From a lot of points of view the surprising thing is not that he died now it's that he lasted this long. I remember seeing the Pogues back in the 90s in the Joe Strummer period and they were awesome but it was "common knowledge" back then that Shane was extremely ill and not long for the world.
It's easy to underestimate his erudition and intelligence, probably because of his always seemed to impaired by booze.
Decades ago I was on a train in Ireland and he was sitting at the table opposite to him. Like most on the train carriage, I recognised him but left him alone. Eventually someone walking through the carriage saw him and approached to quickly express his admiration/gratitude for his music and asked if he minded that he had a question about the lyrics of one of his songs. He seemed genuinely happy to engage in a conversation.
I listened, of course, and for the next 30 minutes or so, was treated to a whirlwind but fascinating tour of his ideas covering politics, philosophy, history as well as literature. He was extremely well-read. I wish I could remember the details. Maybe this transcript - https://thequietus.com/articles/09277-mark-e-smith-nick-cave... - captures the tone of the conversation.
Then they'll take you to Cloughprior and shove you in the ground But you'll stick your head back out and shout "We'll have another round"
One summer evening drunk to hell
I stood there nearly lifeless
An old man in the corner sang
Where the water lilies grow
And on the jukebox johnny sang
About a thing called love
And its how are you kid and whats your name
And how would you bloody know?
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
And a rovin, a rovin, a rovin I'll go
For a pair of brown eyes
I looked at him he looked at me
All I could do was hate him
While Ray and Philomena sang
Of my elusive dream
I saw the streams, the rolling hills
Where his brown eyes were waiting
And I thought about a pair of brown eyes
That waited once for me
So drunk to hell I left the place
Sometimes crawling sometimes walking
A hungry sound came across the breeze
So I gave the walls a talking
And I heard the sounds of long ago
From the old canal
And the birds were whistling in the trees
Where the wind was gently laughing
And a rovin, a rovin, a rovin I'll go
A rovin, a rovin, a rovin I'll go
And a rovin, a rovin, a rovin I'll go
For a pair of brown eyes
For a pair of brown eyes
And a rovin, a rovin, a rovin I'll go
And a rovin, a rovin, a rovin I'll go
And a rovin, a rovin, a rovin I'll go
For a pair of brown eyes
For a pair of brown eyesGutted to see Shane gone even though we all knew it was coming. He was the poet laureate of the Irish in Britain and indeed throughout the world, who had incredible humanity and an unflinching eye for the life of the underdog. His heroes were the nameless working class people who made Britain tick as much as his literary heroes like Behan and James Clarence Mangan. Good luck Shane, I hope you don't find heaven too boring!
I found this interview with Shane MacGowan... something. Maybe touching? Two excerpts:
> I didn’t, of course, expect him to look like the gangly youth with the terrible teeth who looked as if he’d bleed adrenalin. I knew that the terrible teeth, or at least a lot of the terrible teeth, had gone. But I didn’t expect him to look like this. He has, it’s true, been ill. He has, apparently, had gastroenteritis. (The doctor said he could only eat clear liquids, which MacGowan, unfortunately, took to mean gin). But the man sitting opposite me, behind a table covered with packets of pills and cigarettes, reminds me both of a hobbit and a china doll. His hair is wild. His skin is pale. His lips cover gums where there should be teeth. But his eyes are clear, bright, piercing, beautiful blue.
and
> I’m not quite sure how to follow this, so I ask what ambitions he’s got left. This time there’s no pause. “To live as long as I possibly can, and to come to terms with dying before I do.”
> For a moment, we’re both quiet. For some people, this might seem like a small thing. But when you’ve drunk as much as Shane MacGowan (and not all that many people have drunk as much as Shane MacGowan) then staying alive isn’t a small thing at all.
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/featu...
from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-20125315:
"It was not until he formed Pogue Mahone (a variant of Irish phrase pĂłg mo thĂłin, which means "kiss my a*se"), that he was finally able to mix the rawness of punk with the Irish poetry and sentimentality of his lyrics, to huge critical and commercial acclaim."
Fairytale of New York on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9jbdgZidu8
Shane, Kirsty - RIP
I saw Christy Moore (another great singer-songwriter who pushed the boundaries of Irish traditional music and has had his own share of drink-related health issues) play on Wednesday night. Before singing his version of “Fairytale of New York”, he reminisced about a night spent drinking and playing music with Shane. If I remember correctly, he acclaimed Shane as one of Ireland’s finest songwriters – if not the greatest. Great praise coming from someone of Christy’s stature – and retrospectively poignant.
"The most important thing to remember about drunks is that drunks are far more intelligent than non-drunks. They spend a lot of time talking in pubs, unlike workaholics who concentrate on their careers and ambitions, who never develop their higher spiritual values, who never explore the insides of their head like a drunk does." - Shane MacGowan, Melody Maker interview 1991
Fun fact: Despite his Irish working class persona, he was privately educated and grew up in Tunbridge Wells (A posh town in the UK for non-Brits).
Beautiful analysis by Michael Brendan Dougherty: “MacGowan was able, as an Irish-Londoner, to take Irish music in hand with a joy, pride, and inventiveness that seemed impossible for the native Irish who either revered their musical tradition too much to experiment with it, or disdained it as a kind of false Paddyism.”
A total shambles getting to and from the stage, but a devilish charisma once on it, great performer, RIP Shane, fecking hell
"I'm sad to say I must be on my way So buy me beer or whiskey, 'cause I'm going far away"
Farewell Shane.
My first concert was the Pogues in late 1986 or early 1987. "Boys from the county hell", "Dirty old town" and "Waltzing Matilda" (the last two, he didn't write, but made his) are some of my favorite songs ever.
To someone that knows absolutely nothing about this person, can you tell me what he is famous and/or praised for?
(I often find myself in this situation, to be honest...)
For a while yesterday, his picture and Henry Kissinger's were right next to each other on bbc.com. Surely the first time that's ever happened.
There's also a story up from shooting the video for Fairytale of New York:
I'm partial to the faster songs. The first three tracks on If I should fall from grace with God are basically perfect.
But the early live stuff -- Found this version of Sally MacLennane:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWSuwPzrog4
Or this one of Spider playing a drinks tray with his head:
What a character he was. Rest in peace!
If you're not familiar with The Pogues, The Sunny Side of the Street is the song (and the album, Hell's Ditch it was released on) are the quintessential sound (for me).
Incredible and unique music that doesn't imitate or try to be anything other than what it is.
This made me sad. I was an old Pogues fan. He was great (when sober enough to work).
However, he did have an ... interesting ... life. I think his last few years were pretty terrible.
It's honestly a miracle he survived as long as he did. He was definitely a character and the man had his own so voice style that would be recognised straight away.
Something in the British/Irish mentality which appeals to flawed geniuses such as him. We like our hero’s to have a drink/drug problem.
"I'm going, I'm going where streams of whiskey are flowing" Hope you've found an eternal stream Shane :(
Should be a close run thing in the pubs this year, between "So here it is...." and "Fairytale...".
Minor miracle he lived to 65. RIP
Fairytale of New York is one of the best Christmas songs. RIP
Fare thee well, gone away
There's nothing left to say
Fairytale of New York is a great song.
Fare the well, gone away, there's nothing left to say
With a slainte Joe and Erin go my love's in Amerikay
The calling of the rosary, Spanish wine from far awayTitle clarification: Shane MacGowan: Pogues singer dies aged 65
Personally I bloody hate a Fairytale of New York. Give me Roy Wood any day.
An absolute wordsmith, 'a pair of brown eyes' is as close to a perfect song. Novels of thousands of pages haven't told a story as deeply as that song. His version of the Band played waltzing Matilda is one of the most moving songs I've ever heard - and amazingly wrote fairytale of New York as a bet, when Elvis Costello bet him he couldn't write a Christmas song.