have been a big inspiration for the artists I loved in my younger years. Songs I already knew: none Favourite after listening: Dirty Old Town, The Band Played Waltzing Matilda Overall: 8/10 The Pogues are excellent at painting a picture with their music. As is common with Irish folk music, they tell stories through their prose and do so brilliantly. I expected Shane MacGowan’s vocals to be grating, but it suits the music perfectly. I especially enjoyed Dirty Old Town as made famous by The Dubliners, as well as The Band Played Waltzing Matilda which must have been heavily inspired by No Man’s Land by Eric Bogle (as well as every vaguely Celtic singer since). I’ll definitely be returning to this album again.
Prefs: The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn, The Old Main Drag, The Wild Cats of Kilkenny, A Pair of Brown Eyes, Sally MacLennane, Dirty Old Town, Jesse James, The Gentleman Soldier, And the Band Played Waltzing Mathilda Moins pref: Billy's Bones
I judged a book by its cover. Based on the name and the first track I figured this would be a bit of a gimmicky album and maybe a little silly. But it was a fun, sincere album with a lot of great songs. Made me want to go drink a Guinness.
Booze soaked, punk inspired Celtic diddly-dee. Available for birthdays, weddings and bar mitzvahs.
It's like a flick book of dick pics left on the washing line for your mother to find.
One of my favourite Pogues album. ùmsybe the most traditonal Irish-folk album hey ever made. But the punk attitude is there in spades. Some incredible performances on this album. Dirty Old Town, I'm A Man You Don't Meet Everyday , Pair of Brown Eyes and the hilight is a gut-wrenching rendition of The Band Played Waltzing Matilda. A beautiful album and one of the 80s best. 4.5 stars
Great Album. I've reviewed this in the past, before I joined a group, and it was one of my favorite albums I had listened to so far. It still holds up now! There is no tackyness in their embrace of Irishness, and I really like this album. It's not perfect, but it's close. Best Songs: Sally MacLennane, The Band Played Waltzing Matilda, The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn, London Girl Worst Songs: Wild Cats of Kilkenny
One of the Pogues' best albums. The Pogues are like the Irish version of outlaw country and influenced the likes of the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly. Not going to give this 5 stars since many of the tracks seem to be based on traditional songs.
Very good, but I didn't like it as much as "If I should fall from Grace with God". The lyrics here are more gloomy, and the melodies less catchy.
A very fun album. It's not particular edgy, but not very uninspired either.
Essential if only as a cultural milestone. Whether originals or covers made famous by them, the Pogues performed too many highlights on this one to be excluded from a list like this... "Dirty Old Town", "...Waltzing Mathilda", "The Old Main Drag", "Sally MacLennane" (and "Body Of An American" on the CD bonus tracks)... Number of albums left to review: 734 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 132 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 65 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 70
Nice mixture of folk and punk that doesn't sound like the year is was recorded in. 3.5/5
It's lack of variety is well made-up for by atmosphere, guts, grit, and fun. Good stuff!
This LP is a strange collision when it makes its way in through my ears. On one side, Celtic folk music, something that echoed through my childhood, softer over time. On the other, punk from across the pond: I only discovered that after I turned 20. The effect, for me, is disorienting. It helps that the instruments are rather raw, if recorded extremely clearly, and the arrangements and singing more polished (mostly). It doesn't exactly scratch an itch on first listen, but I think it could, if I worked at it for a bit. I suppose none of the titular elements are things I have the stomach for.
Think I enjoyed the other Pogues record a little more. Once this one settles into a groove, it doesn't change it up too much. I still enjoyed it. Favorite tracks: "Wild Cats of Kilkenny", "The Gentleman Soldier", "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda"