 | | | | POGUE MAHONE - THE STORY OF THE POGUES
Saturday 28th December 21.00 - 22.00
Presented by Mark Radcliffe
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| | | | | |  | | Rum, Sodomy and the Lash
The first truly classic Pogues album. Producer Elvis Costello retains the fearsome energy of the band's debut but gives proceedings a sheen of professionalism. Includes the band's classic take on Ewan MacColl's Dirty Old Town, but also includes some of Shane's greatest songs so far - Sally Maclennane is a riotous rave up, while The Old Main Drag evokes London's seedy underbelly. A Pair of Brown Eyes was memorably covered in turn by Irish folk hero Christy Moore. | | | | Listen to Clips
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| | | | | |  | | If I Should Fall From Grace With God (1987)
The band's crowning glory. MacGowan's writing hits its peak on songs such as the title track, Broad Majestic Shannon and Bottle of Smoke. Fairytale of New York remains the greatest Christmas song ever, a mix of sadness and boozy sentimentality, while Fiesta is guaranteed to kickstart any booze up. Phil Chevron's Thousands Are Sailing shows Shane wasn't the only great writer in the band, while the addition of Terry Woods brought the band additional instrumental prowess and a direct link to the Irish folk tradition. | | | | Listen to Clips
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| | | | | |  | | Peace and Love (1989)
With Shane slipping further into alcohol and drugs, it's no surprise that this fails to live up to its illustrious predecessor. Still, songs such as White City and London You're A Lady find his lyrical gifts unaffected. Sadly, the contributions of the other members of the band fail to live up to Shane's best stuff, and overall the album lacks real fire or focus. | | | | Find out more
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| | | | | |  | | Hell's Ditch (1990)
Once again, Shane's recreational pursuits got in the way of his muse, although he still managed to knock out Rain Street, a late highlight. The band continued to grow musically, incorporating new elements such as Eastern music and flamenco into their sound. Spider Stacey's Wake of the Medusa proves he had learned a great deal from his dentally challenged singer with its startling imagery and whirling whistles. | | | | Listen to Clips
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| | | | | |  | | The Snake (Shane MacGowan and The Popes) - (1994)
Shane confounded critics who thought he had drunk away his talent with his debut solo album, backed by North London boys The Popes. The old punk fire still burns on rave ups like That Woman's Got Me Drinking, and The Song With No Name still shows Shane could knock out a bar room ballad like no-one else. | | | | Find out more.
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| | | | | |  | | The Very Best of The Pogues
If you want a decent overview of the band, this is the place to start. Collecting the best of the band's album tracks and adding a few classic singles such as Body of an American and the beautiful ballad A Rainy Night in Soho, this strikes a perfect balance between the drunken rave ups and the more poetic side of the band. The perfect soundtrack to both a night of drunken debauchery and the bitter tears of the morning after. | | | | Listen to Clips
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